Shepton Mallet deservedly won their FA Cup replay 3-2 at Melksham after dominating the first half and then resisting the hosts' strong second half comeback, to earn a trip to Tavistock in the next round on 7th September.

Craig Loxton had two early attempts, a free kick that went well over and then a shot that was deflected for a corner, before Liam Watson headed Loxton's free kick cross just wide.

A dangerous cross from Ben Haines in Shepton's next attack went just over the home crossbar, and on 20 minutes Jack Fillingham started and finished another Shepton move when his headed effort also just went wide.

At this point all that the hosts had managed was a speculative Luke Ballinger shot from distance that was way off target, and their first real threat after 21 minutes saw Asa White do well to head a dangerous cross out for a corner.

Shepton keeper Jonny Hill gathered the subsequent cross, the significance of which quickly became apparent as Hill's long clearance upfield unsettled Melksham defender Tom Warren enough for him to prod it beyond his keeper Liam Kingston who had come off his line, for the ball to nestle in the far corner of the net to give Shepton a 22nd minute lead.

Soon after, a Loxton cross just cleared the home bar, and on the half hour mark a Loxton free kick was deflected on to the bar, but only half cleared as far as Joe Morgan who took a couple of steps to his right before hitting a superb 20-yard angled shot into the far corner to double his side's advantage.

Just before the break Ben Haines was denied a third for Shepton when his shot was cleared off the line, as Shepton turned round well on top.

Melksham could only improve in the second period and they certainly did as they quickly hit back with two goals after 48 and then 53 minutes.

The referee, who had a poor second half, denied Shepton an obvious free kick deep in Melksham's half, and the ball was swept upfield for substitute Cameron Allen to lash the ball in from 20 yards, with the help of a deflection.

Five minutes later, a Ballinger free kick also took a deflection that gave Hill little chance of keeping it out and suddenly it was all square and game on.

What proved to be the winning goal was not long in arriving, as just past the hour point a Shepton corner was hit to the far post where White had been left unmarked, and who side footed in from eight yards.

Midway through the half Aaron Seviour did well to set up Morgan for a chance that he put a yard wide, and soon after Hill saved a Ballinger free kick.

Dan Dempsey went close with Melksham's next attempt and Shepton were under more pressure 10 minutes before the end but somehow kept their lead intact with, at times, increasingly desperate defending.

At the end Melksham's own desperation as they pressed to try and take the game to extra time, saw them leave gaps at the back and Shepton almost scored again through Finn Haines, and at the end of stoppage time when Morgan's shot beat Kingston but came back off the inside of a post.

A fantastic all round team performance with Asa White earning Man of the Match honours for some sterling defensive work capped off with the vital winning goal.

Team

1. J.Hill
2. B.Haines
3. C.Loxton....cautioned
4. K.Bailey....cautioned
5. A.White.....cautioned and scored one goal
6. L.Watson
7. F.Haines
8. C.Peck
9. A.Seviour
10. J.Fillingham
11. J.Morgan.....scored one goal

T.Davis