Last minute penalty earns Melton all three points

A stoppage time penalty from Kairo Edwards-John secured all three points for Melton Town in their final match of the season, writes Adam Etheridge.

After falling behind, Paul Anderson and Greg Mills had fired Town in to a 2-1 half time lead, with the hosts equalising shortly after the restart.

Melton started the match well enough, with Mills and TyreacePalmer having early chances, but there was a let off for Town in the 5th minute when woefully short poor backpass set Nathan Banton one-on-one with Bill Harrison. The Melton keeper proved equal to the task though, as he would many times on the day.

Despite the Reds looking the much stronger outfit, it was their failure to clear a corner that allowed James Shaw to poach the opener as the ball fell to the prolific striker in the area. Melton looked a little shellshocked and it took them several minutes to regain their composure before Mills drove in to the area again, but could only find the side-netting.

 Melton were able to take all three points home on Saturday. Photo: Mark Woolterton/MW Photography.

The pressure continued and after forcing another fine save from Danny Rigley, Melton eventually found themselves on the scoresheet from the resulting corner. Kimberley dealt with the set-piece and cleared close to the halfway line, but Anderson picked the ball up, ran at his man and created some space for himself. The makeshift centre half had time to pick his spot and curled an effort in the top corner from outside the area.

 Paul Anderson was on the score sheet on Saturday. Photo: NEMM Stock.

Two minutes later Melton took the lead as another corner came in and Palmer got a touch that teed up Mills to lash the ball in from close range. The Miners could have equalised on the stroke of half time but for another excellent stop from Harrison to maintain the lead at the break.

Within ninety second of the restart Kimberley equalised with a powerful Tom Eccleshall header from a well-placed corner. The hosts had their tails up at this point and were dominant for the next twenty minutes, with Harrison’s heroics keeping Melton in the match. The shot-stopper’s finest moment came in the 65th minute, when Sam Beaver was judged to have handled in the box.

Diving low to his right, Harrison got both hands to the powerful spot-kick, pushing it around the post and maintaining the parity in the match. The save handed Melton a lifeline, and the Reds took it with both hands, momentum turned and Town sprang back to life. The main threat continued to be Mills and it was his run that drew the penalty Michael Pearson made contact in the area.

Edwards-John stepped up to the spot and sent Rigley the wrong way, deep in to stoppage time, as the travelling Pork Pie Army let out a deafening roar. There was barely time for the restart and Referee Gary Caley blew his whistle, within seconds, to draw an historic season to a close with the Reds finishing fourth, the highest place ever in the history of football in Melton Mowbray.