Match Report
Willand Rovers v Melksham Town
The floodlights are back on at Silver Street with the curtain raised for the Southern League and a fourth home game in a row across all competitions saw Melksham Town make the trip from Wiltshire to Willand on Wednesday night.
A couple of changes were made following Rovers’ 2-0 defeat on opening day to Bristol Manor Farm, Tiago Sá returned to the backline with Jordan Copp unavailable for this fixture. Will Armstrong also drops to the bench whilst Finn Herbert is away for a couple of weeks. Alfie Cunningham returns to the starting XI.
The ball got rolling at 7:30 with both sides looking to break first. Rovers would be the first to test themselves with a handful of opportunities within the first five as getting off to a good start would be necessary. Several chances followed for Willand but none really could strike the back of the net but compared to recent weeks it was looking more hopeful.
The visitors didn’t make much of the first half themselves, one or two half-chances were created but nothing concrete to set them alight. Rovers would go into the break as the better side but with plenty of work still left to do as the goal deficit was in plain sight.
The Sham shimmied their way through the Rovers’ backline as their first trick out of the book in the second half with them troubling Sá and Searle as they were going into top gear to get a win. Shot after shot but nothing could separate the sides.
A handful of changes were produced as the cure should’ve been fresh legs to get a goal. Rikki Shepherd leapt on for Cunningham whilst youngster Cameron Page made way for Dorothy. Time was running out to make a difference but there was no time to waste.
A lifeline was produced for Willand with Melksham captain Mark Cooper being sent for an early shower by the man in the middle on his 100th appearance for the club, it was almost as if this could’ve been the catalyst to cause a bit of trouble.
The closest Rovers got to a goal was from a dangerous free kick from River Allen which rippled the netting and from our angle it looked almost in but just narrowly missing the bottom right would be its final destination around 10 minutes before time.
Melksham could have put the game to bed if it weren’t for Andy Sowden-Bird’s heroic keeping ability where he was forced into diving upwards to palm away the ball from a rifling sham shot. But it wasn’t to be for either side on the night as it ended goalless but points shared on what was a vital point for Willand to stop the rot of defeats, Full Time at Silver Street: Willand Rovers 0-0 Melksham Town.
