A very flattering scoreline for cup holders Melksham as they were pushed all the way by a determined Westbury performance.
Both teams had a man harshly sent off and United pushed their visitors all the way until a late goal sealed the outcome.
An even opening saw chances at both ends with United’s Mark Young (who had a fine match) firing off target and Marc Scammell bringing a brilliant save out of Rob Brown with a header at a Young corner kick.
At the other end Will Stead shot wide from 20 yards and Lee Fielding touched Ben Thomson’s corner onto the back post.
It was Westbury’s Josh Ferguson who saw red first after two yellow cards around the half hour mark, and ultimately this paved the way for the visitors to step up the pace straight after half time.
Prolific scorer Gary Higdon netted twice within eight minutes of the restart, the opener a tap in and the 2nd a free header which were both set up by Shaun Benison.
United battled away but didn’t get the goal they deserved and Brown did well to save from Tony McElhone before Melksham’s Warren Maidment was sent off for a late tackle. Brown made further saves from the excellent Mark Young, Dan Moore and Dave Macey to keep his sides’ two goal advantage while Moore and Macey both shot wide as their team gave it a real go in the closing stages.
Town broke away late on and it was Stead who lashed in the final goal to complete the scoring.
*STAR MAN – Mark Young. TEAM – Charlie Heydon, Tony McElhone, Grant Gunning, Nathan Hallett-Young, Marc Scammell, Matty Mantay, Mark Young, James Hounsell, Jordan Matthews, Josh Ferguson, Levi Wood.
SUBS – Dan Moore, Dave Macey, Ben Forester (used) James Collett, Jordan Cain (unused).
