AFC Totton
MELKSHAM TOWN – Their Season So Far
Mid-table Melksham Town come into this match looking to extend a five-match unbeaten run in the Southern League Div.1 South, which began with a stonking 5-0 away win at Slimbridge in early October against the side who scored three without reply at the Snows Stadium this season.
A victory by the odd goal in seven in a ding-dong encounter with Plymouth Parkway followed, making it nine goals in two matches. But, the imaginatively nicknamed “Town” have actually been quite frugal in front of goal in the rest of their matches, scoring fewer in total during the season so far than 17th-placed Cinderford Town.
The self-styled “Black-and-Yellow Family” were disappointed to be pegged back to a 2-2 draw by Winchester City last weekend, after racing into a two-goal lead in the opening four minutes. And their Southern League Challenge Cup campaign came to an end last Tuesday night, as they went down 0-3 at Premier South outfit Swindon Supermarine.
Midfielder Jay Malshanskyj joined Melksham in the summer and scored on his debut at Willand Rovers on the opening day of the season and has found the net on three further occasions, so far. The fleet-of-foot Albie Hopkins carries a significant goal threat from either wing, while diminutive striker Luke Ballinger is their top scorer with seven goals, including Melksham’s second in the 3-2 win over Lymington on Saturday.
MELKSHAM TOWN: LAST 5 MATCHES – All Competitions
Sat 23 Oct 21 Mangotsfield United A Southern League Div.1 South W 0-2
Sat 30 Oct 21 Hartley Wintney H Buildbase FA Trophy 3rd QR L 1-2
Wed 06 Nov 21 Winchester City H Southern League Div.1 South D 2-2
Tue 09 Nov 21 Swindon Supermarine A Southern League Challenge Cup L 0-3
Sat 13 Nov 21 Lymington Town H Southern League Div.1 South W 3-2
AFC TOTTON vs MELKSHAM TOWN – Previous Meetings
The Stags have taken on the Town on five occasions since the turn of the Millennium, with 3 wins, 1 draw and the solitary defeat coming in the first encounter in the 2001/02 FA Vase by a scoreline of 1-2.
Totton fan favourites Craig Feeney and Stuart Green both scored at home and away in the 2018/19 season in a 5-0 win at the Snows Stadium and 3-3 draw on the road.
Hisham Kasimu’s 65th minute finish from a tight angle settled the most recent meeting between these two teams on a balmy Tuesday night in mid-August, as Totton capitalised on our 1-0 opening day victory at home to Plymouth Parkway by adding another at the Oakfield Stadium in Wiltshire.
By Ben Rochey-Adams and Malcolm Tombs, Historian
