Larkhall Athletic won for the third game running when they chalked up a derby success at Melksham Town on Saturday 3rd January.
Larkhall Athletic were 2-1 winners over Melksham Town here at The Meads of Melksham Stadium on Saturday 3rd January | Photo © Richard Briggs
The 2-1 victory followed a 3-2 triumph against Bristol Manor Farm on Saturday 27th December and a 3-0 win at Bideford a week earlier, meaning Athletic have picked up nine points from a possible nine since Ollie Price quit as manager.
Larkhall’s victory at The Meads of Melksham Stadium gave them a league double, having beaten the Wiltshire outfit 3-2 at the Camella Stadium in August.
The Larks are now in eighth place in Pitching In Southern League Division One South. However, they are 13 points behind Bishops Cleeve, who occupy the final play-off position and have two games in hand on the Bath club.
A crowd of 671 – the biggest at Melksham this season – saw Milo Murgatroyd give Athletic a 24th-minute lead. Murgatroyd’s shot took a deflection and the ball deceived home keeper Adam Forster.
And the advantage was doubled 20 minutes later, when Dawid Regula buried a penalty against his former club. Leon Greenland brought down Alex Camm in the box and Regula sent Forster the wrong way from the spot.
Both sides then had chances to score before Will Christopher pulled one back in the 75th minute, netting from close range following a long throw by Nathan Davis.
And Melksham – who are five points clear of the relegation zone – came close to equalising at the death, Larkhall gloveman Liam Armstrong parrying in a melee and Jamal Lawrence putting the loose ball wide.
Larkhall starting XI: Liam Armstrong, Jeff Forkuo, Spencer Dymond-Hall, Sam Boulton, Lewis Graham, Will Banks, Alex Camm, Jack Camm, Dawid Regula, Milo Murgatroyd, Freddie King.
Striker Kieran Phillips left the Larks before the match at Melksham, having been recalled from his loan spell by parent club Gloucester City.
Athletic face a quick turnaround as they are due to visit bottom club Tavistock for another Division One South match on Wednesday 7th January.
Larkhall Development cruised into the quarter-finals of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League’s Fountain Trophies Senior Cup by crushing Faringdon Town Development at the Camella Stadium in a second-round tie on Saturday 3rd January.
While the Larks are pushing for the Premier Division title, their opponents are bottom of Division One, so perhaps the result was not too much of a surprise.
A brace apiece from James Okell and James Horrocks ensured the home team led 4-0 at the break.
In the second half, a pair from Ben Wickens, a single from Angus Williamson and an own goal completed the winners’ tally.
Larkhall have been drawn at home to Premier Division mid-tablers Pewsey Vale in the last eight, the tie to be played on Saturday 28th February.
Athletic’s next match is a league clash with Devizes Town Reserves at the Camella Stadium on Saturday 10th January (3pm).
