Nightmare 60 seconds costs Moneyfields dearly in Southern League home defeat to Melksham

Jake Hallett was caught off his line from 40 yards for Melksham's second goal. Picture: Duncan Shepherd

The Wiltshire side were gifted two quickfire goals and there was no way back for the hosts after that.

Manager Dave Carter admitted he was hugely disappointed with the performance from his team.

'We can't afford to gift goals away at this level,' he said.

'Both their goals stemmed from our individual errors.

'For the first our goalkeeper should have stayed on his line and then within 30 seconds he was caught off his line again.

'That gave us a mountain to climb.

' I thought we played well in the first half up to the goals.

'Our second half wasn't good enough.

'Every second ball fell to them and we didn't work their goalkeeper anywhere near enough.'

Moneys - aiming to bounce back after losing their league opener at Cinderford - started in a confident fashion, pinning Melksham back in their own territory.

George Barker had a goal-bound drive deflected behind for a corner and it took a last-ditch tackle to deny Steve Hutchings.

It developed into a scrappy affair until Melksham hit Moneyfields with a double-whammy.

On 39 minutes the ball spun up into the air after a shot was deflected in the home area.

Jake Hallett, in the home goal, came to collect but was beaten in the air by Jack Ball who headed in.

The home side lost the ball from the kick-off and Ball, from all of 40 yards, lobbed the ball over Hallett into the net.

After the break Carter's side huffed and puffed but never looked like getting back into the game.

'We lacked confidence in the final third,' said Carter.

'Though we pushed and pushed to try and get back in the game, it didn't happen.

'It is a tough league and we have to learn to stay in games.

'Some of the players didn't have a good game and didn't do what was asked of them.

'Instead of trying to force things we need to relax.

'Once we conceded twice it was a different game because Melksham were in control.'

Moneyfields: Hallett, Lefleur (Bailey), Sanders, Raine, De Costa, Pearce, Dinsmore (Roberts),Ridge, Briggs, Hutchings (Jatta), Barker.