MINEHEAD went down 3-0 on Saturday at home to Melksham Town who, although they deserved the win, were flattered by the score-line.

Two of the goals, one a very dubious penalty decision, came in the last three minutes of the game.

Giving one of their best performances of the season, Minehead dominated the early play and in the first minute Craig Carr was unlucky to see his free-kick beat the keeper and rebound off the bar.

Spending the first 15 minutes under pressure, Melksham slowly took control and after 26 minutes only a superb goal-line clearance by Lee Nunn denied them the lead.

Within a minute of this escape, keeper Adrian Cheek came to Minehead's rescue when he made a brilliant save from a header by Gary Burns.

Melksham's sustained pressure paid off in the 29th minute when Gary Lewis broke clear of the home defence to score with a firmly hit shot.

Just before the interval, Cheek rather fortunately scrambled away a shot from Matthew Bown for a corner.

In the second half Minehead kept themselves in contention with some solid defensive work and neat play in midfield, but it required another brilliant tip over the bar by Cheek to prevent Matthew Messenger from increasing the visitors' lead.

Although Minehead then forced several corners, the safe handling of Darren Chitty in the Melksham goal denied the home forwards, and with the visitors having soaked up a period of home pressure, the inevitable happened in the 87th minute when a mistake by Dave Burr allowed Lewis to make a fine run before slipping the ball into the net as Cheek came off his line.

After such an encouraging performance it must have been demoralising for Minehead to find themselves two goals down, but worse was to follow.

In the final minute the referee awarded Melksham a penalty when Brian Hall was adjudged to have brought down Jeremy Christopher in the box and from the spot Lewis scored to complete a fine hat-trick.

Minehead: A Cheek, A Giblett, S Porter, M Heywood, L Nunn, W Giblett, D Burr, D Sowden, S Sowden, S Kenny, C Carr, N Wyborn, subs S Perkins, B Hall (both used), A Hodgson.

l Minehead are at home to Odd Down tomorrow (Saturday), kick-off 3pm.

And on Tuesday evening they have a rearranged match at home to Barnstaple Town, kick-off 7.45pm.