NIGEL Tripp has stepped up his search for an out and out goal scorer after watching his Melksham side earn a hard fought point on Saturday.

Refusing to be downbeat following Wayne Wheeler's decision to stay at Westbury United, Tripp has now moved for Wootton Bassett striker Matt Bennett. Bennett has impressed in the Wiltshire Youth side this season and Tripp is hoping he could add some much-needed competition for places up front.

Tripp said: "Jamie Cheeseman has done very well for us upfront this season while John O'Meara's goals to game ratio is also very good.

"But if one of them gets injured then we will be in real trouble because we do not have a lot of options up there.

"I am always looking for a striker who knows where the goal is and if we can persuade him to join he will help share the workload a bit."

Melksham enjoyed the better of the proceedings on Saturday and went closest to taking the lead when Lee Burns crashed a header against the bar.

Cheeseman then had an effort disallowed for offside while at the other end the returning centre back partnership of Burns and Ryan Trowbridge looked solid.

Tripp said: "That performance was a lot better than the week before and showed what we are capable of when we defend properly. Exmouth are one of the better sides in the league but we more than held our own against them and really should have won the game.

"Lee Burns' experience is vital while Ryan Trowbridge's youth allows him to be more mobile and so the two look to be a very good pairing at the back."

After a slow start to the campaign, Melksham have consolidated their position in midtable in the Premier Division and Tripp is now urging his players to take the next step.

He said: "We need to be more consistent and we will only do this if we start defending as a team.

"We have a lot of very good flair players in the squad but sometimes you don't want that when you are up against the stronger sides.

"We have to learn to be a bit more patient and to get ourselves behind the ball when the opposition are attacking. We did that on Saturday but we now need to keep doing that.

"It is hard for the attack minded players to forget about going forward but sometimes that is what they have to do."