LES PHILLIPS CUP: NIGEL Tripp is already looking ahead to next season after his Melksham Town side crashed out of the Les Phillips Cup quarter-final on Saturday.

With his side just below mid-table in the Screwfix Premier League and now out of both cups, the Melksham manager believes it is the ideal time to build for the future.

He said: "We have to look ahead to next season now and make sure we are ready for the start of the campaign. This season we have been building as we have been playing and obviously that is not ideal. Perhaps I can try a few things now for the rest of the season.''

A second half brace from Kevin Squire gave the visitors the victory.

Early Barnstaple pressure saw Melksham goalkeeper Craig Guthrie deny Squire while at the other end Melksham captain Dean Ranger, at full stretch, could not make contact to Steve Pegler's low cross.

Brian Kayll was the next to go close for the home side as the defender blazed over the bar after the visitors had half cleared a free kick.

After the break Melksham began to dominate and midfielder Neil Thomas was denied by Barnstaple goalkeeper John Vaughan.

Minutes later Kayll headed over the bar but despite the Melksham pressure it was the visitors who broke the deadlock. Squire made space for himself before hammering a shot past Guthrie on 73 minutes and then five minutes later the same player took advantage of a defensive mix up to score his second and seal the win.

"It was disappointing in the end," said Tripp. "We matched them but we switched off in defence for five minutes and that was it.''