MELKSHAM bounced back from last week's home thrashing by Backwell with a very creditable point an in-form Welton side.

The visitors started and finished the game well and had chances to pinch a 1-0 victory but in the end had to settle for a valuable point.

Manager Nigel Tripp was pleased with his team defensively but felt his players had eased off a little towards the final whistle.

"To be honest we defended very well because Welton had been doing quite well recently," he said.

"We had some good chances and John Freegard could have scored twice.

"But I was a bit disappointed that we seemed to be settling for not getting beaten. It was pleasing in some aspects but we could have got the three points."

Melksham nearly opened the scoring when Freegard went close with a low shot from the left that only just missed the target.

The home side hit back and former Swindon Supermarine striker Aaron Blakemore ran onto a good throughball from Lee White but sent his first-time effort inches wide of the post.

Blakemore proved a tricky opponent and set up White who fired weakly at the Melksham goalkeeper.

Both sides tried their best to take the game forward but the match got bogged down in a midfield scrap.

Melksham thought they had broken the deadlock just before half-time when Freegard rose above the Welton defence to head home from a corner. But the goal was disallowed for pushing.

The second half began at a brisk tempo but the two sets of defenders remained in the ascendancy.

Blakemore again went close for the home side but it was Melksham's Dean Ranger who missed the best chance to snatch the points late on but he shot wide from just inside the area.

On Saturday Melksham entertain Highworth in the Wilts Senior Cup, but will be missing John Freegard (calf) and Brian Kyall (work commitments).

Tripp said: "We are the holders and we want to keep hold of the cup. Gordon Smith will be back and Simon Price did well on his return last week.

"Dan Lardner made his comeback with 90 minutes in the reserves and will be drafted in on Saturday."

Melksham's busy schedule continues on Monday when they are at home to Bridport in the Les Phillips Cup.

"We've got two cup games in three days that makes or break your season," added Tripp.

"Both games are on a par. Highworth like to play a bit more than Bridport and they will like playing at our place because we have a lovely surface.

"We just need to make sure we get among them."

Tripp has moved to bolster his striking options by making a seven day approach for Corsham Town's Owen Bryan.