When you have lost your three opening games, conceded nine goals and only scored two in reply, it becomes very difficult to express positive opinions.

When you have lost your three opening games, conceded nine goals and only scored two in reply, it becomes very difficult to express positive opinions.

It is accepted that at present we are minus up to six players through holidays and injury, but one suspects reading the notes of other Clubs that is replicated with some of our opponents.

There were high hopes that with some additional players and the new management we would improve upon the lowly performance of last season, in truth to date there is little to think this may happen, in fact some supporters last Saturday thought the performance was poorer than the latter games of last season.

While we do perform for about 20 minutes each game, the rest we seem to collapse into a disjointed mode with little or no football being played. The second half we also seem to lag behind the stamina of the opposition.

With possibly the relegation trapdoor in operation this year. It look as though without some vast improvement, Melford will be hovering mighty close to that door for the rest of the season. On the positive side both debutantes cousins Luke and Andy Hughes had good games, hopefully they will be with us for some time, before finding full time football, both having previously been with Cambridge Utd, although joining Melford from Tiptree where our former Manager Richard Carter is to be thanked for helping to get the paperwork through in time for last Saturday.

Again opposite to predictions the Reserves went down in their first game to FC Clacton Reserves by two goals to nil.

The five goal defeat at Halstead on Tuesday would suggest a total rout but in fact it was not the case, two defensive errors allowed Halstead two goals by half time and Melford came out second half with great determination then it started to go wrong.

After putting in a right wing cross Tommy Wiffen was the victim of a late challenge, and despite writhing on the ground in agony the offence was overlooked by the officials,with Tommy eventually being helped to the dressing room to take no further part in the game.

Then we had Andy Hughes bursting through on the goal to be sandwiched by two defenders and brought down in the area. Everyone from Melford expected a penalty not so - the frustrated player then vented his feelings upon the assistant referee and was red carded by the referee, this signalled the end of the game for Melford. Disrupted by what had happened, Halstead then scored three further goals to run out easy if slightly flattering winners,

Despite all this although it was better from Melford we clearly have to sort out ourselves quickly or the trapdoor of relegation will be looming earlier than expected.

Bona fide Villager.