HARTLEY Wintney bowed out of the FA Vase at first time of asking, losing out to Melksham Town 2-1.

The Wiltshire club dominated most of the match and deservedly moved into the next round.

Hartley started brightly and took the lead on 11 minutes. A move down the left saw a pass to Sam Argent who quickly set up Dean Stow on the right.

The winger took aim and fired an accurate shot just inside the post from 25 yards.

Melksham responded strongly and gained control of midfield. On 16 minutes they should have equalised.

A long free kick on the right from Luke Ballinger found Gary Higdon free well inside the penalty box.

However, the striker screwed his shot badly wide when well positioned.

Two minutes later Higdon was again out of luck when he got his head onto a left wing cross from Ben Thomson but the effort went just wide.

Melksham continued to call the shots and on 24 minutes a good cross from Higdon found Sam Jordan who narrowly missed the target.

Six minutes later with the visitors well on top Mike Perrott tried his luck from 25 yards and seen the shot go narrowly over.

The Row came into the game and almost doubled their lead on 33 minutes.

A slick move involving Ross Cook and Argent set up Stow. His effort from the edge of the box looked goal bound and only an excellent stop from goalie Rob Brown diving to his left kept the ball out. On 40 minutes Melksham drew level. A long free kick found Mike Perrott free in the penalty box.

The midfielder created space for himself and fired high into the net from 12 yards.

The visitors continued where they left off in the first half and on 50 minutes almost took the lead. Good play down the left saw a cross delivered to Higdon whose powerful header was pushed over the crossbar by Jake Maddock.

Hartley responded and four minutes later Steven Duff had a good effort from the left which went narrowly past the far post. On 59 minutes the Row were bang out of luck. Cook seeing goalie Brown off his line tried a lob from 30 yards.

The ball looked goalbound, but hit the inside of the post and Brown was fortunate that the ball did not rebound off him into the net.

Hartley continued to have problems dealing with free kicks and on 63 minutes a long delivery from Luke Ballinger saw Ben Tomson fire narrowly past the post.

Hartley applied some pressure from set pieces but were undone when a long clearance by Melksham saw a race between Tom Walsh and Sam Jordan.

Jordan got the edge and ran on to fire low past the outrushing Maddock.

Five minutes later, Cook fashioned a chance on the edge of the box but his shot saw Brown well positioned to save.

The visitors almost extended their lead on 76 minutes when a long cross from Ballinger saw Mike Perrott head just wide.

Melksham held on comfortably to progress leaving the Row to concentrate on the league.

Joint manager Daniel Brownlie said: "I'm devastated, there is no point trying to hide that. It was a competition we felt we could do well in but we came up short.

"I'm not sure we gave our a good enough account of ourselves so for that they'd be regrets."

The Combined Counties League Premier Division leaders return to league action on Saturday with a trip to AFC Hayes and Brownlie said: "The focus is to win three points on Saturday. We have ambitions, absolutely, but for now we have to dust ourselves down, regroup and put everything into Saturday. Tonight hurt, but they'll be no room for hangovers."