The first team may be struggling, but there is not much wrong with the form of Dean White's reserves.

They chalked up their fifth win on the trot in the Avon Insurance Combination League at Worthing last night.

Steve Melton, 24 today, launched a 2-0 victory over Swindon in the 62nd minute, with a little help from referee Rayford Lee.

The Essex official got in the way of a pass by Swindon fullback Ian Herring inside the centre circle.

John Piercy broke away, fed Melton and he cut inside to calmly beat advancing keeper Craig Farr.

Piercy, injured in the Worthington Cup exit at Ipswich, made his comeback on the left side of midfield.

The match marked a solid return for centre half Guy Butters, who has been undergoing an intensive fitness regime since losing his first team place to Adam Virgo.

Farr was much busier than Will Packham as Albion comfortably recorded a fourth successive clean sheet.

The visiting custodian saved a David Lee free kick, a Chris McPhee header and a shot from Paul Rogers inside the opening 25 minutes.

Phil Bartholomew, deputising up front for the unwell Shaun Wilkinson, almost got on the score sheet early on when a cross from partner McPhee ran just out of his reach.

McPhee clinched the points 18 minutes from the end when he neatly controlled and finished a right wing cross.

Albion Reserves: Packham; El-Abd, Harding, Melton, Hinshelwood, Butters, Lee, Rogers, Bartholomew, McPhee and Piercy. Subs: Windsor (for Bartholomew 74), Greatwich (for El-Abd 84), Beck, Bryant, Breach.