KIERAN Baggs hopes Melksham Town can continue to ride a wave of local support after watching his side book their place in the last eight of the FA Vase on Saturday afternoon.

Boss Baggs admitted there is "proper belief'' in his squad that they can achieve their Wembley dream this season after early goals from Mike Perrott and Rob Hobbs secured a 2-1 last-16 win against Tring Athletic in front of a crowd of 1,236 at Oakfields.

Luke Dunstan struck a solo reply for the visitors before the break but despite an at-times nervy second half, the home side closed out victory to go into the hat for Monday's quarter-final draw.

Baggs said: "I don't know what more you can expect me to say about the town of Melksham now. It's unbelievable. You look up and down the country at the clubs at this level and the attendances, to play in front of that at this level is spectacular.

"It really does bring the town together and hopefully we can continue to do that in the quarter-finals.

"If we do get a home draw then bring on anyone. We don't fear anyone here and when we've got those guys upstairs, in the stands and all around, you don't care who you get.

"If it's not to be and we're drawn away, we'll take a good following and hopefully we can progress to the semi finals.''

He added: "You get to the quarter-finals and there is a proper belief. Two games from Wembley - I know the semi-finals are two legs - but a proper chance to get to Wembley and create unbelievable history for the football club.

"But I'm a very grounded person and you have just got to take one game at a time.''

Melksham were ahead after just six minutes as captain Gary Higdon headed on a free kick and Perrott climbed high at the back post to head back across the keeper and in off a post.

With barely a quarter of an hour gone they were two goals in front as Jamie Lyons' wind-assisted corner was headed at the back post by Higdon and Rob Hobbs made sure on the line.

Higdon, who saw a rasping second-half drive tipped on to the bar, also hit the woodwork with a header in the first period, although the striker was also flagged offside.

But shortly before half-time, Tring earned a lifeline as Luke Dunstan's weaving run ended with him firing low past Rob Brown in the home goal.

The visitors hit the post at the start of the second period through Dave O'Connor but despite the tension increasing throughout the second half, Melksham kept the away side at arm's length as they closed out victory.

Baggs admitted: "It was not the performance we wanted over 90 minutes.

"To go two goals up so early, I think the lads switched off a little bit and Tring got back into the game.

"But at this stage of the competition, it's paramount that you get the result and get into the quarter-finals.

"I was delighted with the first half hour, it was the things we had been working on in training, the high press. We knew their keeper liked to play out from the back so we pressed high.

"We knew they were vulnerable from set plays and to go 2-0 up so quickly probably set the complacency in a little.

"With the home advantage and the crowd, you could hear them with every kick of the ball and it made a massive difference for us to get over the line.

"I get caught up in it, the same as the players do. I'm very close to them all and sometimes it's hard to assess the situation, especially in a game with such high stakes.

"The substitutions came at the right time for us. Dan Demkiv came on and stretched the game for us and gave us a good chance to breathe.

"If you look at the second half and the chances they had, there was maybe only one from a set-piece, but other than that they were limited to long-range efforts.

"With the defensive unit we have and the boys in front of them, it was enough to get over the line.''

The FA Vase road came to an end for a battling Bradford Town as they were beaten 2-0 at tournament favourites Marske United in Redcar.

Bradford, who had manager Danny Greaves in goal, fell behind in the first half as Danny Earl diverted the ball home.

The visitors' fate was sealed in the second period as they conceded a second immediately after half-time.