Frome Town 1-3 Dorchester Town – Southern Premier League, Wed. 11th Feb.

Frome Town’s roller coaster season continued, as they followed the heroics of the previous Saturday with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Dorchester Town, who were always in command on the night, and looked much better than their league position would suggest.

Manager Adrian Foster kept faith with the same team that had done so well on Saturday, but was still without the services of Ben Worlock, Kris Miller, Jon Vance and Ben Thomson who were all recovering from injury.

On a still, cool evening and on a pitch much quicker than of late, the match started at pace with both sides playing good passing football, but it was clear from the off that Dorchester looked to have more confidence and they were certainly dominating possession and territory.

However, Frome seemed capable at the back of dealing with the threat, and started to put together counter attacks that eventually led to Matt Smith hitting a swerving shot into the hands of Alan Walker-Harris in the 25th after a flowing move, and with Smith going close again two minutes later, it was looking reasonable at this stage.

Dorchester went close from a corner and only a goal line clearance and a Darren Chitty save kept them out, but Smith then again tested Walker-Smith with a fierce shot that he parried away for a corner after good work from Taylor and Haldane.

As half time approached, Dorchester started to apply serious pressure, and after a free kick on the edge of the Frome area was deflected for a corner, the visitors took the lead in the first minute of stoppage time as Curtis Dillon rose to head the ball powerfully back across goal and into the far top corner, for a lead that they deserved on the balance of play.

The start of the second half saw Frome start brightly, with Smith going very close with a shot that was blocked after early pressure, and with Brandon Mundy letting fly with a 20 yarder that just missed, it looked promising, but then Dorchester made it 2-0 as a right wing cross into the Frome box was headed down by a Frome defender onto the back of another defender and the ball bounced invitingly into the path of Nat Walker, who couldn’t miss from six yards, and he buried the shot with great effect.

After Jack Vallis had produced two great clearing headers in the 61st minute, Frome went very close as Aaron Rodriguez produced a lovely chip into the path of Lewis Haldane in the box, and only a combination of a good save and a goal line clearance prevented him from opening Frome’s account.

As the match progressed, Dorchester seemed to get stronger and win possession more easily, and they made it 3-0 in the 82nd as a left wing free kick was flighted perfectly across goal for defender Matt Oldring to head home cleanly at the far post, and it could easily have been 4-0 a minute later as the defence was carved open and only Darren Chitty saved the day.

Frome did get a consolation goal in the 86th minute as substitute Cameron Brown drifted a perfect left foot cross / shot  straight into the far top corner of the goal from a position wide out on the left touchline, but it was too little, too late and Frome were left to rue the loss of another three home points to a team that had started the night only two places above them in the league.

Cameron Brown was chosen for the “H&B Tyres Man of the Match Award” by match sponsors H&B Tyres. Crowd: 202.