Saturday 17th January
Frome Town 2-1 Malvern Town
Skipper Sam Teale nodded home in the 89th minute to secure all three points against Malvern, extending Frome’s gap at the top of the table to ten points ahead Portishead.
However, it was the visitors who took the lead early on; Harry Clark got given the ball inside the 18-yard box and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.
The Robins bagged their equaliser at the top of the hour with a penalty; after a handball offence from the Hillsiders’ defender, Zac Drew placed the ball into the bottom right from 12 yards.
Town sealed the win late on. Hopkins’ corner was whipped in, met Teale inside the six-yard box; his bullet header smashed into the roof of the net, taking home all three points for the Robins.
Just the one change after the derby-day delight against Westbury the previous Wednesday night; Brendan Holmes came into the side for Zac Drew.
It wasn’t the start Danny Greaves wanted; just six minutes in, Malvern took the lead.
Clark was put through on goal inside the penalty area and placed the ball into the bottom left corner.
The visitors came close again not long after. Goalscorer Clark ran into the box with the Frome defence split up; the winger pulled the ball back to Joseph Tumelty, who took aim first-time, but his chance was parried away by Kyle Phillips.
For the remainder of the first half, it was an even contest, with both sides creating attacks.
Greaves’ side came close at the stroke of half-time; Heal’s effort blazed over the crossbar after Archie Ferris’ layoff.
Just two minutes after, Albie Hopkins’ strike came close, but Bishop cleared the ball from harm’s way.
Drew came on at half-time for Sam Heal, as Greaves hoped to make changes for the greater good. They did, just 15 minutes into the second half, as the Dodge Robins earned themselves a penalty.
A handball offence came from the Hillsiders’ defender as Craig Scriven pointed to the spot; Zac Drew placed the ball into the bottom right from 12 yards, Bishop dived the correct way, but he wasn’t close enough.
Drew almost got close again; his volley looped over the defence and was cleared away by Bishop.
With only one minute to go of normal time, all 558 fans thought it was a draw. But it wasn’t.
Hopkins had a corner whipped into the box and hoped it found a red shirt; the cross found skipper Teale, who leapt over the defence and nodded home the winner.
Jubilation around Badgers Hill as the players huddled over the captain.
Frome came close again in the final minutes of the game. Dodimead played on through after a clearance, but Bishop got fingertip contact with the ball and was able to direct it away from the right post.
All three points were earned by the Robins as they push ten points clear of Portishead.
Man of the match: Kyle Phillips
Report: Thomas Groves
