Goals from Ben Morgan and Ollie Knight gave Frome their fourth league win in a row, with a 2-1 victory at Dunstable Town. Though with the hosts getting one back and going close at the end, the margin of victory was nowhere near as comfortable as it might have been.
After Frome’s good win over Stratford midweek, they travelled to 23rd place Dunstable Town, seeking to extend their run of league wins, though last week’s FA Trophy defeat at Shortwood showed that league position is no guarantee of anything this year.
With Jon Davies, Jake Jackson and Sam Teale missing from the squad, Ryan Bath started at centre forward after a good game in midweek. George Miller moved into midfield and Darren Jefferies took over the number seven shirt.
Right from the start, Frome created a chance as a Marcus Mapstone header was punched clear following a corner, but immediately, Dunstable rocked Frome out of any complacency as they immediately countered and should really have scored with a header from six yards.
However, in the aerial battle of corners, Frome took the lead in the 10th minute as loan signing Ben Morgan, rose above everyone to head home for his first goal for the club in only his second game, and this early goal then led to a period of Frome domination.
After Ryan Bath had had a shot blocked, Chas Hemmings headed just wide and then following a Joe Raynes shot, Morgan almost added to his tally but this time his header landed on the roof of the net rather than in it.
However, Dunstable rode out the storm, and as the match progressed, they began to gain in confidence and started to trouble the Frome defence; firstly with a dangerous cross that was just cleared, and then a free header from a corner brought the first save of the match from Kyle Phillips.
As Phillips saved again just before half time, it was becoming clear that if Frome had taken their chances, then they could have been out of sight by now, but Dunstable were increasingly starting to influence the match the longer it went on.
The start of the second half saw both sides creating half chances, but then controversy erupted in the 65th as a Dunstable defender appeared to hand the ball on the line with both hands, in what was seemingly a blatant penalty. But the referee waved play on and showed a straight red card to Frome’s captain, George Miller, for his protests following the incident.
Down to ten men and with Dunstable looking confident, Frome were up against it now, but they actually made it 2-0 in the 75th as a home defender made a mistake that let Ollie Knight nip in and chip the ball over Nick Wayrs, for his second goal in as many games.
With substitute Mitchell Page missing a golden chance to seal the match in the 80th as he shot over after being put clean through, Dunstable ensured that the final few minutes of injury time would be nervous ones as they pulled it back to 2-1 in the 91st with a superb 25 yarder from Andrew Osei-Bonsu that flew into the top corner, giving Phillips no chance. As finger nails were being bitten down, Phillips tipped a 25 yard free kick over the bar and the referee blew his whistle.
This win means that Frome have now won four league matches in a row, have moved up to tenth place in the league, and, if they could win the game in hand they have over the three teams immediately above them, then sixth place is a distinct possibility.
Chas Hemmings was awarded the H&B Tyres Man of the Match Award, his second of the week and Frome’s signing from Bath City.
