Frome Town’s hopes of a long awaited first home victory evaporated as Corby Town scored twice in the first half, and finally sealed the win right at the end as the home side threw everybody up looking for an equaliser.
With Josh Ford being suspended for this match, recent signing Tim Stephenson paired up with Johnny Lynn in the centre of the defence, Ben Wood returned from injury and returning Ricky Hulbert started the match at number 10 alongside Wood. Kurt Hammonds was suspended following the red card of a couple of games ago.
The first significant move of the match saw Corby take the lead as a seemingly harmless ball from the right evaded everyone leaving an easy tap in at the far post for Corby’s Tommy Wright, and with Aman Verma putting a 25 yarder past the post shortly afterwards, Frome were struggling to get a grip on the game.
As the game progressed, they did get better and Ben Wood’s pace started to cause problems for the visitor’s defence, and both Rhys Baggridge and Matt Smith got on the end of Aaron Legister crosses, but both efforts were wide of the target.
Brandon Mundy volleyed past the post in the 31st minute after a free kick was headed out and Baggridge went so close as he cut in and shot from 30 yards with the ball thumping against the post with Paul Walker well beaten.
However, Corby then promptly doubled their lead as a right wing corner was hit long to the far post where the unmarked Wright jumped high to head the ball down into the net to give Frome a mountain to climb.
Frome were better after the break, and after Paul Walker had saved superbly from Ben Wood in the 53rd minute, the pressure was kept up and Tim Stephenson cleanly shot home from six yards to give the home supporters hope of a result.
At this stage it was all Frome pressure, with the Frome attack looking more likely to score, but Corby weathered the storm and started soaking up the pressure with ease and looking more likely to increase the score on the break, and they very nearly did so in the 74th minute as Tom Barwick put the ball wide when it seemed easier to score.
Frome’s substitutions suggested that attack was the priority, but as the game wore on, they struggled to gain significant possession and with the equaliser looking less and less likely, Corby produced the coup de grace in the second minute of injury time as a break in the 92nd minute saw a shot from Tom Barwick cannon off the post and cross bar before Sam Ives bundled the ball home from close range to give Corby a 3-1 victory.
Matt Smith was awarded the “H&B Tyres Man of the Man Award” by match ball sponsor Andrew St John.
