After breezing into a 2-0 lead after 35 minutes with a goal from Dan Cleverley and a penalty from Jon Davies, Frome took their foot off the accelerator, allowed Biggleswade back into the game, and a 78th minute goal from Tony Burnett led to a nervy last 12 minutes.
After the disappointment of Frome’s midweek defeat at Paulton, it was important that they got back on track quickly, but it wouldn’t be an easy task as Biggleswade arrived as the league’s highest scorers, and on a six match unbeaten run. However, though they have scored 62 goals, they have also conceded 61 so this match was unlikely to be a 0-0 draw.
The only changes to Frome’s starting line up were the return of James Fitzgibbon at left wing and Connor Roberts had recovered from the injury sustained in the warm up in midweek.
After fairly even early exchanges, Frome started to look the side most likely to make things happen, and some neat exchanges on the right wing led to Davies cutting in and firing wide of the near post in the 12th minute.
Biggleswade’s first chance came in the 16th as a long throw allowed top scorer Inih Effiong to use his height to set up a shooting chance with the shot going past the far post.
After some Davies trickery had produced a perfect cross for Mitchell Page to run onto, his first touch let him down, but they took the lead in the 23rd minute as a right wing corner led to a blocked shot from Sam Teale, but Cleverley was on hand to pounce on the ball and his snap shot from 15 yards bobbled into the far corner.
Controversy erupted in the 32nd minute as a superb run and cross from Darren Jefferies found Page at the far post and as he shaped to head the ball in from a distance of about two yards, he was clearly pushed in the back and the ball ran agonisingly along the goal line before being cleared.
After having numerous penalty appeals being turned down in midweek, the Frome conspiracy theorists were beginning to sharpen their pencils, but less than two minutes later, Frome were awarded a penalty as James Fitzgibbon burst into the box and was taken down by Callum Lewis. To the relief of everyone, Jon Davies scored with ease from the spot, sending Ian Brown the wrong way.
At 2-0 up, the crowd wanted more of the same, but it almost seemed as if Frome now started to drop back and defend their lead, and Biggleswade started to look interested and play the ball around in the Frome half with relative ease.
Chitty had to be alert to save from Sam Merson in the 39th as he let fly from the edge of the box and Merson again brought a sharp save from Chitty a few minutes later as he let fly with a snapshot.
The second half was effectively a mirror image of the first, with Biggleswade having all the territory and possession and looking increasingly likely to score as long balls, high balls and long throws were frequently sent into the box looking to utilise the height of Effiong.
Though Frome were dealing with the aerial threat well, there are limits to how long any defence can deal with continuous pressure, and Frome were struggling to retain the ball for extended periods in midfield, though Page was fighting a brave lone battle up front and did well winning and holding the ball up when it was cleared forward.
This all led to the crowd checking their watches frequently during the second half, and, sure enough, the pressure told and Biggleswade pulled one back in the 78th as a long ball to Effiong was knocked back across the face of the goal and substitute Tony Burnett had an easy tap in at the far post.
To concede an equaliser would have been a tragedy for Frome as they battle relegation, and that very nearly happened in the 83rd minute, with only a great, point blank save from Chitty saving the day, and despite continuous attacks from the visitors, the home defence held out for the remaining time and the precious three points were won on a day when other results went in Frome’s favour.
Marcus Mapstone was awarded the H&B Tyres Man of the Match Award and it was impressive how well he dealt with Biggleswade’s aerial threat all afternoon. Crowd: 143. Entertainment Value: 4/5.
