On a hot afternoon, Frome Town got off to a winning start with a 2-1 win over Hayes and Yeading, with all three goals coming in the first half and Frome defending their lead well against sustained pressure from the visitors in the second period.
With Darren Chitty unavailable, Frome were grateful to Torquay’s Scott Corderoy for standing in between the sticks, but the starting eleven could well have been from the end of last season, with only Rob Hobbs and Sam Teale unavailable due to injury and suspension.
Frome had a chance in the 6th as a quickly taken free kick set Jon Davies loose on the dead ball line only for Yannis Anroisine to rob him, and as Hayes broke quickly back upfield, a left wing free kick was whipped quickly across the Frome box with nobody able to get a touch.
Hayes had a chance a minute later as David Owfemi cut in from the right with Ishmael Ehvi just failing to get a touch, but it was Frome who took the lead in the 10th minute as Mike Bryant did well on the right to control and whipped in a cross that allowed Mitchell Page to dive and head past Louis Wells from ten yards, with the keeper just getting a touch.
Frome looked the better side after this and a Davies freekick just went over to the bar. George Miller almost set Josh Ferguson free and then Page pulled the ball back for Ferguson to shoot and it was looking like Frome might add to their lead.
However, after a re-start in the 30th after a stoppage for drinks, Kris Miller found himself out of position and as Hayes’ Lloyd Macklin cut into the box, Miller slid in and took both the player and the ball, but the referee pointed to the spot and Ishmael Ehvi made no mistake from the spot.
Corderoy made a stunning save from a volley from James Harper four minutes later after the visitors had enjoyed a period of pressure, but Frome made it 2-1 in the 40th as a free kick was swung in from the right and as Page and Bryant challenged for the ball, it broke free to Dan Cleverley who rolled the ball back into the far corner.
The last five minutes saw Frome go close as a Davies free kick was whipped in onto the head of Cleverley only for the header to clear the bar, a Davies shot was well saved by Wells, and a delightful Davies back heel set Kris Miller free, only for him to lose his footing as he drove into the box.
As the heat took its toll, the second half was a much slower affair, with Frome content to defend their lead and look to counter attacks to threaten the visitors’ goal. Corderoy did well to save at the feet of Lloyd Mackin in the 56th as the striker found a way through the home defence, and after Jordan Walker had been dispossessed on the right in the 67th, Hayes had the ball in the net at the second attempt, only for the goal to be ruled out by a linesman’s flag.
As Hayes brought on their very tall substitute Melford Simpson, they continually looked dangerous as they crossed the ball to the far post to the towering attacker, but Frome managed to deal with the aerial threat and apart from a header into the side netting in the 87th, the Frome keeper was hardly troubled as the time ticked away to the final whistle.
The H&B Tyres Man of the Match award was presented to Jordan Walker by representatives of Sandstone Media who had sponsored the match.