JUST over 50 hours after completing their 4-3 victory at Banbury, Frome again showed what a good away side they are, as they produced another solid defensive performance and scored four goals to win 4-1 at Dorchester and so extend their unbeaten away record.
A brace from Jake Jackson, a first club goal for Joe Raynes and a penalty from Jon Davies completed the victory after the score had been 1-1 at half time.
The only change from Saturday’s match was that Mitchell Page started with Darren Jefferies moving to the bench, and the side were keen to re-dress that balance after Dorchester had won 3-0 at home and 4-0 away last season, two results that really didn’t reflect the league positions of the two sides at the time.
However, the match started with Frome a little slow to get going and Dorchester quickly moved into the driving seat, with Phillips having to be very quickly off his line to beat the striker to the ball. Frome also survived a couple of half chances and several corners in the first quarter, but they then took the lead with their first attack of the match as George Miller set up Jackson who wriggled past a couple of defenders to score with a low shot into the corner.
Dorchester came surging back, looking for the equaliser, and with a great chance going just wide in the 18th, a long range effort skimming the post and Phillips pulling off a great save as Conor Jevon found himself clean through on goal, it seemed like the equaliser would not be long in coming.
However, Frome were still creating chances on the break and both Davies and George Miller had shots that went just wide. After Phillips had produced another great save to deny the home team, they deservedly equalised in the 39th as they broke through the middle and Billy Lowes struck the ball cleanly into the corner.
With Dorchester surviving two strong penalty appeals just before half time as both Davies and Jackson seemed to be fouled in the area, the score remained 1-1 at half time, but seven minutes after the interval, Frome made it 2-1 as Jackson got to the dead ball line and pulled it back for Joe Raynes to score his first club goal, with a clean finish.
Frome made it 3-1 four minutes later as Kris Miller overlapped and broke into the area, only to be chopped down and Jon Davies made no mistake from the spot, burying the ball low into the corner.
To their credit, Dorchester refused to throw in the towel and after several fruitless corners, they almost scored again as Marcus Mapstone stumbled and lost the ball, the situation only being retrieved by a great saving tackle form Chas Hemmings.
With Dorchester continuing to throw players into the Frome half, they were caught cold in the 75th as Phillips punched clear, Davies latched onto the ball to run almost the length of the pitch and feed the ball to Jackson, who slotted the ball into the net for his second of the night.
Frome had clearly learnt the lesson from Saturday about not conceding any late goals, and despite Dorchester continuing to try and get something from the game, the defence held firm and Frome moved into 11th place in the League, prior to the away game at Tavistock on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Kyle Phillips was awarded the H&B Tyres Man of the Match Award, which may seem strange as the side won 4-1, but his saves in the first half set up the platform for the goals in the second half. Crowd: 349. Entertainment Value: 4/5
Report by: Colin Carpenter
