Sat 3rd Feb. Southern League Division One South. Mousehole 3 Frome Town 2.
FROME Town suffered an agonising defeat against Mousehole despite second half goals from Kane Simpson and Sam Meakes.
The 376-mile round trip, saw Frome venture in to the deep depths of Cornwall to face their opponents who have made plenty of noise since their promotion last season. In the reverse fixture, the Robins edged out the Seagulls 1-0, thanks to a first half Zak Drew strike and if that game was anything to go by, we were in for another tough afternoon.
Mousehole had only lost two league home games all season, and Frome having not played an away 3pm league game for three months, it seemed everything was stacking against the away side. Despite a fairly even first ten minutes, the breakthrough came from Mousehole, in the 12th minute, after a cross by Morgan Lewis, who caused Frome’s right-hand side problems all game, was met by Mitch Beardmore, who finished smartly past Kyle Phillips.
It got worse for the away side just two minutes later, when once again the Seagulls posed a threat down their left, and a dangerous cross in the box appeared to be turned home by Matt Wood. Frome huffed and puffed for the remainder of the half which had limited action, due to Mousehole’s press and them forcing the visitors in to tight spaces.
The best and only chance in the opening 45 for Frome came through Kane Simpson in the 42nd minute, when the Robins’ press finally caused havoc, forcing a mistake from the home side’s backline, which led to the ball falling to Simpson after good work from Ollis. He twisted and turned in the box before firing a shot, which unfortunately cannoned back off the crossbar.
Danny Greaves sent his men back out well before the start of the second half, sending a message, you would have hoped his side’s performance would have improved straight away but it didn’t and the home side punished them in the 53rd minute through Hayden Turner; he rounded keeper Phillips before slotting into an empty net to give Frome a not impossible, but difficult mountain to climb.
However, if there was one side who could overcome these obstacles it was definitely Greaves’ men, who have faced challenges all season long. The introduction of Tom Duffin in the 56th minute sparked Frome back in to life and they got their reward in the 65th minute when Simpson tapped in at the back post to give the away side some clarity.
Will Taylor then replaced Alex Monks moments after the goal and Frome gained a bit more control and grabbed another goal 15 minutes later when Sam Meakes found a yard of space before his cross deflected past the keeper to cut the deficit to one, meaning all the Robins needed was one more chance.
And they certainly got that, but couldn’t convert. In the 94th minute, George Rigg’s corner looked destined to be put home, but it somehow travelled across the face of goal without anyone being able to finish it.
Then in the last minute, Matt Wood headed a Rigg free-kick over the bar, before the referee blew his full-time whistle confirming Frome would leave Trungle Parc empty handed. However, there are plenty of games left to play and plenty of points still up for grabs.
Match by Harrison Richards.
