A late goal from Harry Baker on what was his second debut for the club earned Frome a point against local rivals Larkhall at Badgers Hill on Saturday.
Baker, who only returned to the club on Thursday, came off the bench to head in an equaliser in the dying minutes after Larkhall captain Josh Jones had opened the scoring not long before.
It was a frustrating first half for the league leaders, as after Kane Simpson shot straight at visiting ‘keeper Shaun Semmens in the opening minutes they struggled to fashion presentable goal-scoring opportunities.
James Carey was largely underworked at the other end of the field also. Even though Larkhall midfielder Owen Humphries was happy to regularly try his luck from distance, the accuracy of his shooting often let him down.
The game became increasingly stop-start as half-time approached, with both sides breaking up opposition attacks with cynical fouls that thwarted any attacking momentum.
Ryan Harley came close to a first goal in Frome colours in first half injury-time, firing inches over the bar after being set up by Simpson, but a frustrating first 45 ended goalless.
The Robins came out for the second half with far greater purpose about them, but they still found it hard to break Larkhall down.
Rex Mannings broke the offside trap on the hour mark, but his cutback lacked the requisite power to pick out Simpson for a tap-in.
A succession of corners that followed were well defended by the away side, and they very nearly took the lead on the counterattack when Humphries hit the side netting after cutting infield from the left.
As the game looked set to meander towards a scoreless draw, Jones lost his man at the back post and connected sweetly with a wide free-kick to seemingly set his side up for victory.
However, it was the Robins who had the last laugh. After captain Teale had seen an initial header from a corner cleared off the line, his second effort was diverted into the net by substitute Baker to send Badgers Hill barmy on a balmy evening in Somerset.
The draw has extended Frome’s lead at the top of the Southern League Division One South table after second-placed Cirencester were beaten by Willand.
The Robins are back in action next Saturday as they make the trip to Willand for a 3pm kick off.
This was a tough, uncompromising, niggly local derby with plenty of tactical time-wasting - just as Del , our charismatic Chairman had predicted. There were very few clear chances for either side and many missed placed passes. Possibly Larkhall were the more coordinated side going forward. Both goals came from free kicks into the box very late in the game. Their tallest player was left unmarked on the edge of our 6- yard box! We conceded a similar goal against Cirencester here. The Doorman won a crucial header at the back post to set up our leveller, to add to his excellent defending.
Playing Ollis as a right back didn’t work too well and Harley couldn’t replicate his fine performanc…