Frome came from behind to register a memorable 3-2 win against Poole Town in the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy at Badgers Hill on Saturday afternoon.
Despite falling behind early on, three well-taken goals gave the Robins a commanding lead at half-time before they survived a second half onslaught from the away side to progress to the next round.
The visitors took a 17th minute lead when Will Fletcher headed home at the back post unmarked, but his strike seemed to spark the Robins into life after a sluggish opening to the game.
The equaliser arrived when a Jack Witcombe cross just about evaded Jon Davies but fell perfectly for Kane Simpson to tap into the net, and just four minutes later Frome had turned the game on its head entirely thanks to a truly special goal.
Rex Mannings collected the ball on the halfway line before dancing his way past a couple of defenders and firing a shot at goal that had too much power on it for the Poole ‘keeper to stop crossing the line.
With half-time approaching the visitors from the division above began to assert a level of control. They thought they had found an equaliser after a goalmouth scramble, only for the referee’s assistant to raise his flag for offside.
It was Frome who scored next though as Davies got himself on the scoresheet moments before the referee blew the whistle for the break, latching on to a Simpson pass and finish calmly when through on goal.
Poole rallied in the second half, keeping possession for long periods but struggling to test James Carey in the Frome goal, and Davies very nearly wrapped up the win on the counter-attack, only to see his shot saved by the legs of the ‘keeper.
Luke Burbidge halved the deficit in the 66th minute when he capitalised on a defensive error and smashed a shot beyond Carey into the net.
The goal gave the visitors a new sense of belief, and they pushed relentlessly for an equalising goal, but some excellent backs-to-the-wall defending, and a couple of fine saves from Carey, meant that the Robins held on for victory.
The draw for the First Round of the competition takes place on Monday, and Frome are back in league action on Tuesday night with Barnstaple visiting Badgers Hill.
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