Frome continued their unbeaten start in the league after coming out on top in an entertaining contest against Sholing at Badgers Hill on Saturday afternoon.
After an end-to-end first half that saw the visitors twice peg back the Robins, half-time substitute Rex Mannings struck early in the second period to wrap a deserved three points.
An entertaining opening 45 came to life when midfielder Chris Peck found himself unmarked in the Sholing penalty area to sweep home his first goal of the season after the away side failed to clear.
The visitors had started brightly before falling behind, and found an equaliser only minutes later through Conor Whiteley as he beat several defenders before finding the bottom corner of the Frome net.
The home side came to life midway through the opening 45 though and went back in front after persistent work from James Ollis was rewarded as his effort was palmed into the path of team-mate Kane Simpson by Sholing ‘keeper Ryan Gosney, allowing him to slot home from close range.
Jon Davies then thumped an effort against the post as the Robins looked to stretch their advantage but they went into the interval on level terms when Sholing forward Daniel Mason was the beneficiary of a fortunate deflection as the ball cannoned off him and into James Carey’s goal.
Mannings was introduced at the interval in place of Martin Lenihan, and he soon set about getting the Robins back on the front foot.
It took little time for the forward to make his mark on the game as he smashed home what turned out to the decisive goal just before the hour mark, beating visiting ‘keeper Ryan Gosney at his near post after a Davies cross fell to him in the penalty area.
The Robins had plenty of opportunities to make the score-line more comfortable, the best of them a penalty from George Rigg that came back off the upright after Ollis had been brought down by Sholing defender Yumo Wan.
There was even time for Ollis to see a goal of his own disallowed in the closing stages after the referee’s assistant belatedly spotted an infringement from Davies in the build-up.
It was ultimately the Robins who came out on top though, holding on for a victory that means they have won five of their first seven games of the Southern League Division One South season.
Frome return to action next weekend with a trip to Cinderford.
Great game of football would grace a higher league. Both teams were up for this. The halftime score was 2-2 and nobody knew what to expect in the second half. However Frome could have scored three more goals including missing a penalty. However they scored the winner and made an inspired substitution at half time bring on Rex Manning who made a significant difference!