Steve Jupp, BA11's Club Historian, looks ahead to this week's tussle at Badgers Hill, a rare league outing and a major achievement for one of our mainstays!
After a glut of glorious cup ties, Frome Town face their first league fixture in a month on Tuesday evening when fellow Robins Evesham United visit Badgers Hill.
Danny Greaves' charges are unbeaten in eight and will be looking to provide the kind of entertainment that had the faithful buzzing during the last home encounter against Parkway.
Evesham have not had the best of starts to the season, Saturday’s 3-1 reverse at Willand leaving them still searching for their first league win.
They should not be underestimated. Last term, the Worcestershire side were involved in the promotion play-offs, clinching their spot on a dramatic final day by beating champions Totton 3-2 after being two-down, only to lose 2-0 to Hamworthy in the semi-final days later.
The corresponding fixture last year fell on the opening day in oven-like conditions when the heat looked to be the only winner until George Rigg's last minute header settled the issue, but Evesham exacted revenge on their own pitch in December when it was thirty degrees cooler, also winning 1-0.
That defeat came slap in the middle of a woeful run when Frome lost seven league away games in a row. How quickly footballing fortunes can fluctuate!
All being well, Tuesday's match will see Kyle Phillips clock up his 150th appearance for the club. The popular custodian, last season's players' and directors' choice for player of the year, made his debut in September 2016, helping the Robins to their highest ever finish in the Premier Division.
After leaving at the end of the following campaign, he returned for brief spells before signing permanently in the summer of 2022 and last term, was one of only two players to complete forty or more games. I'm sure all Frome fans wish him the quietest of nights!
Tickets for the game tomorrow are available to buy at the links below:
Although Evesham are near the bottom of the league they have had 3 draws this season with: Westbury . Exmouth & Hamworthy. They also drew with Bashley in the FAT but lost on pens. In the FAC they narrowly lost at 'premier league' Winchester 3-2. As already mentioned , this side were good enough to make the play offs last season. So, this could be a lot tighter than we think. We'd need to win by a wide margin tonight to get into a play off slot
G