Steve Jupp, BA11's Club Historian, contemplates the challenge of play-off football as we go up against Mousehole tomorrow.
The big games keep coming one after another and, on Wednesday evening, Badgers Hill stages its biggest yet of the season with a promotion play-off semi-final against Mousehole.
That late flourish on Saturday preserved the Robins' unbeaten record (which now extends to FOURTEEN matches) and it is this 'never say die' mentality that Danny Greaves will want his side to carry over to what is now a sudden-death encounter.
Mousehole themselves finished the season in style, winning their final five games (four of which were at home) to snatch fifth place and the final play-off slot on goal difference from Larkhall, culminating in a storming 7-3 success last weekend over Bishops Cleeve.
That final day goal blitz made them leading scorers in Division One South with 82, a fine achievement along with a play-off berth in their debut season in the Southern League.
The Seagulls were the last side to clip the Robins' wings with a 3-2 win on their own Trungle Parc pitch at the beginning of February. Frome found themselves three-down and thoroughly outplayed that day for the first hour but staged a spirited fightback which very nearly produced a late leveller.
Four months earlier in the reverse fixture here at The Hill, it was one for the purists as a fine footballing contest saw the Cornish outfit leave empty handed with Zak Drew netting the only goal of an entertaining and close-fought encounter.
This play-off fixture will be decided on the night with extra time if necessary and even penalties to decide who will progress to Monday's final against either Cribbs or Bristol Manor Farm.
In 2011, the Robins clinched promotion to the Premier Division via this route with memorable victories at Mangotsfield and Sholing while two years ago, semi-final defeat here to Manor Farm still hurts.
Saturday’s terrific turnout of just over a thousand brought the season's average league gate to more than 500 for the second time in three years. Incredible numbers especially to those of us who can remember the dark days when double figure 'crowds' were the norm.
With just ONE defeat in the last TWENTY-NINE games at Badgers Hill (and that against National League South Torquay), everyone knows what a fortress this place has become.
It's up to players and fans alike to make home advantage count on this huge occasion.
Secure your ticket for Wednesday's play-off by clicking on the link below!
Whilst our opponents certainly do concede the odd goal, their goal scoring record of late is short-term legendary, and an alarming threat to their opposition. Over their last 8 games they’ve averaged 3.6 goals per game. So, Skipper Tealie and Co’ are going to have to be at their very, very best to keep them out (certainly better than the error -ridden performance on Saturday) and especially wary of their in – form striker, Hayden Turner, who has scored 13 goals in that period, including a hat-trick and four on Saturday!
I recall our home game against them, which we were fortunate to win 1-0 as Mousehole created chance after chance and somehow managed to miss them all! It doesn't sound…