Frome Town were held to a frustrating draw at Larkhall Athletic, a result that doesn’t do too many favours for the Robins title hopes.
Matt Smith cancelled out Alex Lambert’s early opener, meaning both sides went home with a point, the result however, not really a fair reflection of the game.
Aside from the early blip, the BA11 side dominated the majority of the game, having countless chances, but wasteful finishing and a firm BA1 defence, limited the away side to just a single goal.
Danny Greaves named an unchanged side to the one that beat Bishops Cleeve last Friday, Thomas Duffin kept his place after a successful display down the left, whilst Sam Meakes led the front line with James Ollis and Kane Simpson.
It wasn’t the start the players or the manager would have wanted however, as in the 3rd minute, from a simple throw in, the ball made it’s way into the box, the first effort was off the bar, but Lambert was there to finish the rebound off, putting the Larks ahead early on.
The away side responded well with a flurry of corners coming between the 5th and 15th minute, Meakes headed one just over in the 11th, but there were plenty of signs that Frome could get themselves back in the game.
A Frome penalty appeal was then turned down five minutes later, despite being able to hear the contact from the stand, the referee waved play on.
Another big chance then fell to Meakes in the 31st minute, following a lightning quick counter attack, the ball came out to Duffin on the left who pulled it back in to a great area for Meakes who could only fire over the bar.
The remainder of the half was uneventful and Greaves would need to work his magic in the changing rooms to make sure he got his side back in to the game.
Whatever he said had a clear impact, as right at the start of the half Alex Monks would have been disappointed not to draw his side level when Zak Drew managed to find Monks in the box, but from around ten yards out, he could only fire over.
Despite Frome throwing men forward in search of a equaliser, Larkhall struggled to create any proper chances, with one of their best coming in the 49th minute, when Lambert ran down the right hand side, but could only slice his effort into the carpark.
Ollis then had a big chance three minutes later, when Meakes won a Kyle Phillips goal kick, he flicked it on into Ollis’ path, but his left-footed effort was blocked out by the keeper for a corner.
With the home side able to weather the early storm, Greaves looked to his bench, in the 61st minute, a double sub saw, Reece Rusher and George Rigg replace Meakes and Joe Budd, a final roll of the dice came in the 73rd minute too, when Smith replaced Duffin.
And that final roll landed perfectly on a six, as Smith scored a deserved equaliser, Simpson was denied a moment earlier by a fantastic diving save from Nasta, but the following corner in the 81st minute was pinball, but eventually smashed home by Smith, giving the Robins hope.
From that point there was only one team who was going to win it, Frome pushed forward in search for that winner, but plenty of soft fouls given by the referee stopped the Robins from gaining any real momentum heading in to the last ten minutes.
Their keeper nearly had a moment to forget when he spilt the ball in the 97th minute, but it didn’t quite drop right for the Frome attack and Larkhall cleared before the final whistle was blown.
Frome are back in action in a massive top of the league clash against Wimborne in what now seems like a must win game. We’d love to see as many of you down there, like we did today, as possible.
Match report and live updates by Harrison Richards
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