Frome Team: Brown, Cooper, Mapstone, Teale, Maidment, Peck, Davies, Simpson, Smith, Mannings, Monks Subs: Hallett, Greaves, Ellington, Locke, Lenihan Goals: Davies (2), Smith
MOM: Davies
Two goals from Davies and a cracker from Smith wasn’t enough as we bowed out to Carshalton in the FA Trophy. In a Tuesday night match that was full of entertainment and action.
The match hinged on two fast starts to the halves by Carshalton that ultimately left Frome chasing the game. The excitement at the War Memorial Sports Ground, got under as Carshalton put the early pressure but on 4 mins a swift counter attack saw Mannings shoot narrowly wide. A minute later back up the other end Carshalton had a shot deflected over the bar, and from the resulting quick corner, there was no one there to tap in the inviting cross. But it was on 10 mins the deadlock was broken, a through ball to Korboa left Maidment standing and Korboa beat the on rushing Brown to the ball to put the hosts in front.
It was quickly doubled as the referee played a good advantage and Carshalton extended their lead with a cross from the right easily turned home. Carshalton smelt blood and only the woodwork came to Frome’s rescue. Monks was robbed in the centre circle, a blistering attack followed which saw the shot hit the post. The next attack which saw Brown make a comfortable save.
Danny Greaves shuffled his pack. Davies moved up front to partner Simpson and attempt to make something happen. It worked and after a free kick on the corner of area narrowly avoided Mapstone. On 31 mins Cooper found Davies and with the outside of his right foot, he finds the top corner from outside the box.
The cheering was short lived as the comeback halted instantly. A long range shot is fumbled by Brown in the Frome goal and the striker nips in to finish it off to make it 3-1. However, Frome where buoyed be the fact that they had scored. Going into half time there was still some positivity. The next goal would be key...
After a another fast start a shot from edge of the box, travelled through 4 defenders and into the bottom corner to make it 4-1 to the host. But as the celebrations died down, Smith fired in a quick response from from outside the box. Back to 2 goals behind and a more nervous home crowd.
Attacking changes from Greaves took place as we went for broke in the hunt for a third. It came as Davies broke into the area, his low shot and snuck in as home keeper that fumbles it make it 4-3.
The speed of Carshalton’s attacks were always causing problems, and on 70 mins a cross from the left beats the last man and it’s an easy tap in to extend the lead to 5-3.
Into the last 20 minutes and we had the oportunties to score a fourth with Simpson and Cooper coming close. When the board went up to show three added minutes Simpson thought we had our fourth to set up a mad last few minutes. But it wasn’t to be as the linesmans flag went up.
The Cup run ends but all those associate with Frome can hols their heads high as we definitely didn’t go out with a whimper.