Frome travelled to Devon on a somewhat dreary day for this Southern League fixture and, for the first half the game was somewhat the same. Frome had a very early chance in the fourth minute when Kane Simpson broke into the area but his shot was well saved by the home goalkeeper and Cottle went close in the 12th curling a left foot shot over the crossbar. Willand meanwhile looked threatening on the break but failed to trouble Phillips in the Frome goal. The home goalkeeper made two more fine saves tipping a Cottle lob over the crossbar and denying another Simpson effort with his feet when he looked favourite too score and the half ended goalless.
We hoped for an improvement in the second half and when Simpson was pulled down in the area and the referee awarded a penalty just 3 minutes in. Dan Cottle stepped up and hit the ball to the goalkeepers left but, yet again he pulled off a superb save and and you felt the writing was on the wall. Up to the 70th minute Frome continued to dominate but the home defence stood firm with Teale and Mapstone both heading over and another Simpson effort saved. The perhaps inevitable happened in the 70th minute when a long clearance found the winger free to drive a low cross over the area which was easily converted to give Willand the lead. Frome threw everything forward, leaving them vulnerable in defence but were unable to come up with the equaliser and the final whistle came too soon.
Dannys reaction
”I thought we were very good today but it was one of those days. We dominated for 70 minutes, they had a 20 minutes spell at the end of the first half.
When we have over ten shots on target and a missed penalty, while they have 2 and score one, I think that paints the picture of how the game went.
Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say well done Willand, and also take your hat off to their keeper who made some unbelievable saves time!and time again.
We dust ourselves down and go again on Tuesday in the cup”
Attendance 108
MOM for Frome Dan Cottle