Bet Victor Division One South – 30th November 2019
Frome Town 8 v 0 Basingstoke Town Attendance 266
Where: The Badgers Hill Stadium, Berkeley Road, Frome, Somerset. BA11 2EH
Least said soon as mended?
Dan Brownlie’s line-up today was; 1. Sonny Wheeler, 2. Scott Armsworth, 3. Ryan Suckling, 4. Harrison Cliff, 5. Dean Stow (Capt), 6. Durrell Brown, Suckling, 7. Bradley Wilson, 8. Ben Cook, 9. Ben Wright, 10. Claudio Herbert, 11. Adam Everiss
On the bench; Aiden Harris, Riccardo Andrady, Kalum Cousins, Reece Rusher and Huw Holliman
A small group of Stoke fans took to train, taxis, and buses to get to the little village of Frome, this included a separate group of three youngsters decked with scarfs, who made their own way to the game to follow our club.
The last day of November and with the cold chilling wind, and on the usual slope and mud, it was Stoke who attacked the clubhouse end in the first half.
On two minutes it was Frome with a swift four pass movement, that ends with a shot that flies over the bar.
Stoke then spend two minutes in the opponents half, trying to build a move in the opponents half, but are unable to create a shot on goal.
Then on 6 mins a Stoke player trying to clear the ball hits it straight at the back of another Stoke player. The ball bounces to a Frome forward who just turns and hits what was a hopeful shot that seems to somehow loop over our new keeper and into the net. Frome 1-0 Stoke.
A minute later we force our first corner of the game as a Ben Cook cross is headed out for a corner. The corner to the near post is headed out to the edge of the box, where Scott Armsworth then turns and hooks a left foot shot that has the keeper beaten but flies a yard wide of the far post.
Another attempted boot clear by Stoke that hits another of our own players and bounces to a Frome player, who passes it out wide to the right-hand side, where another Frome player is able to beat two Stoke players and then crosses the ball across the face of the goal, where somehow another forward somehow puts it wide of the far post.
Another Frome attack a few minutes later and there are calls for handball in our box, but the referee waves play on, and we are able to clear this time.
The Robins are back on the attack, this time down the left and as the Frome winger hits the ball, it takes a bobble and the cross balloons up into the air, then drops straight underneath the ball, our keeper under pressure does not catch it, but tries to punch it clear, but fails to get any real contact on it and it goes straight to a Frome player who heads it straight into the open net. Two down now.
We then attack down the left and Adam Everiss sends across a Exocet missile type of cross that hits Herbert in the chest and flies out for a goal-kick.
Then next few minutes see Frome attack with earnest looking for their third goal, but somehow we keep them at bay, well at least until the 34th minute anyway, as they break down the left and what seems an unchallenged cross beats the Stoke players at the near post and a Robins forward is wide open at the far post and he taps it home.
A few heads have noticeably dropped now, but we have another attack, through Herbert who has chased everything down in the first half, is unable to get on the cross and it rolls out for a goal-kick.
Then another Robins attack and a cross into our 6yd box, is met by one Frome forward, who flicks it on, we then block it, but straight to their player and he flicks it past our keeper. 4-0
We have one final attack, just before half-time, as we break down the left, the cross is blocked out to Wright who slides it to the right where Cliff, looks like he is going to push it wide, then hits a sweet shot, but two feet over the bar.
Half-time and trudge off into the clubhouse to try and seek solace in the warm for a few minutes.
A couple of fans remain in the clubhouse and to be honest who can blame them.
We create the first chance of the second-half, as on 46 mins, we attack down the right and Wilson is sent through, as he enters the right-hand side of the penalty area, he drags a shot past the keeper and far post out for a goal-kick, but the ref gives us a corner. A real bonus from the referee who seems intent on helping Frome with any 50/50 tackle on the day. Anyway, the cross is cleared.
It’s now five-nil as another Frome attack, finds it’s way across our goalmouth and another tap in.
Riccardo Andrady joins the fray, but it seems to take him a few minutes to get into the game, as he lets his marker wander upfield and miss a sitter from 4yds out.
We are still battling, but Frome are top of the table for a reason, and they seem to mop up any anything we try to create.
As I’m messaging a fan the score, we go six down, as another attack is put away.
Thanks ref, as he awards the Robins a penalty two minutes later. The penalty is slotted away and we trail 7-0.
We then have two minutes of possession in Frome’s half, which culminates in Wright trying to work his way past two players, but as he looks to shoot, the ball gets stuck in the mud and the keeper is able to dive on the ball.
Kallum Cousins in now on and he looks to create a chance as he feeds the ball to Andrady out on the right. Andrady beats his defender and sends in a cross, but a Frome defender is able to clear it to the half-way line.
Ten minutes left and sorry it’s now eight, as they break, and another comfortable finish.
Reece Rusher is our third change and he attacks down the left wing, but his cross creates a little pressure at the back and the ball drops to Wright who hits a shot wide of the near post.
The referee plays a couple of minutes of injury-time and finally blows the whistle on what was a very poor day for our club.
Final Score: Frome Town 8 – 0 Basingstoke Town
It’s back to the drawing board as we face Bideford in a six-pointer.
Match Report by Martin French..
English 
Polish 