10 man Rovers hold out to claim a hard fought point.

Match report from Andy Harris

What looked a thrilling prospect on paper with Frome unbeaten in their last 15 games and Rovers lying in third place turned out to be a huge disappointment for a bumper Bank holiday crowd of 617, due to a difficult playing surface and some frankly dubious refereeing!

The home side began brightly but created little and with Rovers settling down it was 14 minutes before either side created a chance worthy of the name and it fell to the home side. Prolific scorer, Mark Salter, collected a free kick from Ben Thompson, cut inside but delayed his shot just long enough for Rob Cousins to make a great interception. The visitors first chance came two minutes later as a quick break saw debutant Joe White collect a ball from Chris Lane and set up Phil Waters whose shot was well saved by home keeper, Tom Pass.

Rovers’ keeper saw his first real action on 27 minutes saving comfortably a shot from Alex Lapham. Rovers then went close on 32 minutes catching their hosts out with a right wing corner played deep to Cousins whose 30 yard shot was saved by Pass.

The games first controversial moment came on 36 minutes with the home side breaking down the left. Thompson’s cross eluded everyone but fell eventually to Simeon Allison whose drive from the edge of the box was adjudged to have struck Waters on the hand (although from the short distance between the players and the fact he had turned away seemed a harsh decision from Mr Brown, who not for the first or last time, seemed well behind the play!), which earned Waters a yellow card and Frome a penalty. Salter’s well struck kick, low to Phillips’ left saw the keeper not only get down well and save the shot but cling on to the ball to deny the onrushing Frome players a rebound.

Rovers’ best chance of the game came on 42 minutes as Charlie Rich’s right wing corner dropped in the box and Alex Ball’s touch just cleared the bar. Just a minute later and Rovers’ striker Matt Cooper was clearly fouled but again the referee behind the incident waived play on, only to return and book Cooper for dissent.

Frome began the second period brightly as former Rovers’ player, Rick Hulbert set up Allison but his shot from the edge of the area was well saved by Phillips.
Then on 61 minutes Cooper was shown his second yellow and inevitably a red card for an innocuous challenge which incensed the Rovers players, management and fans!

Not surprisingly the home side responded and put their visitors under pressure with Salter forcing Phillips to make a good save on 68 minutes tipping the fierce shot over the bar. Frome thought they made the breakthrough on 70 minutes as Pass sent a clearance downfield which Salter collected and fired past Phillips but was clearly well offside.

Frome then had their turn to suffer an injustice as substitute Ashley Clark was yellow carded for a foul on a Rovers’ defender when it was apparent to everyone else in the ground he had clearly played the ball first!

Despite the numerical advantage and the balance of possession that entailed, Frome failed to create anything worthwhile in the closing stages and with the temperature plummeting once more, the final whistle was a relief to everyone to bring to a close a disappointing local derby and a result that did neither side any favours.

Teams:
Rovers – Phillips, Waters, Rich, Ball, Price, Cousins, White, Lane, Cooper, Cleverley (C), Lacey, (Burborough 57 mins)
Subs not used: Tovey, Milsom, Collier, Redwood
Town: Pass, Reaney, Lake, Fullam (Clark 75 mins), Cheeseman, Peters, Lapham, Allison, Salter (C), Hulbert (Hunt 65 mins), B Thompson.
Subs not used: Henry, D Thompson, Gomes

Referee: P Brown
Assts: J Hooper / R Abrahams

Attendance: 617

Star Man: Kyle Phillips