MATCH REPORT: Frome Town 2-2 Wimborne Town

Frome Town 2

Wimborne Town 2

Sat 16th December 2023

Goals: Morgan, Neale

Att: 473

This match-up between the two table-topping teams didn’t disappoint – the only disappointment being in the Wimborne camp that they were unable to convert their second-half dominance into a winner. Twice Wimborne equalised in each half through Harry Morgan and Matt Neale.

Playing their first game of the month, manager Tim Sills brought Billy Walker into central defence and Ben Scorey into midfield.

It was a cagey start as the Robins and the Magpies eyed each other up. A flurry of free-kicks provided the early chances: Ross Flitney diving low to turn Davies’ effort from the top of the “D” for a corner; Sam Roberts heading Oakley Hanger’s third delivery from the left wide. On the mid-point of the half Wimborne’s experienced stopper made another good save, this time from Simpson from Davies’ pull-back, then made a terrific catch under pressure from the resulting corner. Frome’s Kane Simpson, their tall, strong and rapid centre-forward, was causing problems for Roberts and Walker, and it was the striker who created the opening goal for the hosts on thirty-two minutes. Coming in from the left his low shot was smothered by Flitney only for the ball to slip from his grasp for Davies to fire home from close range.

It took just four minutes for the visitors to respond. Roberts’ cross from the right was headed down by Lovell for Morgan to volley home. Two minutes later Frome’s keeper Phillips made the first of his outstanding saves as he tipped Lovell’s snap shot from the edge of the area onto the bar and away. Sam Griffin, playing wide on the left, then linked with Morgan who was thwarted from a second by Phillips. As thoughts turned to a warming half-time cuppa, the Robins regained the lead. After Billy Walker had twice repelled attacks, Flitney tipped Day’s looping cross for a corner on the right. When that was hit high into the melee in the middle, the ball fell loose for central defender and skipper Teale to smash home from close range. Frome just shaded the stats on goal attempts in the first-half 9 to 8, but it would be a different story after the interval.

Wimborne forced two early corners as they took the game to Frome’s defence. The introduction of Jez Bedford just before the hour mark gave that defence more concern as his jinking runs and intricate one-twos took his team into the danger area. Bedford’s inch-perfect ball found Lovell who rounded the keeper for Griffin’s shot to be saved; Neale linked with Sam Jackson on the left but his cross was cleared; Neale and Bedford scythed the defence open with deft passing. Then, at the mid-point of the half, came that second equaliser – and the goal of the game. From the left, Griffin laid the ball back to Neale on the edge of the area to the left of the “D”, and his rocket flew into the top far corner – what a strike!

Wimborne sensed another. Lovell turned a ball from the right into the net but it was disallowed for a marginal offside; Neale’s next effort, this time from Jackson’s pull-back, went wide; good inter-play on the right ended with Griffin netting, but also ruled out; a brilliant turn and charge from Griffin through the middle, a pass from Lovell, led to Neale’s shot being well saved. Although most of the action was towards Phillips’ goal, Frome did muster two goal attempts in the half: the first, on seventy-six minutes, saw Davies fire a loose ball inches wide of the post; and in the last five minutes Flitney had to make a sprawling save. But it was the visitors who looked the most likely to score again as Phillips tipped another Neale blaster over the bar, caught Jackson’s cross, and plucked Griffin’s cross off the head of the leaping Lovell. Disappointingly the Magpies were unable to convert any of their chances into a winner, and so, after four additional minutes, referee Taylor, who had an excellent game, gave a final blast on his whistle.

Badgers Hill has proved a difficult venue for Wimborne teams over recent years – four visits, four defeats. And with The Robins flying high this season, before the game, a draw should seem a good result. But with the way Tim’s team dominated Frome in the second half, there was disappointment in the camp that we didn’t score a winner to take all three points.

Match stats:

Wimborne: Flitney, Hanger, Roberts (capt), Walker, Jackson, Scorey, Neale, Morgan (Munn 85), Griffin, Beale (Bedford 58), Lovell (Baker 87)

Unused subs: Carmichael, Satterley

Attendance: 473