Match Preview – Wimborne Town vs Frome Town
A final home league game doesn’t come much bigger than this as the top two teams go toe-to-toe at New Cuthbury. The Magpies and The Robins will finish first and second – but who will be crowned champions and bag the one automatic promotion spot, and who will have to face the challenge of the play-offs, albeit with home advantage. With little between the teams, this has all the makings of an absolute cracker, and you won’t want to miss it.
As well as being first and second in the league table, there are many other similarities between the two clubs. We have both been relegated from Southern League Premier South in recent seasons: – Frome at the end of 2018-19 season, Wimborne at the end of 2021-22. We both harbour ambitions of returning to the Southern Premier at the end of this season. We both have an identical unbeaten home league record this season: W14 D3. We’re both on an unbeaten league run: Frome 12 games, Wimborne 13. Our goal records are almost identical: both teams have scored 70; Frome have conceded 38; Wimborne 37. We are the two best supported clubs in the division: Frome averaging 483, Wimborne 670. And we were both knocked out of FA competitions at home this season by National League South Torquay United: Frome in the FA Trophy 1-4 in front of 1305, Wimborne in the FA Cup 0-3 in front of 1852.
Frome’s success this season hasn’t just been in the league. In the FA Cup they knocked out Falmouth (6-2), Clevedon (3-1), Southern Premier Plymouth Parkway (2-1) after a 2-2 away draw before succumbing 1-2 to Isthmian League Ramsgate in Kent. In the FA Trophy they reached the Third Round Proper by defeating Cirencester (3-1), Bemerton (3-0), Bishops Cleeve (5-1), Cribbs (1-0), and National South Worthing 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw before losing to Torquay.
Frome’s defence is in fine form. They’ve conceded a mere 2 goals in their last 5 games; and have kept 6 clean sheets in their last 9. Up front, Kane Simpson is a man on fire and has bagged 8 goals in the past 2 months. Manager Danny Greaves has a plethora of top strikers to choose from including Sam Meakes, and James Ollis, and skipper Sam Teale is always dangerous when he comes forward (he scored the vital equaliser at Larkhall on Wednesday). Flying winger Reece Rusher made a welcome return after injury last weekend, so keep an eye on him if he plays.
Wimborne are in fine form too. After 8 consecutive victories, manager Tim Sills has a squad full of confidence, who will all want to play their part in this crunch game. He made three changes for Tuesday’s win over Evesham under the new LED floodlights, with our flying winger, Jez Bedford, making a first start after his horrible injury, and Sam Roberts coming off the bench following his injury. However, Connor Cocklin is a doubt after his nasty cut on Tuesday.
We’ve noted that the two teams have fairly similar records this season, so can we learn anything from how Wimborne have fared against Frome in the past? If you’re a Magpies’ supporter, you might want to skip this paragraph. In our Southern League days, Frome twice visited (old) Cuthbury. In 2010-11 in Div One, our first season at Step 4, Frome beat us 3-0 on their way to promotion. In 2018-19, in Southern Prem at Step 3, we won 3-2 when the visitors were on their way to relegation. Last season was the first visit of The Robins to New Cuthbury when they won 4-1 on a re-arranged Tuesday evening in March. In each of those three seasons The Robins won the reverse fixture at Badgers Hill. And they also knocked us out of the FA Cup 2-0 at their place in 2014-15. In the reverse league fixture in December, the teams played out an entertaining 2-2 draw.
But there’s no need for Wimborne fans to be disheartened. Tim Sills’ team have made a habit of overcoming bad runs and setting their own club records: first away league victory for fifteen months; an unbeaten fourteen game run; six successive away wins to name three.
Earlier we mentioned average league attendances. Last season at New Cuthbury it was 563, this season it’s 670, an increase of 19%. By my calculations, a crowd of at least 1210 would take that average over 700. And wouldn’t that be remarkable?
Enough of all the stats – here’s the position:
– if Wimborne win, we win the league
– if Frome win, Wimborne will need 5 points from their 2 games next week (i.e. 2 wins) to be certain of winning the league
– if it’s a draw, Wimborne will need 2 points next week.
Feeling nervous? Me too!
The Club are expecting a bumper crowd, and have made special arrangements similar to the Torquay cup tie. Click the link for all the latest information:
Additional car parking has been made available for supporters of both teams, we’re asking for fans to park at Eaton Mission Systems, but if you do decide to park on the nearby streets, please do so respectfully to our neighbours.
The changed Morebus no.13 route is now operational and runs along Leigh Road from and to The Square twice an hour.
Admission: adults £12, concessions £8, U16s £5, U13s £2.
A packed printed programme will be on sale – it’s a whopper! It could be your last chance to buy one this season.
Weather forecast: light cloud; 11oC; 10% chance of rain.
