Match Reports Season 2010 / 11 Saturday September 4th 2010 Hungerford Home Saturday 4th September 2010 Zamaretto Southern League Division 1 (SW) Frome Town 0 Hungerford 1 Frome Town Scorers: None Hungerford Scorers: Lapham (43 OG) Crowd:181 Entertainment Value: 3 Star Man: Callum Henry Frustration was the name of the game at the AlderSmith stadium as Frome Town's goal drought continued as they spurned early chances and eventually lost 1-0 to Hungerford thanks to an unfortunate own goal just before half time. With ongoing selection problems in the forwards due to Ricky Hulbert's broken leg and Sim Allison's pulled hamstring, Darren Perrin gave a first Southern League start to James Billings, who partnered Matt Minnis up front for the first time, and the move very nearly paid off as Billings seemed to be involved in everything that happened in a bright opening quarter by the home side. The 2nd minute saw Thomson cut in well from the left and deliver a perfect low cross that saw Billings slide in an produce a deft touch that unfortunately went straight into the hands of Drake in the visitors goal. Two minutes later and a left wing corner saw Billings again get a shot on goal as he latched onto Thomson's flicked header, but again the shot was blocked and the chance went as Minnis blasted over the bar from 15 yards. Billings turned provider in the 13th minute as a deft header put Minnis clean through on goal, but the placed shot hit with the outside of the right foot beat Drake, but agonisingly skimmed the outside of the far post. The 17th minute saw Billings lay a perfect ball into the path of Lapham, but the shooting opportunity only resulted in a under hit shot that was easily saved. Hungerford announced their intentions in the 19th minute as a 25 yard screamer from Wallace was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Chitty in the home goal, and that seemed to get them going as the match entered a period of Hungerford midfield domination with Frome reduced to hitting long balls forward, but generally losing possession and having to work hard again to regain the ball. The only goal of the game came in the 43rd minute and was a classic sucker punch. Cheeseman brought a save from Drake that led to a left wing corner, but as the corner was taken, Hungerford broke quickly, fed the ball out to the left wing, and with the whole Frome team struggling to get back and cover, Lapham was unlucky enough to be the player who slid the ball into his own net as the low cross came in, though a Hungerford attacker would almost certainly have scored anyway without the intervention. Hungerford went close in the 3rd minute of the second half as Wallace headed back to Crockford who produced a crisp 20 yard volley that Chitty did very well to tip out for a corner. As the half progressed, Hungerford tightened their grip on the game, dominating possession and territory and reducing Frome to more hopeful long balls, which generally came straight back at them. As usual, the home defence were playing well, but an eqaliser seemed highly improbable. Something had to be done, and Darren Perrin took the bold move of throwing Captain Fantastic (Jamie Cheeseman) up front, and suddenly the game took on a new light as here was a player who went up for everything, won a lot and generally unsettled the Hungerford centre backs. The crowd and the Frome team could sense the change, and Frome started to look more purposeful, resulting in a Brigham header from a corner that was just tipped over the bar in the 77th minute. Controversy erupted in the 84th minute as Cheeseman flicked on, Billings flicked on and Evans got round the back of the defence, with a defender breathing down his neck and nibbling at his ankles. The slightly scuffed shot just grazed the far post, but the entire Frome team and management were appealing for a foul by the defender that had unbalanced Evans just as he was about to shoot, but the referee waved play on. Frustration erupted into a large melee in the 90th minute as Jordan was adjudged to have fouled Drake, but something that Drake did shortly afterwards incensed Cheeseman, and after the pushing and shoving had subsided, three yellow cards were shown to Hungerford's Drake and Leacock and to Frome's Cheeseman. So to summarize, Frome were a little unlucky in the first exchanges, Hungerford showed their experience throughout most of the match and probably deserved their win, but Frome could well have snatched a point at the death. Callum Henry was awarded with the Man of the Match award by Gerald Butland and Friends (aka the Crazy Gang) who sponsored the match. Frome Town Hungerford Officials Match Sponsor The Crazy Gang Kieron Drake Jamie Leacock Diak John Scott Davis Matty Day Ben McCreedy Dave Asker Tom Fila Adam Wallace Richard Bland Ryan Crockford Ant Alleyne Ricky Allaway James Lewis Ian Concannon Ryan Williams Dean Treleaven Martin Bloor Gary Parsons