Wednesday February 6th 2013 Sholing Home Wednesday 6th February 2013 Red Insure Cup Quarter Finals Frome Town 3 Sholing 2 Frome Scorers: Perrott (53), Gilroy (66), Cooper (90) Sholing Scorers: Castle (38), Barry Mason (62) Crowd: 163 Star Man: Dean Evans Entertainment Value: 4 Frome twice came from behind in this entertaining cup match and just as it looked likely that the match would go into extra time, a goal from Mark Cooper in the last minute of normal time took them through to the semi finals of the Red Insure Cup. With Sholing having played the previous night when they defeated Havant and Waterlooville in the Hampshire Senior Cup, it was possible that they might have been a few tired legs on the pitch, but as the match kicked off there was certainly no sign of that and it settled into an open attacking match that  continued to the final whistle. Frome seemed to have the upper hand in territory and possession at the start, and the first real chance arrived in the 12th minute as a through ball to Lloyd Matthews saw him round the visiting keeper Alex Dunning and play the ball towards the goal, only for a defender to make a last ditch clearance off the line. Sholing then started to show their worth and the dangerous Craig Stanley cut in from the left with a fine run and unleashed a shot that flew over the bar. Barry Mason warmed Darren Chitty’s hands with a crisp 25 yarder, and immediately afterwards Dave Thompson brought a save from Dunning as ghosted in behind the defence to get a header onto a free kick. The match continued to be an open, end to end affair with Matt Smith striking a 25 yard shot into Dunning, and the dangerous Barry Mason going just wide a few minutes later. Sholing took the lead in the 34th minute in slightly bizarre fashion as a Peter Castle hit a very high spinning ball that may have been a cross, a shot or a complete miskick, but whatever it was, as it came down from on high, the ball seemed to move in the air and ended up dropping into the goal, with Chitty desperately going backwards and just getting a touch as the ball went over the line. The second half started with Sholing very nearly increasing their lead as a goal bound shot from Barry Mason was bravely charged down, but then Frome equalised in the 53rd minute as Mark Cooper was fouled two yards outside the box. Darren Jefferies produced a peach of an inswinging free kick and a glanced header from Mike Perrott perfectly found the corner of the net to give Frome the goal they deserved. Sholing regained the lead in the 62nd minute as the ever dangerous Stanley was fouled just outside the Frome area as he went on another mazy run. Barry Mason took the kick and thundered it past the Frome wall and low into the near corner of the net, with Chitty scrambling to get across his goal. Dave Gilroy replaced Lloyd Matthews in the 65th minute and he was to equalise within seconds of coming on and with probably his first touch of the ball. Initially, a Jefferies right wing cross was headed towards goal by a stooping Cooper, bring a good save from Dunning that resulted in a left wing corner. Jefferies too it and the excellent delivery saw Dave Thompson flick the ball on and Gilroy headed home into the corner of the net, much to the delight of the home crowd. Both sides went looking for the winner, but as the end of the match approached, it seemed as if the match was destined for extra time, until a through ball to Dean Evans saw some good skill as he trapped the ball and pulled it back in one movement, then rolled the ball to Cooper who slotted the ball into an empty net to give Frome the lead in the 90th minute. Eight minutes of added play saw Sholing desperately trying to score again, but it wasn’t to be and Frome moved into the last four of the competition.      The  “H&B Tyres Man of the Match” award was awarded to Dean Evans for an excellent midfield display on his return to the side after suspension. Frome Town Sholing Officials D Ricketts K Williams J Bishop Match Photos Photos of this match taken by our expert photographer Chas Hadfield can be viewed by clicking on this rectangle Match Sponsor None Ball Sponsor None Alex Dunning Kevin Brewster Mike Carter Peter Castle Danny Miller Lewis Fenneymore Martin McLean Byron Mason Jamie Mussellwhite Barry Mason Craig Stanley Ryan Lambert Jack McCarthy Lee Bright Daniel Mason Alex Sawyer