Odd Down 0-5 Frome Town

After a three-day break from their last time out in South-West Wiltshire, the Robins were on the road again, this time back in Somerset where Odd Down hosted a warm Saturday afternoon.

It was a similar starting eleven picked by Danny Greaves, with just the three changes from Wednesday’s victory. Hopkins, Tylek and Gould are the men to miss out on the first half action.

New Signing, Charlie Holiday, passing the ball away from the Odd Down defender.

The Dodge took just 100 seconds to break the deadlock. Starting the move was Zac Drew, with a through ball to David Duru, a repeat of the first goal at Warminster, who, instead of Ferris, had full-back, Sam Heal, in his sights in the 18-yard box. The number 9 fizzes the ball to the number 3, who gets the ball in the back of the net by his stomach, a fairly unorthodox way to score his first of the season!

Just another two more minutes later, Frome secured their second of the game. This time it comes from a looping cross from Zac Drew, who finds Archie Ferris. The header is placed into the top right corner of the woodwork, which gets deflected from the back of the goalkeeper, and trickles into the bottom left corner. An extension to the lead in just 4 minutes.

The first 10 minutes were pure domination by Frome this afternoon, with Zac Drew being given two golden opportunities to triple the lead, but just felt short on the finish. Both of the efforts were similar. Both went through on goal and went the wrong side of the goal.

Three more minutes it took for Duru to get himself involved this afternoon. A common theme in these past two fixtures, a cross coming in from the wingers for one of the two forwards to finish their dinner, and it was paying off again, David’s header into the top left corner. With just 13 minutes of game time, the Robins were leading by three goals.

Danny’s side was in full control throughout the full 90. In all fairness, Odd Down did have a couple of chances but no stand-out purple patches. Their first of two chances of the game came in the 35th minute, from a free-kick by their number 6’s perfect poached cross into the danger area, which was parried out, just for the number 11 to be on the end of a thumping hit out of the ground.

The fourth of the afternoon came just 6 minutes after that attack from the hosts. Sam Heal once again uses his wizardry on the left flank, sending the ball into the box to find Drew, who controls the ball with full composure, who lends the ball to Archie Ferris, to dispatch his second of the game in some style.

In response, Odd Down scored straight from kick-off, with a well-worked goal from number 16, who had just come on in the incorrect kit, rifling home a finish from 15 yards out, but he timed his run just too late.

The first half draws to a close, with the Robins in full flow heading into the second half of action. An additional 8 changes were made heading into the next 45 days. Maidment, Ferris and Drew stayed out.

A few trialists who impressed, Danny Graves, had another opportunity again this afternoon, including the number 19 wing back, who gets himself straight into the mix of things. An interception leaves him through on goal, but a vital stop from the hosts' keeper keeps Frome scoring early in another half of football.

A much more even contest in the first 20 minutes of the second half. Frome were the more attacking side but were yet to create anything to change the scoreboard.

Star signing, David Duru, comes back onto the playing field after a 30-minute break, and heads straight into action. A lofted corner by Feltham just skims David’s head, which would have been a certain goal to add to his tally.

The fifth and final goal of the contest came from one of the trialists, number 19, a deserving goal after a well-fought 45 minutes in action. The ball is given to the winger, who strikes the ball after taking one touch and smashes it into the right-side netting.

Another chance came for the team in black and white was straight from conceding a goal. The number nine is caught through on goal but just misreads his effort, which doesn’t trouble Tylek, missing the target completely.

This tie could’ve been a lot uglier for the opposition this afternoon as Maidment heads home in what could’ve been his first of the campaign. It would’ve seemed that talisman Duru had a touch on the ball, just before it passed the white line, giving the assistant referee no choice but to rule out the goal.

The final whistle was blown after a comprehensive and sweaty victory for the Robins, going back-to-back wins for Greaves’ men. Next up, Oldland Away.

Live Updates and Match Report by Thomas Groves