Leamington 0-1 Frome Town
Evostik Southern League Premier Division
FOOTBALL: HAVING hauled themselves to within three points of leaders Chippenham Town with a hard earned mid-week victory at Cinderford, Brakes took two steps backwards as they went down to a second half goal at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium, reports Paul Edwards.
A frustrating afternoon was summed up in injury-time when second half substitute Stefan Moore saw a penalty saved by impressive visiting keeper Kyle Phillips.
Ahmed Obeng was the first to be denied by the Frome goalkeeper inside the opening couple of minutes when he latched onto Jack Edwards’ flick on. The angle was acute but Phillips still had to make the block.
The game became scrappy, with neither side able to take control but the visitors were well organised and difficult to break down, while beginning to create chances of their own.
George Miller saw a shot blocked while a loose touch by Taundry let in Darren Jefferies on the left, Jamie Hood bailing his team mate out with a timely block.
Edwards headed a deep left wing cross from Robbie Thompson-Brown wide of the target, Obeng was then denied once more as he tore through on goal from a defence splitting pass by Callum Gittings, only for Phillips to spring off his line to parry the shot.
Marcus Mapstone was the width of a post from giving Frome the lead with a powerful header, while Edwards twisted to head on target at the other end, Phillips saving comfortably. His opposite number Tony Breeden then got down well to keep out Ollie Knight’s stabbed effort which looked to be heading for the bottom corner.
Stefan Moore was introduced early in the second half to try and turn things Leamington’s way and he almost had an immediate impact as he ran onto a through ball just outside the box but stumbled as he tried to turn two defenders, and was penalised for handball.
Frome were also carving out chances, and after Jefferies had seen his shot deflected through to Breeden by Taundry, the visitors stung their hosts as they moved ahead, striker Jake Jackson cracking a fine 20 yard drive beyond the dive of Breeden into the bottom corner on 64 minutes.
Brakes visibly attempted to up the tempo, and Baker-Richardson’s drive from the right was well blocked by Phillips, before Jamie Hood hammered a glorious chance high over the bar following a long throw.
Frome probably should have put the game out of reach when Taundry gave the ball away in his right back position and it was fired into the centre where substitute Jordan Walker ballooned his shot wide from a great position.
Obeng was inches from diverting Gittings’ shot into the net at the far post as frustration grew on and off the pitch, while Moore got in behind the Frome defence again but was left shaking his head in disbelief as his powerful drive was beaten away by Phillips.
It looked as though Leamington had finally got a break deep into injury time when Breeden, who had pushed up in a desperate attempt to help force an equaliser, was felled by Walker as he connected with Gittings’ ball back into the box following a half cleared corner.
With recently successful penalty taker Thompson-Brown off the pitch, Moore took responsibility, but Phillips put the gloss on an impressive performance by guessing right and making yet another good save.
<b>Attendance:</b> 508
<b>Leamington:</b> T.Breeden, R.Taundry, C.Gudger, J.Goddard (S.Moore 56), J.Hood, J.Magunda, C.Baker-Richardson, C.Gittings, A.Obeng, J.Edwards, R.Thompson-Brown (K.Revan 72)
Subs not used – J.Mace, T.James, C.Hornby.
