Frome Town suffered a humiliating FA Cup one-goal defeat at home to Larkhall, the latest in a miserable string of defeats. Harvey Pritchard’s second-half tap-in was the single meaningful bit of action in a dour game as the Robins lacked ambition and application across the park.
Several defeats across August and early September had dampened spirits, but a favourable home tie against a lower-ranked opponent could have been the antidote. Not at all as it turned out. The first half saw the Robins do little wrong, the blue shirts parting on ten minutes as Zak Drew deceives the defence with a clever feint, his tame final effort trickling wide. Ethan Vaughan, signed in the last fortnight, was the rare bright spot as Frome’s attacking became increasingly laboured. Larkhall, in contrast, started slowly, rousing the crowd’s attentions and then frustrations more for their cynical tackles than ambitions in front of goal.
The Bath-based side ended the half in the ascendancy. Their lone win and three defeats had not lit the world on fire in Division 1 South yet this season, but three games was hardly a proper sample size. Ollie Price’s side had done well to see off Hartley Wintney and Barnstaple to reach the Second Qualifying Round. Early in the second-half it appeared that the visitors had decrypted the Robins’ attempts going forward and seized momentum, not least when a Max Williams’ effort from outside the box struck the woodwork.
With twenty to play, the lively Harvey Pritchard was in the right spot to capitalise from a Kyle Phillips save and put his side ahead. The triple substitution on the hour mark had failed to bring any spark, the bench apparently afflicted by the same lethargy as those on the field and even a replay seemed a remote prospect given the timid approach in front of goal, one which has become concerningly characteristic in the new season.
So lacking was the application and desire in the second forty-five that it almost felt like a relief when replacement Curtis Jemmett-Hutson fired over the bar just before the referee blew for full-time. To have taken Larkhall to a replay after performing so abjectly over ninety minutes would have been about as demeaning as the result that did materialise.
Easington Sports at home aside, the BA11 side have failed to produce any wins since their opening-day victory away at Gosport Borough over a month ago. Ahead of a week which included home games against relegation rivals, Tiverton Town, and a team from the tier below in Larkhall, those associated with the club might have considered this a decent litmus test for how good this squad is. The fact is over the last few weeks this group of player’s output has been poor (to put it kindly!) and the manager’s words in the post-match interview reflected those concerns. Seven days is a long time in football, but there is an eye-watering amount of improvement that needs to happen between now and the trip to Havant and Waterlooville next weekend.
Match report and live updates by Zeb Baker-Smith
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Where on earth do we go from here? After our amazingly proud home record of last season – 25 games undefeated. This season we have lost 5 of our 6 home games and the one win that we had was totally unconvincing against a side two tiers lower than us. It’s hard to believe isn’t it, that it has come this?
The truth is that the standard in this Premier league is much, much higher than we all expected.
Look, whilst it’s certainly depressing for the fans it must be very difficult for the manager, coaches and players in fact, all those attached to the club, as the realization hits everyone that we just don’t seem up to the task…