Frome Town put in a scintillating performance in an unequivocal win over relegation rivals Plymouth Parkway to secure their first Boxing Day victory since 2008. The Robins were looking to continue their run of positive results and were well worth their two-goal lead at the break courtesy of Pierce Mitchell and James Ollis. Hometown hero Albie Hopkin’s second-half brace and Ethan Vaughan’s stunning finish turned this into an emphatic result, one that leaves the Robins just three points off safety with a game in hand.
It had already been a special December for a BA11 side that felt revived in all senses after a tough start to life at Step Three, but a lot rested on this basement battle. A familiar foe, it was an in-form Parkway side who lay a place and three points ahead of Robins prior to kick off. However, Danny Greaves’ squad had strung three consecutive clean-sheet victories together to vindicate those who still believed that the Robins could survive at this level.
The manager opted for a handful of changes to the side that had bested Bath City nine days before. George Rigg’s hanging up the boots meant Alex Monks slotted into midfield, with Ferris providing thrust up front and Pierce Mitchell solidity at the back. Frome dictated from the off as members of the forward line led by Ferris made a valuable nuisance of themselves. At the back, any forays forward by Parkway were successfully shepherded away, the back three displaying the kind of composure that would prove key in this bottom-of-the-table clash. Just after fifteen minutes, Pierce Mitchell leapt highest to head in from a long free-kick on the right by Albie Hopkins and secure the lead.
It was a feisty affair at times, a scrap ensuing when Phillips spilt a cross and was leapt on by the opposition, a booking each for Sam Teale and one of the visitors. But, overall, the first forty-five saw Frome at their most professional, each player fulfilling their roles to the letter. Aside from when Parkway had the ball in the net after an unsighted save from distance by Phillips to which their forward was quickest and tapped in before the flag was raised, it was comfortable viewing.
Half-time beckoned but James Ollis had other ideas, the striker charging down to meet a through pass and finishing cooly for the second. Despite a faultless forty-five minutes by Frome, Parkway had found their scoring boots in recent weeks. 20-year-old Mitch Beardmore on loan from Exeter City found the net six times on their last outing against high-flyers Gloucester City last week. Hopes that the Grecians’ manager Gary Caldwell would recall him went unheeded but the Robins had kept the youngster quiet so far. Local derby this was not, but pride was on the line. After all, it had been Parkway who pipped Frome to the Division One South title in 2021-22 and, at 2-0, there was still work to do if Danny Greaves’ side were to go some way to righting that wrong.
Parkway began the second half on the front foot and the back three of Maidment, Teale and Mitchell each were forced to put in a necessary clearance and ride out the early pressure. A key double save from Phillips after the visitors counterattacked saw the keeper with little time to react at close range, but he succeeded on instinct in maintaining the two-goal cushion.
With two games in three days, changes came. One man whose exemplary form in December means he could not possibly be hooked was Albie Hopkins, the Frome resident receiving a smart one-two back from Archie Ferris and slotting though the keeper’s legs to adulation from the clubhouse end on the sixty-fifth minute. The poised finish and the swagger of his celebration at the clubhouse end was material proof of his current confidence levels as he has played a significant hand in turning around the fortunes of his hometown club.
Ethan Vaughan has proved himself as a capable outlet down the right in his three months at the club, but the wing-back demonstrated his vision as he curled in a memorable maiden strike in Robins red, cutting in from the flank and unleashing an astonishing fourth for the hosts with his left boot. If that was a goal of outrageous skill, Hopkin’s second and Frome’s fifth was a manifestation of power. Substitute Curtis Jemmett-Hutson laid the ball off for the rangy forward to charge in and rocket it home from the edge of the box, the twelfth unanswered score for the Scarlet Runners in four clean sheets this December.
This was the first of four league games in ten days and a gratifying, ‘I was there’ outing for the 714 fans who braved the cold and gloom. The Robins are on the road at Bracknell Town (28th December) and Taunton Town (1st January). The next home game follows against Gosport Borough on 4th January, a fixture the club can now confirm will take place as planned. The fact that Danny Greaves has revived his side’s fortunes ought not to be downplayed, but the next week will be no less crucial in determining where the Robins might end up come April. To keep profiting from a vein of form as rich as this one will be pivotal, but, based on a performance as exhilarating as this afternoon’s, there is more than enough belief and ability to do so.
Match report and live updates written by Zeb Baker-Smith
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The Robins produced their best performance of the season in front of an excellent ‘Boxing Day crowd of over 700. to eventually demolish The Parkway 5-0. The football is flowing, The goals are coming and conceding is a thing of the past (well, at least at the moment it is!)
The Parkway will feel a little aggrieved I’m sure as even at 2-0 down they were still very much in this game and threatening to score the goal that would have brought them back into it. Then three brilliant goals, the first from ‘twinkle toes’ Albie, the second, a rocket, into the top left hand corner from Ethan and then the third, another brilliant long range strike, this time, low…