Steve Jupp, BA11's Club Historian, examines a local rivalry in this year's FA Cup.
Saturday’s home FA Cup clash with neighbours Larkhall Athletic gives the Robins some
welcome respite from their league struggles and an opportunity to exact revenge for a tense
penalty shoot-out defeat suffered against the same opposition at the same stage in very
different times just four years ago.
In October 2020, we were between Covid lockdowns but still suffering restrictions, which
included a crowd limit of 400 and no replays. Lewis Powell put the Larks ahead in a
Second Qualifying Round tie at a soggy Badgers Hill only for Jon Davies to save the day
momentarily with a late leveller before sudden death from twelve yards favoured the visitors.
Jono’s late cameo in Tuesday’s tussle with Tiverton was a rare highlight on an evening of
angst; his first action on the pitch for over five months and Frome followers will be hoping for
a longer spell on the pitch from their talismanic number seven.
These are momentous times for the Bath side who will get to try out their brand spanking
new 3G surface in the next few days and their only ‘home’ fixture so far this season took
place at Twerton Park where they bested Westbury United by the odd goal in five.
They’ve had to travel to get to this stage of The Cup, recording victories at Hartley Wintney
(2-0) and Barnstaple (2-1), while their FA Trophy aspirations ended at the first hurdle last
weekend with a 3-2 reverse at Tavistock.
A Southern League outfit since 2014, they made a late dash for the play-offs last term but
were agonisingly pipped on the last day on goal difference by Mousehole, having to settle for
sixth spot in the end and of their three league fixtures played so far of the current campaign,
they’ve won one and lost two.
Frome's record against Larkhall in recent Southern League encounters:
Season Home Away
2021-22 D 1-1 D 0-0
2022-23 D 2-2 W 4-0
2023-24 W 2-0 D 1-1
When the Robins and the Larks lock wings, there is usually little to choose between them
(five draws in the last seven, excluding shoot-outs) and Saturday will more than likely be no
different. It’s the magic of the FA Cup, with no points or league positions to worry about, just
a simple quest to be in that velvet bag come Monday lunchtime, an addictive habit Dodge
devotees got used to last season. Long may it continue.
Listen to the latest episode of the Dodge The Question podcast!
There's a review of the defeats to Dorchester and Tiverton as Steve and Zeb discuss a faltering start to the season before looking ahead to the Larkhall clash in the Cup.
Secure your entry to September's games at Badgers Hill on the Fanbase app and website!
I think the most important thing about Saturday is of course firstly to win and get another £3,000 in the coffers, but I feel that the performance is equally as important. . We simply have to get some decent displays going to give us the confidence to face what has become a very, very tall order in our new league.. We beat Easington Sports in a rather uneven display in the last round but that display didn't take us forward when it came to performing against the likes of Dorchester & Tiverton. We need a tighter defence ( every team we've played at home this season has scored against us , most of them twice!) some creativit…