Steve Jupp, BA11's Club Historian, previews our trip to the Buckinghamshire club with a history as rich as it is long.
It’s now or never for Frome Town in their quest for Southern League Premier Division survival as they embark upon a hectic schedule of nine fixtures in the next five weeks.
First up is a real basement battle on Saturday as they travel to the Alfred Davis Memorial Ground home of bottom-but-one Marlow in a crucial contest where only a win will do for either side.
Now eight points adrift of safety, the Scarlet Runners will hopefully be refreshed and raring to go following three weeks of inactivity for a first-ever meeting with the Blues of Buckinghamshire.
Until recently, both shared the common link of a 1-0 win at Gosport being their only victory of a wretched season, but that changed a fortnight ago when Marlow toppled Wimborne by the odd goal in five to move a point above the Robins, a second three-point haul in their last five outings.
Formed as long ago as 1870, few clubs can boast a longer history than the Blues and they can also claim the wonderful distinction of having competed in every season of the FA Cup bar one.
Indeed, they reached the semi-final stage in 1882 (more than two decades before Frome Town even existed) but were on the end of a 5-0 biffing from the Old Etonians and more recently played Tottenham at White Hart Lane in the Third Round in the 90s.
Moving on to the 21st century, no team at Step Three has conceded as many goals this season as Marlow but on the other hand, none have scored fewer than Frome. Both sides won promotion via the play-offs last term and Saturday’s outcome could well be pivotal in deciding who might increase their chances of avoiding an early return.
The latest information on ticketing according to the Marlow website is as follows:
General Admission Prices:
Adults - £12
Concession - £8
Youth (13-18) - £5
Junior (6-12) - £2
Listen to the latest episode of the Dodge The Question podcast!
Phil Thompson, Matt Le Tissier, Gazza, Duncan McKenzie and England's 8-cap wonders. Anything goes in this week's episode! We also have a catch up with striker James Ollis.
You can also listen on Frome.FM radio every Friday at 5pm (repeated on Saturday at 3pm)
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Thanks for another fact file The Jupster. Looking forward to picking up a couple of copies of your new book at the Swindon game - which seems an absolute age away. More of that later.
A loss on Saturday won't quite be the end but it would be a psychologically damaging blow to the team and its supporters, after failing to win against Tiverton & Winchester from the drop zone.
More importantly I think is that we have three away games in the next two weeks - how will we come out of that lot? Hanwell looks the most difficult having won their last three games and won 3-0 at Dorchester before that. They look to be improving …