Timsbury FC somehow contrived to keep the result in the balance until the final whistle, eventually winning 3–2. Had they even taken half of their chances, they would have easily racked up double figures in this Somerset County League Division One East game.

Forester in the Frome goal was called upon within the first five minutes to turn a well struck shot from Lutwama around the post; then, almost immediately, Cook intercepted a poor Frome pass for a run on goal, only to see his shot deflected wide.

Cook then found Heatley free in the box, who was again thwarted by a fine Forester save. Given the advantage of kicking down the slope on a heavy pitch, the home side were encamped in the Frome half, but were unable to turn their domination into goals. Lutwama saw another fine shot fail to beat keeper, Forester.

Then, with five minutes of the half remaining, Cook latched on to a long clearance from the back, but with only the keeper to beat, he failed to find the net, adding to the home crowd’s frustrations.

Within five minutes of the restart, the home side were made to pay for their poor finishing, when a speculative shot from 25-yards by Metcalfe sailed into the top corner of the net, giving Scrivens no chance in the Timsbury goal and giving Frome the lead.

Timsbury responded immediately, and within two minutes were level when Lutwama fed Cook, who fired home to level the score. Good work by Cook ended with another wasted chance, when Hancock’s shot failed to hit the target.

Timsbury finally took the lead on the hour mark, when a sweeping move from the back found Lutwama on the right, and his cross fell to the feet of Cook to add his and Timsbury’s second.

Lutwama should have added a third, when he somehow cleared the bar from within the six-yard box with the goal at his mercy. A quick free-kick on the left led to a Heatley cross into the penalty area, which fell nicely to the feet of Hancock to shoot and make it 3–1.

The home side’s failure to convert chances continued, when in a short space of time, a goal-bound Hancock shot was stopped on the line by his own teammate, followed by chances from Heatley and Hancock, who both failed to hit the target when it seemed easier to score.

Frome almost made the home side pay for their missed chances, when, with five minutes remaining, a clearance fell to Whitley on the edge of the box, who calmly picked his spot to make it 3–2. Despite this scare, the Timsbury goal was not threatened again, and the home side were glad to hear the final whistle in a game that should have been out of sight long before.

Star Man of the Match: George Zaharia, Timsbury Athletic.

Rob Veater