DARREN Perrin reckons that his Frome Town side are staring down the barrel of the toughest set of Bank Holiday fixtures in the Southern League.

The Robins make the trip to St Albans City tomorrow before they welcome local rivals Chippenham Town to Badgers Hill on Monday.

“If you look at those fixtures, I don’t think that anyone else in the Southern League has a harder set of games ahead of them,” said the Frome manager.

“With the resources that those two sides have got, you’d expect both of them to be in the play-offs this season and it’s up to us to try and compete.”

On Tuesday night, Frome were beaten 2-1 at Bashley, with James Stokoe netting twice for the hosts before Lewis Powell pulled a goal back late on from the penalty spot after Gary Middleton brought down the Robins’ Matt Smith.

New boy Powell netted in happier circumstances last Saturday as Frome stunned last year’s beaten play-off finalists AFC Totton 3-1.

Tom Evans, who was later sent off for a second booking, levelled for Perrin’s men after Richard Gillespie had put the Stags ahead.

Powell scored his debut goal late in the first half before another debutant, Ben Woods, curled in a low shot on 72 minutes.

Perrin added: “We played some fantastic football against Totton but gave away two sloppy goals at Bashley but if you’d offered me a point from both, I’d have taken it and we’re a point better off now.”

Midfielder Mike Perrott missed the Bashley game and is a doubt for St Albans with a hamstring problem.