AFTER a fairly lacklustre first half in which Frome’s goalkeeper Ed Baldy twice did well to keep them in the match, second half goals from Dan Cleverley and an own goal from Marcel Simpson eventually resulted in Frome coasting to a 2-0 victory.

With Darren Chitty injured, Ed Baldy took his place between the sticks to play as Frome’s fifth goalkeeper in five matches, Micthell Page’s suspension meant that George Miller started at number nine, but in reality it was Jake Jackson who led the attack, and with Same Teale on the bench carrying an injury, Kris MIller started at left back with Jordan Walker at right back.

After a morning of heavy rain, the match started with another heavy shower parked over the ground, resulting in a slippery pitch that was hard to get a get a foothold on, and it contributed to a slightly scrappy first half.

In the 6th minute, after Jon Davies had cut in from the right and attempted a shot that flew in completely the wrong direction, Stratford immediately launched a counter attack and Ed Baldy did really well to dive low to his right and keep out a well struck shot from James Sheldon.

Two minutes later and it was Baldy again who saved the day with a brave low block to deny Dior Angus as Stratford carved through the shaky Frome defence, which had yet to get to grips with the conditions.

With Kris MIller being substituted in the 16th due to injury, Mike Bryant came on to play in midfield with Jordan Walker moving to left back and Rob Hobbs dropping back to play at right back.

As the half wore on, Frome were starting to create things, and a nice run out of defence by Davies in the 18th led to a Darren Jeffereies shot past the far post, but as the rain got heavier both sides were struggling to put together any meaningful chances, with probably the best falling to Stratford in the 32nd as Gary Moran flicked a header towards the far post, followed by a deflected shot fromKeiran Westwood that cleared the bar.

As the second half started, the rain stopped, the sun came out, Frome immediately looked better going forward and they took the lead in the 55th as Jon Davies cut in from the right and hit a low cross that stalled between Jake Jackson and a defender, but Stratford’s keeper James Cutts was slow to react to pick the ball up and Dan Cleverley showed a poachers instinct by nipping in to stab home from close range.

Stratford had a brief spell when they went looking for the equaliser, but the home defence rarely had a problem , and Frome effectively wrapped up the match in the 66th as Marcus Mapstone challenged Cutts for a Davies corner, and as the ball slipped through the keepers gloves, the deflection caused it to hit the back of defender Simpson’s head and fly unerringly into the net to make it 2-0 to the home side.

From that moment, the game was never in doubt and Frome could have extended their lead late on as Chris McPhee pulled the ball back into an empty six yard box, and Cutts did well to deny Davies as he controlled and shot in one clever movement.

Frome’s captain on the day Dan Cleverley was awarded the H&B Tyres Man of the Match Award by match sponsors FTFC Supporters Club