Improving Slimbridge fell to a 2-0 defeat at Frome Town, writes Rob Peck.
Earlier, boss Lee Driver-Dickerson made two changes with Jamie Martin and Johan Flo replacing Ben Deakin who had not recovered from an injury sustained at Marlow and Marley Thomas moving to the bench.
The overall performance was much improved on last week’s cup exit with the team playing at a higher tempo with a slicker passing game throughout. Had Ben McLean’s shot crept inside the post rather than striking it just before halftime, the final score may have been very different.
Slimbridge started the game brightly and had much of the early possession, Ben Prictor striking a long-range effort at keeper Seth Locke. A Frome attack saw Rex Mannings pass find James Ollis whose shot from the edge of the box flew wide of the visitor’s goal.
The home side took the lead on 17 minutes full-back Joseph O’Loughlin found space down the left and his pinpoint cross to the far post was tapped in by Mannings. Frome took control of the game with Mannings forcing a save from Adams a couple of minutes later.
A last-ditch tackle by Ben Hands denied Ollis a goal scoring opportunity, the resulting corner was cleared by the under-pressure Swans defence. The visitors however managed to carve out a few chances, Prictor’s cross was cleared by the home defence and fell kindly to Martin but his long-range shot was just wide.
Slimbridge’s best chance of the game came 5 minutes before halftime, some Edji Mbunga trickery on the left enabled him to lay the ball into the path of McLean who unleashed a 30-yard strike across goal that struck the post with Locke beaten.
In first-half injury time, Flo and Mbunga both had strikes towards the goal but failed to hit the target.
The first move of the second half from the home side saw Slimbridge fall further behind. Adams turned O’Loughlin fierce strike from the left around the near post. The resulting corner saw Ollis scramble the ball into the net extending Frome’s lead.
The visitors continued to play their passing game and despite spells of pressure they failed to get on the score sheet with the best chance falling to substitute Adam Price with his shot just inches wide past the post.
Slimbridge: L Adams, T Lawrence, B Prictor, B McLean, B Hands, N Dennis, J Martin, M Ford, W Hawes, J Flow, E Mbunga,
Subs Used: M Thomas, J Annear, A Price
Attendance: 262
Supporters’ player of the match: Nathan Dennis
Slimbridge welcome Cinderford Town on Bank Holiday Monday.
The Under 18s start their season on Tuesday when they visit Odd Down (Bath) in the FA Youth Cup while the reserves play at home to the Longlevens development side on Friday, 7.45 pm.
