A PRE-MATCH thunderstorm produced a perfect, lush playing surface and an entertaining match, but it was Gosport who produced the goods in front of goalin Saturday's friendly.
Gosport were one of the better sides to visit Frome last season, and this match suggests that they have the class and finishing ability to do well in the Conference South after their promotion, while Frome are probably still looking for a striker with an eye for goal.
Defender Mark Cooper’s back denied Gosport the opener in the fifth minute, but they took the lead five minutes later as a mix-up in defence allowed Tom Dunford to side foot the ball cleanly into the corner from 12 yards.
Frome then started playing some neat passing football and, after a Luke Ballinger free kick had just missed the top corner, a slick move on the right set Matt Smith up for a half-chance, but the ball ballooned harmlessly over the bar from the edge of the area.
Ballinger then went close with flick from a corner, but Gosport doubled their lead in the 33rd minute as a slide tackle from Rhys Baggridge led to a penalty, though those close enough to the action could see that he had played the ball before the man.
Justin Bennett slotted the ball easily into the corner, and after Gosport had a goal disallowed for offside, the last kick of the first half saw a great Ballinger long-range effort just miss the far post.
Frome started the second half well and had most of the territory and pressure, but then Gosport broke and Darren Chitty was forced to make a great double save on 58 minutes.
But he was powerless to prevent Gosport adding a third in the 62nd minute as Lee Molyneaux poked the ball home from 12 yards following a right wing corner.
The goal of the game came a minute later as Andy Forbes curled a superb right-foot shot round Chitty from the edge of the box and although Frome continued to take the game to Gosport for the remainder of the match, they never really looked to have the fire power to trouble the scorer.
Gosport made it five with the final kick of the match.
SEE FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES FOR PREVIEWS WITH ALL THE LOCAL TEAMS AHEAD OF THE TOOLSTATION LEAGUE'S BIG KICK-OFF THIS WEEKEND. AND DON'T MISS EXTENSIVE PREVIEWS WITH FROME TOWN AND CHIPPENHAM TONW IN OUR AUGUST 16 EDITION
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