Frome and Bideford played out a very entertaining 1-1 draw in front of a good crowd in a match that could have gone either way.

With Matt Cowler starting at centre half for the first time this season (in place of the suspended Dan Harvey), Adamo Missiato reverting to right back, Sim Allison starting wide on the left and Simon Millard partnering Mark Salter up front, the team looked to get off to a good start against a Bideford team that has improved as the season has progressed.

These last four league matches will prove to be crucial as Frome seek to achieve the runners up spot (to champions Bitton), which would almost certainly enable promotion to the Southern League.

Despite an initial attack, Frome looked nervous at the back, and an 8th minute mistake led Bideford's Lewis breaking clear, his shot was parried by Quelch and Burke did well to make the ground to clear the ball to safety over his own cross bar.

Burke again did well in the 11th minute as he covered a lot of ground to make a crucial tackle on Andrews as he shaped to shoot from 8 yards out.

With Bideford looking the more dangerous, they took the lead in the 16th minute as a free kick led to Quelch and Cheeseman colliding, with the ball spilling out to Andrews who scored through a crowd of players from 10 yards with a right foot shot.

Frome again looked nervous in the 18th minute as yet another Bideford cross caused problems, with Quelch just managing to push the ball away for a corner, and picking up a yellow card at the same time for some reason.

Eventually, Frome settled to their task and a 27th minute Allison cross was just palmed away by Draper in the visitor's goal, but Bideford immediately broke back and Quelch brought off an excellent save to deny Lewis from 15 yards out.

Cheeseman went close in the 38th minute as he rose to meet a corner and headed the ball down, only for a defender to clear the ball off of the line, and Frome were fortunate in the 40th minute as a sliced clearance led to Quelch leaving his area, then being forced to back pedal rapidly as the the ball was crossed from the right, but a combination of defenders managed to clear the danger at the last minute.

Bideford were good value for their 1-0 lead at half time, but Frome went close in the 48th minute as good play between Salter, Allison and Millard led to Millard shooting just over the bar.

Once again, Bideford came straight back and Gough ran through and passed to Tolley whose shot was cleared off the line by Cowler to the relief of the home crowd.

Frome really clicked into gear shortly afterwards, and a succession of corners and free kicks caused problems in the Bideford defence.

In the 64th minute, a Millard right wing corner was volleyed over the bar by Cheeseman on the edge of the area, and Caslake went close with a header in the 66th minute as he met an Allison cross on the far post.

The equaliser seemed to be coming, and it arrived in the 75th minute as Cheeseman won a header from a Millard corner, the ball found it's way to Allison on the edge of the area and his dipping volley bounced in front of the keeper and into the net as Cowler just managed to avoid it.

Frome were good value for their equaliser at this point, and Burke went very close with a dipping shot in the 78th minute, but a deflection off of a defender put the ball over the bar for a corner.

With Frome committed to the attack, Lewis broke clean through for Bideford, and Quelch brought off the save of the match as he turned and twisted in mid air to just get a touch on a lobbed shot, the ball striking the inside base of the far post, running along the line and providing Cowler with his second goal line clearance of the match.

Frome went closest to winning it in the final minutes as Allison poked the ball over the bar from a corner as the ball refused to drop quickly enough, and he was very close again in the 90th minute as a long Cowler throw was glanced by the head of Cheeseman, with Allison's shot going agonisingly just wide of the far post.

This was a good second half performance by the home side, with plenty of pace and movement, and bodes well for the final three matches of the season.

Barry White of New Windows Ltd, (the match sponsors) presented Sim Allison with the Man of the Match award.