Willand Rovers v Frome Town

It was a very wet and miserable day in Mid Devon but Willand were feeling optimistic with the return of Jack Rice & Gabrial Rogers to the starting line up. The line up looked very attack orientated which was a really positive sign as our problem for most of the season was scoring goals.

The match started and almost straight away Jack Rice had a half volley shot blocked by the Frome keeper which then fell to Bailey Kempster who powered the ball towards the goal for it to fly over the bar. This was what we had been waiting for pressure and momentum, could this finally be a win we so desperately wanted and needed.

Frome of course were not going to lie down and let us run riot, they had a free kick just outside the area and it was a nice ball over the top to the rear post, Reece Rusher for Frome could not connect with the ball and George Burton was there to collect the the loose ball.  We then got luck as Frome’s number 7 Jonathan Davies went through one on one with George Burton and he placed it passed George and into the back of the net, fortunately for Willand the Linesman had his flag up for offside.

Willand had a few more attempts on goal, the main one was a Douglas Camilo and Ben Griffiths link up, which Ben could not quite get his toe to which would have seen us go 1-0 up. Then the inevitable happened and we conceded from nothing. Frome’s no 20 Conrad Essifle-Conduah had a shot from 30 yards which went straight over George Burton’s head into the goal. 0-1

Willand unlike recent weeks responded straight away, Dougle Camio scored from just inside, the area the Frome Keeper had no chance and the assist came from Jack Rice. 1-1

Half Time 1-1

The second half started in much the same way as the first half had finished. We were still pressing for a second and Frome were playing on the counter. Then after a goal mouth scramble the ball was cleared to the edge of the area only for Ashleigh Hewitt to knock it straight back in and Jack Rice was there to tap it in 2.-1 Willand. Get in.

The game settled down a little then, all the players looked tired, the heavy ground and rain started to take its toll. Willand made a couple of substitutes Dan Koita came on for Gabriel Roger’s and Dean Stamp came on for an injured Douglas Camilo.

Then we moved into the last ten minutes of the game which is always a worrying time if you are a Willand supporter as we have conceded more goals in the last ten minutes of the half’s than any other time. Frome had a powerful shot which beat George but hit the crossbar.  Willand started to get deeper and deeper back into their own half which just gave Frome a free run and on the 90th minute you guessed it Frome equalzsed.

Full Time Willand 2 Frome Town 2

It was another disappointing day at the office for everyone involved. We really looked like we were going to win this, but as so often this season we retreated too much in the last ten minutes and let the opposition pressure us.

This was two points lost, not one gained today.

I still believe we have a really good side and we should not be as low as we are in the table but we have not had the rub of the green all season and I hope this changes soon.