Frome RFC 41 - 33 Yeovil RFC 

Report by Trevor Osborne

Frome RFC welcomed Somerset rivals Yeovil RFC to Gypsy Lane looking to start 2024 with a win. 

And despite the league positions, the hosts were well aware of the threats that the visitors would offer.

The home side started strongly and opened the scoring when Outside Centre, Cory Plumridge picked a great line to touch down for a try which was converted by Full Back Henry Bull. 

Frome continued to press and a miss pass from Scrum Half Zach Bartlett put Player of the Match, Inside Centre, Ali Frost through a gap which he exploited to increase Frome's lead. 

The Yeovil pack, with their powerful No.8 started to make inroads into the Frome defence and after a set attack they gained their first points when they were awarded a Penalty Try for a high tackle just short of the line.

With Frome now down to 14 men the visitors continued to press and narrowed the gap further with a penalty in front of the posts.

However the Frome scrum was dominating the set piece and from a 5 metre Scrum, No.8 Alex Mallon crossed over the try.

The next score for Frome came in similar fashion when the Frome scrum pushed Yeovil back for Mallon to score his second and Frome's fourth try. 

The final score of the half came when the Yeovil No.8 powered over in the corner.

The second half was nail biting until the end

HT: Frome RFC 22 - 15 Yeovil RFC 

The visitors started the second half strongly and reduced the deficit to 2 points with a well worked try following a further Frome sinbinning for an indiscretion close to the line. 

Despite being a man down Frome put together a period of attacking play and Frost bundled over for his second try. 

However the celebrations were short lived when Yeovil replied immediately with a try of their own. 

Frome were now back to full strength and after a break in midfield Frost completed his hat trick. Full Back, Bull converted to put Frome 9 points up with 10 minutes remaining. 

Yeovil were then awarded a penalty which the visiting Fly Half converted. 

From the kick off the Yeovil No.8 caught the ball and galloped towards the line and despite a last ditch tackle he was able to offload to the supporting player to score and reduce Frome's lead to 1 point with 5 minutes left. 

Frome kicked long from the restart and the visitors looked to run out of defence but a knock on gave Frome the put in at a Scrum and with the Front Row of Geoff Taylor, John Benstead and Dan Chaventre, and replacement Gordon Grierson being dominate all afternoon they won 2 penalties from the resulting scrum  and after having one try disallowed for a knock on eventually the ball was released to Winger Sam Cassidy to crash over for a try and the resultant conversion denied Yeovil the losing bonus point their efforts deserved. 

Frome celebrated a hard fought win over a determined opponent.

FT: Frome RFC 41 - 33 Yeovil RFC 

Player of the Match, sponsored by I.M.S. Limited went to Centre All Frost.

This weekend Frome RFC travel to Bathford to face Avonvale RFC.