Portishead Town 2 Frome Town 3
Match Report by Matt Gillett / 21st April
Somerset FA Francis Hillier Premier Cup Final
A five-goal thriller in the Somerset FA Premier Final at Twerton Park, Bath. In a pulsating game befitting a cup final Portishead Town were edged out 3-2 by Frome Town.
Frome, a powerful, pacey side, tested Posset with early balls into their box. Aron Robbins and Hamish Hurst in the centre of the defence stood up to the physical challenge.
Mitch Osmond’s 8th minute pass had Lucas Vowles in, the bouncing ball wouldn’t allow him to get power behind his effort. But in the 12th minute Kyle Egan’s sweeping ball found Ethan Feltham, he set up Vowles to come back inside and make it 1-0 low into the corner. Osmond’s looping header, from Feltham’s 20th minute cross, was cleared off the Frome goal-line.
An excellent Portishead spell: Jamie Adams and Osmond in midfield ascendancy, Egan spraying passes, Corey Evans operating between the lines, Feltham and Vowles toughing it out up front. Back came Frome, Posset keeper Ryan Thacker tipped away a 35thminute left flank free-kick then cleared the corner under pressure. In the 40th minute the referee ruled a trip in the Portishead box and Zac Drew’s penalty levelled matters. Hurst’s crucial intervention kept it even at the break.
Thacker, Adams and Robbins all frustrated Frome attacks early in the second-half. Then Egan’s 54th minute left wing foray allowed the combination of Adams and Evans to force a corner. From Osmond’s kick Feltham made a nuisance of himself, the ball broke to Hurst who leathered it in off the bar, 2-1. Euphoria from the Posset Army. It was breathless stuff, a 61st minute Frome cross struck the Portishead woodwork. Half-time substitute Ollie Woodhouse won numerous critical challenges on the deck and in the air.
Posset also threatened: Kyle Egan’s wicked, curling 68th minute corner was tipped over by scrambling Frome keeper Kyle Phillips. Frome forced a succession of corners, the relentless pressure paid off as Sam Meakes forced in the 80th minute equaliser. Callum Eastwood and Jack Thorne joined the battle as Thacker made a great 83rd minute stretching save. From the subsequent corner, despite valiant efforts to clear and the ball rattling the cross-bar, Archie Ferris eventually got the ball over the line to put Frome ahead.
Thorne was desperately close to getting in on goal, Phillips snatching the ball at his feet. Eight added minutes culminated in the dying seconds with everyone, Thacker included, in the Frome area for Posset’s corner. The ball was hacked clear and the cup was Frome’s.
Portishead can hold their heads high having left everything out on the pitch. Going toe to toe with a very good Frome team they suffered the narrowest of defeats. It can only further heighten the anticipation for this Saturday when the two sides meet again.
