Larkhall Athletic pulled in their biggest home crowd of the league season when they faced neighbours Frome Town at the Camella Stadium on Saturday 21st February.
Larkhall Athletic, blue, and Frome Town tussle in the Pitching In Southern League derby at the Camella Stadium on Saturday 21st February | Photo © Liz Bugg
The Pitching In Southern League Division One South match was watched by 405 people, smashing the previous best this term of 355 for the visit of Bristol Manor Farm over Christmas.
But whereas Athletic fans went home happy from the match with Manor Farm, the Larks winning 3-2, the clash with the league’s runaway leaders Frome ended in disappointment for the hosts.
The Robins prevailed 4-1, meaning the Bath side have suffered two big defeats in their last four matches, having lost 5-0 at Hartpury on Saturday 24th January.
Larkhall have taken only four points from that quartet of fixtures after their brilliant run of five successive victories at the start of manager John Durbin’s reign. But they are in a very respectable ninth place in the table.
Frome’s success at Plain Ham took them 14 points clear at the top of Division One South.
Action from the Camella Stadium on Saturday 21st February as Larkhall Athletic, blue, are beaten 4-1 by neighbours Frome Town | Photo © Liz Bugg
But Athletic gave them a tough afternoon, levelling the game 18 minutes into the second half.
And they would have emerged with a narrow 2-1 reverse had the guests not scored twice in the closing stages.
Hosts’ keeper Liam Armstrong saved from Zac Drew early on but was beaten in the 11th minute. Jack Goodall fouled Archie Ferris in the box and Drew converted the resulting penalty, although Armstrong dived the right way.
Town had the better of the opening half but the Larks raised their game in the second period and almost equalised through Ryan Beckinsale’s 52nd-minute free-kick which went narrowly over the bar.
Larkhall got back on terms in the 63rd minute, Freddie King netting. But the Robins edged in front seven minutes later, Albie Hopkins stabbing home from a melee.
A Larkhall Athletic man takes a tumble at the Camella Stadium during the Pitching In Southern League game against Frome Town on Saturday 21st February | Photo © Liz Bugg
With nine minutes remaining, Frome’s Sam Meakes volleyed in to make it 3-1. And he struck again in injury-time to complete the scoring.
Larkhall starting XI: Liam Armstrong, Jack Goodall, Spencer Dymond-Hall, Sam Boulton, Lewis Graham, Will Banks, Jeff Forkuo, Ryan Beckinsale, Dawid Regula, Harvey Pritchard, Jack Camm.
The Larks’ next game will be at Swindon Supermarine in the league on Friday 27th February (7.45pm).
Larkhall Development had no scheduled match in the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League Premier Division on Saturday 21st February.
But they will be back in competitive action on Saturday 28th February when they take on Pewsey Vale at the Camella Stadium in the league’s Fountain Trophies Senior Cup quarter-finals (3pm).
The Devs’ next league game will be away to their Royal Wootton Bassett Town counterparts on Saturday 7th March – a month since they last played in the Premier Division.
