**HORSE 1-5 FROLESWORTH UNITED**
FROLESWORTH United returned to winning ways this morning with an emphatic performance, which is almost certain to ensure their Division One survival.
Striker Luke Hammond put his barren spell firmly behind him with a goal in each half and Jake Pantony, Joe Swanwick and Greg Garner put the result beyond doubt with goals in the second period.
Ben Harris was absent from Strasbourg Drive, so control was once again relinquished to Jordan Halford and he decided to make three changes from the side that suffered defeat at Sparta Moshdock on Friday evening.
Martin Finnigan slotted in at left-back in place of Jack Rudman, while Halford was able to name Greg Garner and Miles Splevings on the flanks as they returned to the squad.
Frolesworth arrived in Beaumont Leys later than planned and were welcomed by long grass in an attempt to stifle their passing game and they were fortunate to escape without conceding what would have been the opener, had Horse not hit the crossbar early on.
And United immediately made the hosts pay as they, themselves, broke the deadlock inside 10 minutes. Jack Boulton’s long free-kick found Hammond in space, who expertly volleyed home his fourth goal in the famous claret shirt with an accomplished finish.
The opener was a springboard to Frolesworth’s approach to the game as they were confident enough to sit back and hit the home side on the break and Hammond went close again as he fired straight at the keeper soon after.
Craig Rowbottom, who was superb throughout, then sent a delicious ball over the top for the sprightly Splevings to chase, who looked for all the world that he would double the Rabbits’ advantage but he drilled the ball into the side-netting with goal at his mercy after he had rounded the goalkeeper.
It wasn’t all one-way traffic though and Matt Errington had to be alert to keep Horse at bay moments before the interval, when he turned a goal-bound header around the post.
The goalkeeper was then instrumental again minutes after the break, but this time as the catalyst to Frolesworth’s second goal as his quick thinking and long goal kick wasn’t dealt with and the assiduous Hammond once again made a nuisance of himself and took advantage of the generous defending to notch his second.
Errington again made a superb save low down to his left to prevent the hosts from getting back into the game, but he was powerless to stop a thumping close-range header in the 54th minute to make it 2-1.
But rather than hit panic stations, which has been so synonymous with Frolesworth this season, the steadfast Jake Pantony steadied the ship although he had previously been miscellaneous at the heart of the midfield.
Halford had moved his captain further forward during the break to provide the lone-striker with some more support and despite being relatively quiet by his own admission, he burst through the hosts’ defence before a poor touch meant the ball squirmed away from him.
However, Garner kept the ball alive and recycled possession before sending over a pinpoint cross, which Pantony squeezed in at the near post with a superb diving header.
Halford then injected some fresh legs into his tiring side on the hour-mark, introducing Jack Rudman for Hammond and Swanwick for Luke Evans, as Splevings was employed as the lone-striker.
And super-sub Swanwick had an immediate impact, helping himself to his first goal since his brace on the opening day with a slightly fortuitous volley, which he dedicated to an un-named female.
The Country Boys worked diligently until the final whistle and the icing on the cake was nearly complete six minutes from time when club captain Rowbottom, who has waited almost two seasons to open his account for the Rabbits, excruciatingly struck the angle of post and bar.
Garner didn’t mourn his team-mate’s misfortune, however, and added an utterly deserved fifth with a neat finish.
Frolesworth have now picked up nine points from an available 12 and have hit form at the right end of the season as they strive to achieve mid-table obscurity and with the incentive of sending local rivals Trinity Old Boys down to Division Two next week, will be confident of extending their impressive run.
http://www.teamstats.net/frolesworthunitedfc/
http://twitter.com/FEAR_FUFC
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=78446830679&ref=ts
For Every Man A Religion.
The People's Club.
F.U.F.C
