**FROLESWORTH UNITED 3-4 SPARTA MOSHDOCK**
A MAKESHIFT Frolesworth United side failed to jump into second place in the Alliance League Division One after a battling, but ultimately fruitless display against an impressive Sparta Moshdock side at the Warren on Sunday morning.
Manager Ben Harris was without several key players, including captain Joe Cook, who was inexplicably absent from the changing rooms before kick-off.
Harris was instead forced to hand a debut to lone-striker Daniel Herring, having made an incredible 474-mile round trip from Plymouth and 17-year-old Steven Bottom, whilst Jake Pantony deputised as skipper.
And Frolesworth, who had a bye in the First Round of the Intermediate Cup last weekend were unusually slow off the mark and fell behind after just eight minutes.
Jack Rudman needlessly clattered his marker in the penalty box, to the visible frustration of team-mate Jack Boulton, allowing Sparta forward Aaron Preston to open the scoring on a plate from the spot.
But if his first goal was soft, Frolesworth then spoonfed the former Glenfield Town man his second a minute later, when his floated cross skipped helplessly off the surface beyond the grasp of stunned keeper Luke Evans.
But you're at your most vulnerable when you have just scored as the cliche goes and Greg Garner rounded the keeper to finish a goal frenzy of three in as many minutes and haul the Rabbits back into it.
The frantic tempo then inevitably dropped and it was the boys in Claret who came close to forcing an equaliser when Martin Finnigan failed to squeeze the ball home following a hectic goalmouth scramble.
Herring then saw his goalbound strike beaten away, before Moshdock made it 3-1 against the run of play with a smash and grab raid.
Finnigan, however, who had earlier missed from close range then handed Frolesworth a lifeline heading into the dressing room at the break, after curling in a magnificent 25-yard curling lob to make it 3-2.
Harris' frustrations were clearly visible just shy of the hour, however, when Aaron Preston helped himself to the matchball by bagging his third.
Evans this time the culprit, rushing from his line only to be beaten by the tall striker who simply glanced his header into the empty net.
Herring was withdrawn soon after and his replacement, newly-married Sam Palmer, gave the Rabbits a glimmer of hope with 20 minutes to play when he eventually slotted home his first for the club after Garner's delightful through ball.
Evans then redeemed himself with two excellent saves, foiling the striker from point blank range before leaping to his right to deny an effort from further afield and Sparta withstood Frolesworth's smattering of late pressure to inflict their second defeat of the season.
Harris' side showed the passion and commitment expected if United are to challenge for promotion, but ultimately failed to recover from more individual errors and a squad, which appears to be depleting by the week.
For Every Man A Religion.
The People's Club.
F.U.F.C
