The Southern League Division One South leaders Frome Town proved too much for Exmouth Town, winning 3-1 in an eventful afternoon at Badgers Hill.

After the hosts took the lead, Aarron Denny was able to level up proceedings, and despite Frome going down to ten men, a missed Town penalty was quickly punished by the Robins, who scored twice to seal the victory.

Frome started stronger and almost went ahead 12 minutes in with an Albie Hopkins header going just wide of the post.

The hosts kept threatening, with George Dowling’s powerful effort forcing Aaron Dearing into a stunning fingertip save at his far post 20 minutes into the game.

Dowling made the host’s dominance count just minutes later with a thumping strike from 25 yards out finding the back of the net to give the league leaders a deserved lead.

Town levelled just ten minutes later through a moment of pure magic. Ollie Knowles clipped a beautiful through ball to the on-running Denny, whose touch and finish over the goalkeeper came totally against the run of play.

The second half started similarly to the first with the hosts on the front foot. Town were almost made to pay when a goal was disallowed after a foul in the build up in the 50th minute.

By the 65th minute, Town had finally gotten into the game. A dangerous run by Ben Steer was stopped just short of the penalty box by Theo Llewellyn, who was rightly red carded.

The game sparked into life, and Town earned a penalty two minutes after the sending off, but the returning talisman Tom Bath saw his penalty rocket off the crossbar bar. This sparked the hosts into life, who forayed forward and took the lead with substitute Harris Feltham slotting home to restore the host’s lead.

Town failed to make the extra man advantage count and never really looked like equalising before the hosts put the game to bed in stoppage time with Callum Gould finishing off a sweeping counter attack to secure all three points for The Robins.

Town will now turn their attention to a festive Devon Derby on the 27th of December at the Complete Infrastructure Stadium.

Dearing, Morcom, Cann, Shore, Landricombe (C), Knowles, Shipton (Crawford, 89), Denny, Slater (Butcher, 83), Steer, Bath.

Unused substitutes: Griffith, Hill

Report Written by Lee Smith