**FROLESWORTH UNITED 1-4 MAGNA 73 RANGERS**
FROLESWORTH United slipped to their second successive defeat at the hands of unbeaten Magna 73 Rangers, although they certainly let the league leaders off the hook.
Luke Hammond bagged his second goal for the Rabbits, but he really should have squared things up in the second half and a catalogue of defensive errors ultimately returned to haunt his side.
Managerial duo Ben Harris and Jordan Halford once again made the arduous journey back to the Warren, following a troubled week behind the scenes at Hall Park and they made the difficult decision to discipline their players who missed last week’s hiding.
Joe Cook and Mark James were forced to watch from the bench, as the pair made just two changes to their starting XI. Steven Bottom returned in place of Joe Wilson at centre-half after recovering from an ankle injury, while Martin Fennon put aside his personal problems to replace Luke Evans in midfield.
But Frolesworth made the worst possible start and found themselves a goal down in just 30 seconds, leaving the coaching staff on the sidelines apoplectic.
Jake Pantony, usually so reliable in the heart of the midfield, sliced the ball up in to the air only for Bottom to lose possession as he attempted to take-on Phil Howard on the edge of his box rather than thump the danger clear. Jack Boulton then failed to clear on two occasions leaving Ryan Ogden free to take full advantage of the hosts’ horrific defending.
Frolesworth soon put their embarrassing start behind them, however, and Hammond warmed the visiting keeper’s hands with a snapshot on the edge of the box.
Ogden himself was then fortunate to stay on the pitch, as he was booked for a sickening lunge on Fennon on the far side, before escaping with only a warning for a similar hack at Pantony.
But chances remained few and far between in the first period, with the visitors looking the more likely from Howard’s long throw and after a series of close escapes, United were finally forced to relent just after the break when Ogden climbed highest to dispatch a header in to the top corner.
But falling two goals behind seemed to galvanise United, who after their stuttering start finally began to get going and Hammond finally got the goal his tireless hard work deserved.
Greg Garner, who had been kept quiet in the first period, broke down the right and squared for the unmarked Hammond who confidently swept home. The front-man raced through once again moments later, but he was left cursing his luck when his vicious left-footed drive flashed agonisingly wide of the upright, when he’d done everything right.
There was only one side in it now and the Clarets began to turn the screw in search of the elusive equaliser. This time the roles were reversed as it was Hammond who turned supplier for Garner.
He escaped the attentions of the visiting defence on the right and cut the ball back for the onrushing Garner, but he got his angles all wrong and skewed horribly over from close range.
The hosts were in the ascendancy, but an individual error threw all of Frolesworth’s hard work out of the window when Howard capitalised on a moment to forget for Bottom in the 72nd minute. The centre-half’s attempted pass to Jack Rudman on the left went straight to the striker, who chested the ball into his path buried past the helpless Errington.
The error completely turned the tide and seemed to dishearten the Rabbits, whose misery was complete when Howard somehow squeezed a header in at the near post for a double salvo in just two minutes.
Frolesworth seemingly have the knack to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, as this encounter was another demonstration of United being punished for not taking their chances and the result leaves them just four points off the basement.
And Frolesworth need to start adding points to their tally as fellow strugglers Horse and White Lion negotiated impressive away wins against AFC Hurricanes and Sparta Moshdock yesterday, otherwise the bitter stench of relegation beckons.
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