A DEPLETED Frome Town side clambered out of the Calor Southern League Premier Division drop zone with a backs-to-the-wall win at Truro City last night, writes HENRY BURRIDGE.

The Robins could only name three substitutes on the bench and were without manager Derek Graham and his assistant Mick Byrne, leaving goalkeeping coach Lloyd Chamberlain in charge, but still ran out 2-0 winners.

They had an early let off when Truro striker Liam Eddy latched onto a chipped ball over the defence and drove through Darren Chitty’s hands into the net, only to be called offside.

The Robins’ response began off the left boot of Mark Cooper, whose superb cross-field ball into Ryan Laville caused havoc, forcing the home side to scramble the ball behind.

Truro goalkeeper Ollie Chenoweth flapped underneath the resulting corner, but Rhys Baggridge failed to connect with the goal gaping.

Chenoweth’s night got little better from there, as he rushed off his line and missed a long ball.

Unfortunately for Frome, Ben Wood could only reach the ball at the byline and flash a last-ditch pass across the face of goal with no red shirts in the box.

Neither side could create clear-cut chances inside the penalty area from open play, with long-range efforts the order of the day, Will Agbo driving high and wide following good work from Laville.

Frome had their own worries defending corners, most notably when Dan Evans passed up an excellent opportunity to open the scoring with a header after Chitty awkwardly parried a flag-kick high into the air.

The first shot on target didn’t arrive until the 22nd minute, as ex-Frome man Jordan Copp shot meekly from range, allowing the Robins keeper an easy gather.

With lone frontman Wood struggling to hold the ball up top, Truro ended the half better and Chitty produced another fine save from Seb Broomfield’s swinging shot as Frome backed off.

And the hosts ended the first period with the best chance of the half as Eddy shot wide of the far post from Matt Andrew’s intricate through ball with only Chitty to beat.

Truro began the second half as they started, Neil Slateford’s left-wing cross only cleared straight to Eddy, who scuffed his shot wide. But moments after, Frome produced the perfect response.

Chasing a looping ball across the penalty area, Wood was taken out by a sliding Chenoweth, allowing Laville to tap home from the spot for his first of the season.

Truro would pass up a host of excellent opportunities to level matters as Frome kept out four chances in a goalmouth scramble, including another fine one-handed Chitty save.

They continued to press for a leveller, with Chitty again called into action with a sharp stop low to his left from Eddy.

The spell was momentarily broken when Cooper scuffed a shot on the break, but the hosts came straight back with Chitty saving from Eddy once more before substitute Phil Lowry, on his debut, somehow contrived to miss the rebound.

The home side’s profligacy was punished in the 79th minute when Laville released Cooper into space down the left, and the full-back made no mistake with an angled drive from wide of the penalty area.

Truro continued to come forward but a goal remained elusive as Andrew had a 12-yard shot blocked at point-blank range and another, from the edge of the box, pushed past the post by the excellent Chitty.

REACTION TO TUESDAY NIGHT'S WIN AND MORE FOOTBALL IN FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES