AN EXCELLENT away performance from Frome Town saw them bring back a share of the points with a battling 2-2 draw at second-placed Hitchin Town, who were looking to record their eighth successive victory.

Frome made one change to their starting line up with James Fitzgibbon starting after number 11 after several good recent performances after coming on as substitute, Ollie Knight stepping down to the bench.

In front of a 570 crowd, Frome were the first to show as Jon Davies shot into the arms of Mike Johnson, but Hitchin were immediately broke back but the danger disappeared as the ball went out for a goal kick.

Davies again brought a good save from Johnson with a free kick in the 10th minute as he scrambled to push the ball out for a corner, but Hitchin again broke and a dangerous low cross was pushed away by Kyle Phillips for a corner, and Frome were lucky shortly after as Matt Lench struck the ball wide after being set up by Callum Donnelly.

After Mike Bryant had set up George Miller for a shot that was easily claimed, Hitchin had a couple of corners in quick succession, with Phillips now starting to become the busier of the two keepers, and after a three-versus-two break that Phillips did well to deal with, they went very close in the 32nd minute as Kane Smith went on a storming run only to see his shot hammer against the Frome crossbar.

As half time approached, Frome were under increasing pressure from Hitchin, but they then took the lead in the 45th minute as a Fitzgibbon run took him past two defenders.

He pulled the ball back to Davies who then set up substitute Darren Jefferies to drive the ball home from the edge of the area - Jefferies having been on the pitch for five minutes after replacing the injured Mike Bryant.

With Phillips saving a snapshot from Robbie Burns just after the restart, the score remained 1-0 to the visitors at half-time, but Hitchin came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half and equalised in the 50th minute as a cross from Smith caused chaos in the Frome defence and Brett Donnelly stabbed the ball home from close range.

After George Miller had brought a save from Johnson, Donnelly and Burns combined to set up a shooting chance for Matt Lench that went just wide and Phillips was on hand to deny Lench shortly after after he saved well and the Frome keeper again did well shortly after to deny Burns as he was clean through on goal.

Although Frome were riding their luck a bit at this stage, somewhat against the run of play, they took the lead in the 66th minute as a Davies free kick was swung in and Jake Jackson turned and shot cleanly home from the edge of the six-yard box to make it 2-1.

However, the lead was only to last four minutes as a Hitchin cross the far post just evaded Phillips and captain Dan Webb stooped to head home at the far post .

Despite Hitchin having the better of the last twenty minutes, they failed to open up the Frome defence and with Davies bringing a save from Johnson right at the end, the visitors could even have just pinched all three points.