BASINGSTOKE Town’s Southern League Premier Division campaign did not get off to the start they wanted, as they were beaten 3-1 by Frome Town at the Camrose.

The home side found themselves two goals down in the space of 21 minutes and should really have levelled things after scoring an early penalty after the break, but a third Frome goal, just after the hour mark killed the contest.

Understandably, Town boss Terry Brown was disappointed to see his side beaten on the opening day of the season and said: “This time last year we were giving team’s head starts and we did it again today. This is because we are a young side again and will get better, as we proved last year.

“We have a lot to work on, with the defence being the most pressing as I feel we gave them three goals today. I would have liked to have played with three in the middle at the back, but at the moment I only have two centre halves.

“I felt midfielder Dan Collier was our best player and also Sam Smart had a good game in midfield even though he is a winger his.”

Town do not have long to lick their wounds, as tomorrow night they travel to Dorchester for their second league game of the season.

The Magpies like the Dragons lost their opening day contest, the Dorset side being beaten 5-0 at Banbury.

For Saturday’s visit of Frome, five players Colm McAdden, Dan Bayliss, Shane Hollamby, Sam Smart and Cameron Green all made their league debuts.

The home side started with a 4-4-2 formation and the alarm bells started to ring as early as the second minute, as Frome’s Darren Jeffries forced McAdden into a good save.

However, the Dragons soon found themselves a goal down, after Jon Davies’ corner went in off the hip of new Town captain Marcus Johnson-Schuster at the near post for an own goal.

Soon after Jeffries fired just wide and McAdden then did well to deny Davies, as the visitors dominated.

Frome then made it 2-0, as Davies managed to get the ball through to Jake Jackson to score on the volley after 21 minutes.

McAdden was then called into action again to make another great save to deny Davies, before the home side came back into the game forcing a number of corners, which saw Aaron Jarvis and Hollamby go close.

Then on 37 minutes, a free-kick from distance by Ben Wright forced Frome goalkeeper Kyle Phillips to make an excellent save.

For the start of the second half. Brown swapped his Reading loan players, as Connor Davies replaced Cameron Green and played up top with Jarvis.

The move soon paid dividends as Davies fed Jarvis in the area and the striker had his heels clipped by Marcus Mapstone and referee Daniel Lamport pointed to the spot.

Wright stepped up to take the penalty and sent the visiting goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 2-1.

With the home side now having the better of the game it looked like only a matter of time before they would equalise.

The lively Smart was hacked down by Jeffries and from the resulting Wright free-kick Hollamby headed just over.

Then just before the hour mark, Smart’s cross to the back post, saw Wright fire over.

Soon after, fellow striker Jarvis was just about to pull the trigger and shoot, when a super challenge from Mapstone denied him.

Straight from this Frome went up the other end of the field and Davies forced his way past a couple of challenges before planting the ball in the net.

This knocked the stuffing out of the home side with 35 minutes left and there was no coming back as for the second year running Frome won 3-1 at the Camrose.

The Dragons will now hope to bounce back to winning ways at Dorchester tomorrow night.