WYVERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
TUESDAY 16TH FEBRUARY 2016
VERWOOD TOWN RESERVES 3 ROMSEY TOWN RESERVES 2

On the ground...
Ray Stroud Matt Gilham Chris Bailey George Thomas Mike Snow Harrison Harding Alex Eaton Matt Jones Matt McGilchrist Declan Cleft Joe Kimber

On the bench ……
Sam Clayton Matt Collins Rob Moore Martin Gilham

We spluttered from the kick off and paid the penalty. Romsey were quick out of the traps and after two attempts on goal in the first couple of minutes settled down to play good football pegging us back.

Stroud had to make a save at the foot of the post after watching his back four breached. A lob for the top corner seconds later was turned over the bar. The corner produced a scramble but Stroud again was able to gather the ball in amongst feet.

8 minutes gone and an excellent Romsey move on their right finished with a low centre and a flying boot to volley the ball into the bottom corner. 0-1.

Thomas slung a pass wide left and Cleft gave hope of a revival with a strong run and cross. Jones made a lunge but was just short of turning the ball into the net.

Back came Romsey. Harding and Snow combined to stop an attack and spring a counter. Kimber slipped his marker and chipped the ball over the back four for McGilchrist. A linesman's flag stopped the attack.

10 minutes and we looked as if we were getting back into game.

Snow Thomas and Cleft worked the flank. A deep cross was half cleared. Kimber had a shot and again saw the ball knocked out of the area. Up stepped Thomas and a right foot 20 yard low shot whipped past the keeper. 1-1.

We were getting more possession at this stage but Romsey always looked dangerous on the break.

It was on one of these occasions when Kimber had a shot from the edge of the box and the long clearance fell for two runners. Gilham's tackle was perfectly timed stopping the cross.

8 minutes left and our pressure paid off when Alex Eaton skipped past two tackles and hit a cross head high. An attempted clearance failed and the ball finished up in the back of the net. 2-1.

Jones collected a Cleft pass and a rasping shot was well saved by the keeper.

Half Time 2-1

We continued where we left off. Romsey were on the back foot giving us room to play.

Kimber and McGilchrist had shots blocked and then Eaton released Jones for a shot just outside the area. Jones watched he ball inch over the bar.

Romsey hit back. A move from their right to left opened up the mid field. Allowing an attack on the left flank. A ball low across the box should have produced an equalizer but luckily the ball was hit high and wide from only 6 yards.

We had a few minutes of Romsey attacks but Snow and Harding were masters of their opposite numbers so very little escaped in the middle of the park.

Play switched to the flanks, Gilham and Bailey gave nothing away and Bailey, following a successful tackle, broke away to race down the left. An interchange with Cleft and Bailey hammered a drive for goal. Defender's blocked access so we had a ricochet finishing with Eaton shooting from an angle into the side netting.

We pushed up too far. Romsey cleared an attack and a runner looked odds on to test a one on one with Stroud. Snow had tracked back and pace gave him the edge. An excellent tackle took the ball away from danger.

65 minutes Declan Cleft came off to give Sam Clayton exercise.

66 minutes we should have made it 3, but following a scramble in the penalty area the ball was cleared wide left. Luckily this time we had maintained a discipline and blocked the route to Stroud's goal.

Romsey's flair picked up again and Thomas, alongside Kimber, had their work cut out trying to maintain possession in the middle of the park

Clayton followed in a long clearance and a nod over the top of the back four found Jones but the angle was too narrow for Jones to capitalise.

75 minutes Rob Moore came on for Matt McGilchrist. It was a necessary for a small shuffle of the line up but we were able to continue attacking.

Kimber had a shot gathered on the post and then with 4 minutes left of normal time freed Moore. Moore made no mistake making it 3-1.

Eaton decided oxygen was needed so came off on 88 minutes giving Matt Collins a run.

90 minutes and Romsey broke through to notch their second. 3-2.

2 minutes later the whistle blew on 3 points.

Result 3-2.