VELOCITY WESSEX LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 23RD MARCH 2024
VERWOOD TOWN 2 ROMSEY TOWN 1

Not one of our better games but still a satisfactory result. Callum Whitelaw’s brace did the job of collecting three points.

Romsey’s bright start had Mitchell in action within the first minute taking a good catch from a shot just inside the area. We countered but fell short of a shot losing the ball on the edge of Romsey’s box.

Romsey continued having slightly more possession but running into a solid looking defence.

Ferguson and Smith did well centrally but outshone by Flachi and Danvers having one of their better games.

Broad put the ball over Romsey’s bar on our first real attack and Callum Whitelaw hit the side netting with an angled shot a minute later.

Romsey continued edging play slightly and Mitchell was on top form collecting a couple of shots delivered from the edge of the box.

33 minutes gone, Romsey went ahead when we committed the cardinal sin of pushing too far up and got caught on a counter. 0-1.

4 minutes later we redeemed ourselves. Good football down the left involving McHale and White split Romsey’s defence and a low ball into the penalty box resulted in a game of ping pong. Harrison Whitelaw Brazier and Broad had shots kicked off the line, a couple of shots then blocked by a tightly packed defence but up stepped Callum Whitelaw to plant the ball in the bottom corner to draw us level 1-1.

We finished the half still on the attack but without changing the score board.

Half Time. 1-1

We came out sharper for the second half and within a minute of the whistle had a shot kicked off the line following a Harrison Whitelaw effort and McHale going close with a cross that flew inches wide of the far post. We lived dangerously yet again pushing to far up and almost paid the price as Romsey broke with a two against one. Mitchell’s anticipation was spot on racing out to boot the ball off toe’s just outside the area. It was evens in terms of possession but passing wasn’t for the purist. Both teams suffered the malaise. 23 gone and Brazier put the ball over the bar. 24 Broad followed the same route.

Harrison Whitelaw gave way for Ruben Smith to have a run with 20 minutes left. He was immediately involved following in on a Broad low cross but put the ball inches wide of the post.

Broad again supplied an opportunity with 29 gone and this time Callum Whitelaw lobbed the ball into the net over an outstretched keeper to make it 2-1.

Pope replaced Brazier with 7 minutes left and just in time for what turned out to be our luckiest spell of the game. Romsey’s efforts to score with 5 minutes left resulted in 5 shots in our box all of which were defended furiously. One kicked off the line, two hitting defenders and two brilliantly palmed away by Mitchell.

McHale came off for Harry Buggey with 42 gone. 45 Kerr replaced Callum Whitelaw. 47 Hoey replaced White.

Romsey’s last throw of the dice was a good move down their left but which was destroyed by Flachi.

The whistle blew on a gutsy 2-1 win.

Result. 2-1.