SYDENHAMS LEAGUE (WESSEX) DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 16th DECEMBER 2017
ROMSEY TOWN 5 VERWOOD TOWN 0

Players available for this fixture meant six missing and leaving only one on the bench. Watkins, Smith and Gale all still under treatment for injuries, elected themselves to play, so several positional changes as well meant a line up of :-

Haigh Gilham Watkins Browning O’Hare Dyer Manley Joy Smith Gale Webber

Sitting next to the Flask … Zak Barrett.

We needed time to settle. Romsey denied us the pleasure and had it not been for an Isaac James goal line save we would have been one down after four minutes.

James couldn’t do anything about the goal scored in 7 minutes as we half cleared an attempt and never followed up to hammer the ball out of the area. 0-1.

We were being outpaced and looked sluggish against an eager Romsey. Passing was dire and we looked out of place against a much brisker home team.

Isaac James had damaged a couple of fingers in the warm up but starred in keeping Romsey’s score down with several excellent saves.

It took 20 minutes before we settled. O’Hare sprung the first real counter attack with a line ball to Smith. Good control and on to Manley. Manley threaded the ball through the middle and Gale went free but a too heavy touch gave the keeper enough time to save at feet.

Romsey swept back and again it was a finger tip flip over the bar by Haigh keeping the score at 0-1.

24 minutes a Gale volley was well taken by the keeper and Smith back headed a Joe Manley throw into the box for Sam Joy to head just over the bar.

No tackle on a runner through he middle on 28 minutes and we were 0-2. 2 minutes later same again 0-3. Same `again on 40 minutes 0-4.

Half Time 0-4.

Oddly it wasn’t a quite dressing room and the attitude was simply enjoy the second half.

Watkins overlapped on the right, a good cross found Joy closing in but his shot went wide.

Romsy hit the bar after 56 minutes as we became passive again. Dyer was our main inspiration at this stage with a sparkling display but for a while, unsupported.

Gale and Smith worked the ball left and Webber cut in to take up the running. A good ball into the area caused a mad scramble on the Romsey line but finally it was cleared.

Manley went close with a rasping shot half way through the half as we pushed forward. Dyer volleyed just over. 5 minutes left and we gave away a free kick on the edge of the box. 0-5.

Result 0-5