ROMSEY Town co-manager John McFarlane believes Sol Asajile’s late equaliser in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth Poppies shows his side have the fighting spirit needed to battle their way to Sydenhams Premier safety.

Asajile, pictured right, fired home in stoppage time in his first appearance since November to cancel out Sam Pekun’s opener and move Romsey a point clear of the bottom two in the Sydenhams Premier Division, writes TIM PRESCOTT.

Former Blackfield & Langley coach McFarlane said: “I’ve only been here four weeks but the lads have been tremendous. They’re a group that are willing to work hard and give everything out on the pitch and that’s what we need if we’re going to stay up.

“Sol has been out injured for the last 12 weeks and he wasn’t really ready to even make the bench today, but I asked him if he had 15 minutes in him and he’s come on and given his all.

“We’ve missed him while he’s been out as we’ve struggled for goals this season, but he just gives us that extra little bit of quality going forward.”

Romsey looked to be heading for a first defeat in four matches after Pekun’s deflected strike put Bournemouth ahead midway through the first-half after earlier having a goal disallowed.

Pablo Martinez had a second Bournemouth goal chalked out for offside, while Poppies midfielder Jake Rowley was sent off after picking up a second booking before Asajile’s dramatic equaliser.

McFarlane was pleased by his side’s improved second-half performance.

He said: “At half-time we all realised we hadn’t been good enough and I told them all to look at their performances and they responded by giving an extra five to ten per cent, which made a huge difference.

“We weren’t at our best so it was brilliant to come away with a point.

“We’re now unbeaten in four, so we have something to cling onto and build on.”

Deflated Bournemouth manager Ken Vaughan said: “I’m very frustrated not to come away with the three points especially as we had a perfectly good goal disallowed when it was 1-0.

“Everyone in the ground, even the Romsey management, agreed it should have been a goal.

“But Romsey got what they deserved because they fought until the end, whereas we were too lethargic and lazy in the second-half thinking the game was already won.”