Romsey made it four home wins on the trot when first they beat Folland Sports by 3-1 in the League last Saturday and then followed up with a 2-1 defeat of The Planemakers’ reserve side on Tuesday evening in The Southampton Senior Cup.

On Saturday bottom of the table Folland Sports gave Town a far more evenly contested game than the clubs’ respective League standings might suggest.  The Planemakers had the first chance when their skipper Callum Dart crossed for an unmarked teammate to head just wide. Hubert Cegielka unwittingly almost gave Town the lead when the visitors' keeper punched Ben Beard’s cross onto the young striker’s head and was relieved to see the ball go narrowly wide. Cegielka then saw his dazzling run from midfield halted by a last-ditch block as Romsey piled on the pressure. Dart picked up an unnecessary, and what later proved to be costly,  yellow card for delaying the restart after conceding a free kick. On the half-hour mark Romsey took the lead when Harry Prisk cut back the ball from the left-by-line and from 20 yards Geoff Dunn curled a superb shot into the top right corner of the net for a goal-of-the-season contender.

With halftime approaching, Town’s ‘keeper Miles Bartram needed attention when he bravely collided with a Follands’ attacker chasing a through ball. Town went into half-time with a 1-0 lead but within five minutes the visitors were on level terms when the defence was caught flat-footed, and Dart was able to tap in to an empty net after rounding the ‘keeper. On the hour though a two-goal burst by Town in three minutes swung the game decisively in their favour.

First, a long throw by Ben Beard caused confusion in Folland’s defence and was fed by Hubert Cegielka into the path of Josh Bowerman, who made no mistake from six yards. Next a long ball out of defence found Geoff Dunn on the left flank and he timed his pass to perfection as Josh Bowerman arrived in the box and steered his shot in off the post for Romsey’s third goal.

Zach Earley saw his shot from an acute angle saved on the line by the ‘keeper’s feet, before, in what was proving an eventful afternoon for him, Dart saw red when he received a second booking for speaking out of turn to the referee. With a third of the season played this victory moved Town up to eleventh in Division One just two wins outside the playoff zone and are achieving greater consistency in their performances.

On Tuesday evening the Planemakers returned to The AEC Protection Ground in the guise of their Reserves and gave Romsey an uncomfortable time, taking the lead after ten minutes before two goals in the final five minutes of the first half put Town in front. Harley Russell equalised with a fierce drive from the left wing that arced over the ‘keeper and into the net before Aaron Scott whipped a free kick from twenty yards over the wall and into the top corner. The visitors pressed in vain for an equaliser and Romsey were glad to hear the final whistle securing them a passage into the Third Round of The Southampton Senior Cup where they have been drawn at home to Lymington Town Development.

Tomorrow Romsey are back a Division One action when travel to Surrey to face second-placed Frimley Green (ko 3pm) before they return to The AEC Protection Ground next Tuesday evening (ko 7.45pm) when Verwood Town, who dumped Romsey out of the League Cup in September, are the visitors.