Alresford Town 1 - 0 Romsey Town

Last Saturday Romsey were unlucky not to take at least a point when they travelled to third-placed Alresford Town in a Division One match that saw the hosts emerge with a slender 1-0 victory. The Magpies’ goal was scored by former Town striker Josh Jeffrey in the 70th minute, writes Tony Galsworthy.

Romsey boss Andy Samuels handed a debut at centre forward to youngster Henry Yates, who almost had an immediate impact when he steered a header from George Pomeroy’s cross just wide of the goal. A foul on Yates gave Aaron Scott the chance to hit a powerful free kick from 25 yards that drew a diving save from the Magpies’ keeper. Town were on top and when Mark Fawley’s cross appeared to be handled by a defender there were loud protests for a penalty that surprisingly the referee waved away. Josh Bowerman then had a shot blocked before the hosts mustered their first effort on target after half an hour that Miles Bartram comfortably gathered.

As half-time approached Yates charged down a clearance that fell invitingly to Bowerman and his crisp rising shot needed an acrobatic save to tip it over the bar. Alresford came into the game far more in the second half and Bartram soon had to make a diving save to deny Jeffrey. The young stopper then had to pull off a low save to his right when the hosts looked certain to score in a one-on-one, but he was finally beaten by a fierce low drive from Jeffrey that he managed to get a boot to but could only deflect it into the roof of the net.

Romsey mounted a late rally and Gibson set up Scott to fire a screamer of a shot from the edge of the box, but Alresford were fortunate to block the effort as it spun past the post for a corner and with that ended Town’s hopes of a deserved point. Commenting on the result, Samuels said, “I’m very happy with the way we performed again. On another day we would be two up at half-time, but their ‘keeper pulled off two amazing saves in the first half. In the second half, we started to tire, and they brought on more experience, and it was a wonder strike that won them the game. Perhaps on another day, some decisions would’ve gone our way also, but we seem to be a moment or two away from picking up a big result”.

On a bitterly cold  Tuesday evening at The AEC Protection Ground Romsey Town made a shock exit from the Southampton Senior Cup by a single goal at the hands of Lymington Town Reserves. It was another case of ‘the law of the ex’ applying, as former Romsey player Toby Bloomfield swept the ball into an unguarded net on the half-hour after Bartram had dashed from his area but failed to intercept a through ball down the left flank. Town had started the game brightly and Lymington’s ‘keeper was by far the busier making diving saves from shots by Matt Davies and Henry Yates.

Despite dominating possession in the second half, Romsey could not break down their visitors’ stubborn defensive rearguard. In a flurry of action on the hour mark, Town hit the bar, saw an effort cleared of the line and drew a point-blank save from Lymo’s ‘keeper. Sending on first-teamers Earley and Bowerman increased the pressure, and the latter was denied by the ‘keeper’s outstretched boot when one-on-one, but Town could not convert any of the chances they created. A frustrating evening was summed up when, with the game in added time, another shot was blazed over Lymo’s bar from six yards.

Tomorrow sees Gosport-based Fleetlands visit The AEC Protection Ground (KO 3pm) for a Division One fixture.