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Monday 23 February 2015

Late Goals Snatch Draw For Town - Romsey Town vs. East Cowes Victoria

Rainbow and hail stones at The Bypass Ground
Yet again the weather in the second half of the working week made choosing a game tricky but the Southampton area seemed to avoid the worst of it and so I punted for Romsey Town at home to East Cowes Victoria in The Wessex League Division One. This was a big game as the two sides were the bottom two sides in the league and both needed a positive result to give themselves the best chance of catching third from bottom Andover New Street. Romsey had recently changed managers and the new manager's first game was a decent 2-2 draw with then league leaders Tadley Calleva. It was Tadley who I saw win 9-1 away at East Cowes Victoria earlier in the season. Oddly, in a league with only fifteen teams, this was the first time the teams had faced each other this season - the return fixture being played in just two weeks time.

Kick off at The Bypass Ground
Things start badly for East Cowes. In the opening minutes of the game, Romsey get through on goal and the forward is pulled back by the defender who was extremely lucky not to receive any further punishment. The penalty is put in to the bottom corner to give the home side the lead. The visitors first sight of goal comes when a corner flashes right across goal but no one gets a touch. They come even closer when following a good passing move, they put the ball into the net but the strike is ruled out for offside. The game was open from the start and a Romsey cross finds the man at the back post but his pull back is just cut out by the East Cowes defender. East Cowes get an equaliser when a free kick isn't fully cleared and the ball is slotted home from the resulting second cross. Romsey have a good chance to reclaim the lead as the East Cowes centre back misjudges the bounce which presents the forward with a good one on one chance but the goalie is equal to the shot. In the closing stages of the half, the East Cowes keepers makes another save, this time from a header following a corner.

East Cowes defending as the storm clouds move in
Romsey have a great chance to retake the lead at the start of the second period as corner is allowed to get to the man at the back post but he blasts the ball high and wide. It is then East Cowes' turn to have an early chance but the forward perhaps shoots a touch too early when played in on goal. The Romsey keeper then has to be alert to tip over an audacious lob from long range. East Cowes win the second penalty of the game when the forward is clumsily chopped down and the penalty is again buried past the goalie. East Cowes now sense blood and a shot following a pull back from the byline is cleared off the line. The visitors get a third when a long ball forward is allowed to bounce and the forward chips the ball over the advancing keeper to put them in control. East Cowes have another couple of half chances and they are made to pay for not making more of them. Firstly, the home side win the third penalty of the game following another heavy tackle and the penalty is again dispatched. Then in the final few minutes the Romsey attacker is played in and he makes no mistake to make it 3-3.

The Romsey keeper awaits a first half cross.
There are no direct trains to Romsey to London. You have to take a train from Waterloo and change at either Southampton Airport Parkway of Salisbury for a train to Romsey. The journey takes about an hour and forty minutes. Like Saffron Walden the previous week, Romsey is absolutely worth exploring before a game. There is a house which once belonged to King John and there is also the imposing abbey. A short walk from the abbey was The Tudor Road which was very much a locals pub but in no way unfriendly. A bit closer to the ground is The Old House At Home which was very busy at lunch but had a couple of ales on. The clubhouse just by the turnstiles had the usual selection of drinks and is worth visiting before a game.




Additional cover by the clubhouse


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