Romsey Mens 4s chalked up their first win if the season after a narrow defeat and draw from their first two matches in what has to be one of the strongest results to be predicted as the game started.
With Romsey’s Goalkeeper running 1/2 hour late and other players not able to make the start Romsey started with nine players and no GK!
Alton took advantage of the lack of a Keeper by firing in long passes in to the Romsey circle, but a couple of deflections went wide and a couple of penalty corners were defended brilliantly with Simeon Field running out and blocking, Pete OHara likewise and then Tom W cleaning up.
With Mike Pooley holding the ball up well with support from Ellison B, Romsey then won a penalty corner. A strong push out from Tom M to Colin Harwood saw the Alton defence rush out and a deft slip left was the executed for 1-0 by Tom W.
So the nine men were ahead, and they hold their lead with Duncan Sanders arriving late to bring them up to ten, and soon after a long ball played from Tom W through to the forwards was chased by Ellison B, and as the Alton keeper left it, it hit the post and Ellison reacting quickest to control the ball and make it 2-0.
Then with still only ten men on the pitch, Romsey pushed forward and Tom W played in Colin H who controlled the ball and pushed it past the keeper for an amazing 3-0 score line.
As Alton pushed for a goal Nick Cooper and Phil Orak made the left side of the pitch their own and with Tom M and Ellison B playing superbly in the centre and bringing in Simeon F, Romsey kept the ball until Lukasz Suleja arrived with his Kit to go in goal and Romsey finished the half 3-0 up and with 11 players.
In the second half the defence stood firm, Duncan S sweeping up and Lukasz S hitting away a couple of chances as Romsey held their lead, and then a long ball breakaway was touched on by Ellison B to Colin H to smash home for 4-0.
Despite an Alton consolation to make it 4-1 final score the rather tired Romsey team celebrated three points that seemed unlikely at push back
