Final warm up ends in draw

1:53pm Thursday 14th August 2008

Andover 2 Romulus 2.

Andover completed their pre-season friendlies with a visit from Birmingham-based Romulus FC, who play in the Southern League Midland Division and who provided worthwhile opposition in an entertaining draw.

Lions were missing the unavailable Bobby Swayne, Craig Martin and Stuart Gates while Gary Connolly was nursing a minor injury. They initially found themselves on the back foot as Sam Smith was wide and keeper Dave Hook was quickly out to block Tom Lacey. But having weathered the early pressure the home side took the lead with ten minutes gone as Dean Stow and Neil Champion made ground down the right before winning a free-kick. Rory Williams swung the ball into the area and Mike Turvey's glancing header left goalkeeper Matt Harris flat footed on his line.

Hook hung on to a shot from Liam Givens that he saw very late and central defender Owen Elias carried the ball half the length of the field, exchanged passes with Kyle Swayne, and saw his shot saved by Harris at full stretch. Visiting skipper Tyrone Fagan was a constant threat to the home defence while at the other end Harris palmed away a Steve Boston cross after more good work by Stow and the midfielder lost out narrowly to Harris in pursuit of a through ball. Harris then bravely foiled Boston at the expense of a painful collision with the big striker before the Lions surrendered the lead with the half-time tea beckoning. Nick Heath swung over a deep cross from the right, Jones pushed Fagan in mid-air and though Hook parried the striker's spot-kick Fagan reacted the quicker to put the loose ball in the net.

With the second half starting in heavy rain the home side brought some immediate cheer to their supporters with a goal inside the opening 60 seconds and a good goal at that.

Alex Ward found Stow on the right, the midfielder's cross was measured and Boston's volley at the far post flew past the hapless Harris who was immediately substituted for his sins.

The lead was only to last ten minutes as, after Hook had denied Leon Mitchell, the defence only half cleared a right wing cross and defender Peter Foulkes volleyed the ball through a crowded area and past Hook. Vince Rusher came on for Boston and immediately combined with Jones and Turvey in a move that ended with crosses from Stow and Williams flying across the six-yard box. Both sides then made use of all their allotted substitutes with Danny Sullivan providing a cross that was only inches away from the incoming Jamie Barron while at the other end the burgeoning partnership of Elias and Jones kept the dangerous Fagan and Darius Vassall lookalike Aaron Daniels in check.

Neither side really looked like adding to the score line though both Fagan and Barron had shots blocked and both were probably happy with the end result.

Squad: Hook, Champion, Jones, Elias, Williams, Stow, Barron, Ward, Turvey, Boston, Kyle Swayne.

Subs: Buckland, Briggs, McKie, Rusher, Sullivan.

The club is running a coach to Taunton on August 24 leaving the Portway at 3.30pm.

The cost will be £8 and anyone interested in going should call Chris Jeremy on 07962019896 or e-mail chrisjeremy1960@btopenworld.com The bank holiday fixture at home to Burnham has returned to a 3pm kick-off with the reserve match against Denmead and Purbrook following at 6pm.

By John Gorman

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