A
goal five minutes from time gave visitors Romulus
the edge and the points in a seven-goal thriller
at Tally Ho! Thrilling for the neutrals that is,
as both managers will be disappointed at goals that
were conceded through defensive errors.
Police
opened the scoring on 20 minutes when a David Harnett
corner to the near post was side-footed home by
David Blake. Five minutes later, Romulus equalised
when Michael Batchelor got on the end of a Dennis
Mulholland free kick and headed home from close
range. Just before half-time, Romulus went ahead
when Micky Hart and Police keeper Richard Knott
got into a tangle whilst trying to shield a long
ball out for a goal kick and Tyrone Fagan nipped
in to score from close range.
The
goals continued to flow in the second half. On 52
minutes a long ball from Hart found Mark Bellingham,
who, under pressure, fired home an angled cross
shot from the edge of the box to put West Mids on
level terms.
Romulus
regained the lead on 65 minutes with another close
range header, this time, Stuart Davies was on hand
to convert Jamie Shipway’s corner. West Mids
drew level again on 81 minutes, when David Harnett
aimed a cross towards Bellingham, Romulus substitute
Jimmy Stafford intercepted and tried to chest the
ball back to keeper Stuart Eustace but only succeeded
in knocking it past him and Bellingham was left
with the simple task of running the ball into the
unguarded net.
Romulus
snatched the winner when, a cross from the left
was not cut out by the Police defence and Darryl
Lewin scored with a cross shot through a crowded
goalmouth that went just inside the post.
Tony
Pearson’s footnote
It
is indicative of the problems that West Midland
Police Football Club have faced this season that
only ONE of the squad of fourteen players named
for this game was in the squad that faced Romulus
away from home in October 2002.
Who
was that player?
Answer:
Peter Grimshaw.
Match
Report by Tony 'Scoop' Pearson
& ‘Lancashire’ Jack Entwistle
