After the excellent win last week, away to Isle of Wight Rugby Club, Romsey came down to earth with a hard fought home defeat against Andover, a side they might have expected to beat on league form. 

However with several key players unavailable this week Romsey lacked the fluidity shown in their last two victories.

Right from the off Andover looked threatening and spent the first 10 minutes in Romsey‘s half but were unable to convert pressure into points. Having absorbed the pressure Romsey began to find their feet and spent a similar time pinning the visitors back in their own half. Having come close to scoring a try Romsey were eventually rewarded with a penalty from a ruck infringement which Jim Lamont duly slotted to give Romsey a three point lead.

Despite Romsey‘s largely dominant scrum the visitors managed to get the ball away and a subsequent ruck close to Romsey’s line resulted in an Andover player driving over to put them on the scoresheet with try which was converted to lead 7 : 3 at half time. 

The second half continued in the same pattern as the first with Romsey competing strongly but making errors with some stray passes and wrong decision-making in stark contrast to the last two victorious matches. Andover returned to the attack soon after the start of the half and strong forward play saw them cross for a second try which was not converted, extending their lead to 12 : 3.

There after Romsey fought hard but could not penetrate the Andover defence and after scrum half Lamont narrowly missed with a penalty kick, neither side had significant scoring chances. The game therefore ended with the visitors eking out a narrow victory and Romsey still hanging on to their 5th place league position.

Romsey 1st XV now have a one week break from league action before the away fixture at Alresford on February 17.