Romsey started their first match of the new year with high hopes of avenging their defeat at Ventnor early in the season.

Sadly it was not to be, despite a gritty performance from a Romsey team continuing to show signs of improvement from their early season woes.

Romsey started brightly and pinned Ventnor back in their own half for the first five minutes of the game before the visitors turned the tables and mounted attacks of their own. However Romsey’s defence held firm despite their clearance kicks not always finding target. The home side then broke away when Jim Lamont fielded a long Ventnor kick into the 22 and broke away allowing Romsey to drive forward over the halfway line. This was one of the number of excellent breaks by the fullback.

Romsey continued to press with another good break by Eli Pitt only for a possible scoring opportunity to be missed due to a forward pass. Amends were soon made however when skipper Rob Hart scored under the posts with Windebank slotting home a simple conversion to give Romsey a deserved 7-0 lead. Romsey were certainly the better side in the first half and continue to press with number eight Hart making several strong breaks.

However as half-time approached a Ventnor attack was rewarded when Romsey conceded a penalty in front of the posts which was easily converted allowing the visitors to close the gap. Thus the score was 7-3 at the break which was a fair reflection of the play.

As the rain started to fall very heavily Romsey retired to the changing rooms for a shirt change emerging in their alternative strip of red shirts and blue shorts. Unfortunately the change did not bring good fortune as early in the second half Ventnor scored an unconverted try after a period of pressure giving them an 8-7 lead.

Romsey responded immediately, mounting attack after attack inside their opponents 22 metre area but were repeatedly denied a score. Finally the pressure told and the visitors conceded a penalty which in the driving rain was a difficult kick from fairly wide out. The kick was narrowly missed and Romsey were unable to retake the lead.

More misery followed shortly afterwards when fullback Jim Lamont collected a speculative Ventnor kick and set off on a mazy run from well inside the Romsey half, kicking ahead and gathering again near the Ventnor line only to be held up over the try line by two tacklers. It was so nearly the score which could have determined the result of this game.

Following this let off Ventnor raised their game and drove forward to score a try which was duly converted to give them a comfortable 15-7 lead. Romsey did not let their heads drop and tried their upmost to respond but the appalling weather conditions and a yellow card for Captain Rob Hart made their task a difficult one. Ventnor duly ran out winners of a tight and competitive game and Romsey can be reasonably happy with their improving performance despite the loss.