Match Report: Stamford vs. Romulus, 19th Nov 2011

Both sides started this match sluggishly and there were few real chances in the first fifteen minutes Romulus had the best chance with 13 minutes gone when a Mario Ziccardi clearance fell to Chris Morris but his shot from distance was just wide.

Stamford took the lead soon after on seventeen minutes, Nathan Watson cut in from the wing and played the ball out to Adam Hewitt his first time ball found Jake Gibson with space to cross to Watson who had carried on his run, Watson's control of the ball was excellent bring it down from waist high, he then managed a cross from the line that found Gibson rushing in for a very difficult header at the far post that flew into the back of the net.

The lead only lasted four minutes before Romulus equalised, a bad throw from Ziccardi to Joe Pheasant left the defender under pressure, Pheasant looked to have been fouled in losing the ball but nothing was given and Mitchell McPike’s shot from 30 yards out into the empty net with Ziccardi struggling to recover.

Stamford had two more chances in the first half the first was a 25 yard volley from Nicholas Ghislanzoni which just shaved the cross bar and the second chance came from a Watson free kick that was flicked into Gibson’s path and his header flashed across the goal but nobody was there to follow up.

The Daniels started the second half with more purpose to their play and Watson was again provider for their next chance cutting inside and finding Danny Steadman but his shot was just wide.

Romulus had a couple of good chances themselves, Nathan Blissett’s run and shot took a nasty deflection but Ziccardi got a strong hand to it to palm it wide and Joe Price burst into the box but lost the ball at the crucial moment the ball still managed to find its way to McPike but his shot was again well saved by Ziccardi.

Stamford retook the lead on 60 minutes, Watson played Bruno Holden in the middle of the park and he immediately played Harry Deane in out wide, Deane beat his man and crossed perfectly for Ghislanzoni to head down low past the keeper.

Holden then had a shot saved off the line by a defender, a Danny Brooks corner was flapped at by the keeper and Holden’s shot was blocked on the line.

Stamford’s third was a great piece of football and saw some superb interplay between Watson and Hewitt down the wing, Hewitt eventually drove into the corner of the penalty area and unleashed a wicked shot that deserved a goal but the ball cannoned back off the bar fortunately Holden was on hand to smash the ball back into the net to finish a move worthy of any Premier League ground in the country.

Ghislanzoni scored his second on 90 minutes, David Staff and Brooks exchanged passes out wide and Brooks swung a cross in to Giz and the big striker chested the ball down and into the net.

A thoroughly deserved win after the second half pressure took its toll on the Romulus defence.

Stamford: Ziccardi, Garton, Hewitt, Pheasant, Chamberlain, Toyne (Staff 60), Watson, Steadman (Brooks 60), Holden, Ghislanzoni, Gibson (Deane 46)

Subs: Schiavone, Harvey.

Att 220

MOM Nathan Watson (pictured with London Inn - Match Sponsors)