ROMAN GLASS ST GEORGE 1-2 WARMINSTER TOWN: THE MATCH REPORT...

Sharp Warminster Splinter Roman Glass Hopes

Roman Glass St George 1-2 Warminster Town

Lower ranked Town left a sunny, cold Bristol with a victory which sends them into the last 32 of the FA Vase, courtesy of a disastrous moment between Romans’ goalie Ross Grimshaw and defender Liam Harding, whereby they collided as the ‘keeper’s fly-kick bounced off his team-mate’s arm. This allowed Warminster replacement James Vincent to run on and turn the loose ball into an open net late in the encounter. The Glassmen had led from early on when one of the three Simpsons, Kai, had assisted George Box, who netted confidently. The home forwards had looked promising at the beginning of the match but once visiting striker Francois Allen had struck an upright, Town cranked up their efforts and from then on, they seemed the more likely outfit to succeed. Midfielder Eben Mortimer-Taylor shot in off the right stick before the interval and from thence, the guests were the more confident and in truth, the more proficient too, loudly cheered on by their decent contingent of fans.

LOOKS LIKE THE TWO SKIPPERS HAVE COLD HANDS...

RADFORD PREPARES TO START THE MATCH...

The game lacked excitement but not passion if the truth be told and not many goalscoring chances were created, despite the true artificial surface which was being played upon. Hurried players too often conceded possession and there were a number of passages of play when it appeared like there was a tennis net stretched across the half-way line and the players either kicked or headed the ball back and forth. Box, whose early movement was lively, set up Kai Simpson for the first shot of the day which Town goalie Nathan Ball palmed out for his industrious right-back Henry McFerran to clear. McFerran would make two more important interventions before the break in the dressing-rooms for Custard Creams and Lattes. Cory Simpson cut inside from the right but fired into Ball’s belly, a cross struck the back of Harding’s head rather than the front and Caelen Simpson shot weakly wide as the half ebbed away. The Romans' goal was side footed smoothly past Ball by the supporting Box from 11 yards, as he latched onto Kai Simpson's square pass, on a break.

BOX & DE SILVA...

STRONG HEADER BY TOWN'S JEFFERS...

BOX HAS SCORED: 1-0 TO THE ROMANS...

The visitors were genuinely fuelled by Allen’s fine 22 yard drive against the upper reaches of the left stick, for all they had previously managed were a rush after an Ashton Shanley pass by Allen and then a wildly sliced effort by the same player. The goal when it came was deserved, for Jack Miluk, Shanley, Stewart Liskowski and Mortimer-Taylor were gaining strong footholds in the trenches. Miluk slipped a pass for Mortimer-Taylor to clip from 12 yards or so, left of centre and the ball soared across Grimshaw’s surprised expression and bounced into the net via the far post. 

CORY SIMPSON WORKS THE LEFT FLANK...

IS THIS A LINE-OUT?

BOX (10): "CAN YOU SEE ANY SHIPS?"
TEAM-MATE: "NAH..."

YEAH, MR SIMPSON, HE SCARED ME, TOO...

1-1 NOW, COURTESY OF MORTIMER-TAYLOR...

The Simpson forwards and Box had quietened by that time and were subsequently mostly subdued, as visiting skipper Jordan De Silva and sidekick Lewis Graham grew in stature at the heart of the Warminster defence, well supported by full-backs McFerran and Ian Jeffers. Somehow, the Romans had lost their way, seemingly unable to contain the pressure and determination of their visitors. Indeed, three home players were cautioned by the referee, who looked more professional than most I’ve witnessed at this level. Defender Mike York saw yellow in the opening period then during the second-half, Jack Trott received a yellow card following a number of successive misdemeanours and skipper Sam Wentland (one of two Wentlands in the home team) was booked for what was probably a wild lunge which missed the prey anyway. Possibly there was some dissent too…

ONE FOR THE ALBUM...

SECOND PERIOD READY TO GO, BUT... GLOVES?

THE REF TELLS A SIMPSON THAT HE REALLY LIKES, ER, 'THE SIMPSONS'...
GRAHAM BENDS TO LISTEN IN...

ONE OF THE ROMANS ATTEMPTS TO FLY...

After the recess, there were even fewer goalmouth thrills, as the hosts produced two shots over the crossbar, from the boots of Cory and Caelen Simpson, plus a low effort which rolled way, way wide by Ryan Radford and a very late free-kick by Kai Simpson which cleared the crossbar by some distance, even though his own goalie was inside the Town penalty-box to add an extra offensive body. The guests weren’t overly offensive either but at least George Butler, who was often decent on the ball from wide positions, fired in the best shot, a dipping 18 yard volley which dropped only just over the crossbeam, with Grimshaw leaping. Graham made a fine run to the left byeline and his delivery was collected at the near post by Grimshaw but two wasteful misses appeared to be sending the match into overtime. First, Allen misfired from 6 yards following Shanley’s deep left-flank free-kick and then the elusive Miluk went by Grimshaw on the left side of the penalty-box to set up Vincent, moments after he had replaced Allen but he too miscued…

"PLEASE DON'T BOOK ME REF, I CAN DO A FLAMINGO IMPRESSION..."

REF: "I HATE FLAMINGOES..."

And then the Red and Blacks snatched their victory, capitalising upon a freak moment. Grimshaw raced out to 18 yards, as Harding shadowed the rushing Vincent and the striker couldn’t have believed his good fortune when the ‘keeper kicked the ball against Harding then collided with him, freeing up Vincent to chase the ricocheted ball and turn it into goal before Grimshaw could recover. Delight for the visitors then and they held on comfortably until the end, with Miluk and Mortimer-Taylor too stubborn in midfield to allow any comeback to materialise.  

1-2: VINCENT HAS WON IT, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS ENEMIES...

"YOU WANNA BOOK ME? COME HERE, THEN..."

HE WAS BOOKED...

The Red and Blacks celebrated with their fans and to a man, they had deserved their hard earned win… The Glassmen had faded from the game as an attacking force, despite the threat that the Simpson attackers and Box clearly possessed. Miluk impressed, as did Jeffers and McFerran but this really was a team performance…

END JOY...

TEAMS:

ROMAN GLASS ST GEORGE:

ROSS GRIMSHAW, MIKE YORK, LEWIS WENTLAND, CAELEN SIMPSON, LIAM HARDING, SAM WENTLAND (CAPT), JACK TROTT, RYAN RADFORD, KYE SIMPSON, GEORGE BOX, CORY SIMPSON.

SUBS:

GEORGE LLOYD, HARRY HAUGHTON, SAM OAKLEY, ZAMELL BURTON, ANDY GURNEY, ADAM GROWCOTT (GK).   

WARMINSTER TOWN:

NATHAN BALL, HENRY MCFERRAN, IAN JEFFERS, LEWIS GRAHAM, JORDAN DE SILVA (CAPT), STEWART LISKOWSKI, JACK MILUK, EBEN MORTIMER-TAYLOR, FRANCOIS ALLEN, GEORGE BUTLER, ASHTON SHANLEY.

SUBS:

JAMES VINCENT, ALEX CHURCHYARD, MARTIN JOHNSON, NYKE FLETCHER, HARRY BARNES.