GARY HAY struck twice and Chris Horton once as Chasetown triumphed 3-2 over Romulus in Saturday's pre-season friendly at Coles Lane. Click below to read the full report.
ROMULUS 2 CHASETOWN 3, PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY, SATURDAY 24TH JULY
CHASETOWN’S pre-season friendly campaign stepped up a gear with an entertaining 3-2 win at Romulus on Saturday, writes Dave Goddard.
The visitors had the better of the early play against the Evo-Stik Division 1 South side, and after five minutes Dean Perrow fired into the side netting after Gary Hay’s shooting chance was blocked.
In the 11th minute John Branch sent in a peach of a cross from the right with Perrow firing just over the bar, but seconds later a long ball from the winger found Hay who headed over keeper Liam Flynn to put the Scholars ahead.
Hay could have made it two on 27 minutes but shot straight at Flynn, and the play instantly moved to the other end where Marcus Brown headed the ball across Ryan Price and in at the far post to equalise.
Seven minutes later and Romulus were ahead, Brown beating two defenders before slotting expertly past Price, and the game continued to liven up as both sides created chances in a fiery display.
Chasetown levelled three minutes before the break when Hay somehow spotted a gap after cutting in from the right and somehow slotted the ball through three defenders and the keeper for a superb second goal.
Perrow and skipper Dave Egan worked hard in the second half until Perrow was replaced by Lee Smith, while Danny Smith came on for Ramone Stephens only for his first shot to be deflected over the bar by Peter Folkes.
The sides looked even until the Scholars retook the lead in style just before the hour mark. A Mark Branch corner was headed back out but the winger picked up the loose ball and crossed it back in for Chris Horton – deputising for hand injury victim Richard Teesdale – to head home.
Romulus looked set for a revival in the closing stages, but the Scholars held on for a fine win, setting them up nicely for Monday’s clash with Aston Villa at the Scholars Ground (7.15pm kick-off).
Chasetown: Price, J Branch, M Branch, Richardson, Saunders, Horton, Stephens, Egan (c), Hay, Perrow, Swann-Horler. Subs: D Smith (Stephens 52), L Smith (Perrow 56), Stretton (Swann-Horler 82), Farmer (Hay 77), Faultless (Price 73), Parsons (Saunders 60).
Goals: Hay 11, Brown 27, Brown 34, Hay 42, Horton 57.
