Someone once said ‘It’s a funny old game’. After watching this match, it was very clear that they were talking about irony and not humour! On possession of play we deserved to win this game by some distance, but you don’t win games by possession. We showed an inability to defend against one-dimensional, route one football and a slightly more worrying incapacity to put the ball in the back of the net.

In what was one of the best passing performances in some time, we lacked something at both ends of the field, which cost us dearly. It was not just our strikers that were misfiring, but we looked very ordinary in the final third. In defence, we gifted St Andrew’s every chance they had, with naïve and at times awful defending and yet again we had conspired to lose against a team we should have beaten.

The major positive was the first start of Jason Potter. He looked for the ball at all times and kept the midfield ticking, playing some great through balls as well as doing the simple things. Where as in the past against St Andrew’s we have lost the battle in midfield, that never looked like happening here and was the reason for the Crazy Gang style football.

All being said, we only had ourselves to blame for the worst possible start. Almost unexplainably, the defence was extremely out of shape after a routine clearance from the edge of the box. The back four never recovered and when the ball was pumped back into the box a failure to clear left an easy opportunity for St Andrew’s to take the lead within five minutes.

We started to play some football after that, but could not create much or convert what we had created. We were also continuing to gift chances to St Andrew’s and if it hadn’t have been for a good save from Quinny, we could have been two down. Terry hit the post with a free kick and Chris Robb was pulled back by a dubious refereeing decision with just the keeper to beat, but we did get back on level terms before the half.

With the central midfielders involved in most that was good, it was Mass this time. CJ ran onto his through ball, the flag stayed down and CJ lobbed the keeper with a cool finish. It was no more than we had deserved, but it was one of the few moments of composure in front of goal.

The second half was a similar story – but with a very unhappy ending. We passed well, especially when St Andrew’s tired and forced there goalkeeper to make saves, but never really looked like scoring. Our set pieces were poor again and we didn’t really do enough. However, we really didn’t deserve what came next.

After another long ball the referee gave a dubious foul against Jamie after Quinny had already claimed the ball. There was no excuse for what next. Quinny parried the free kick six yards in the middle of the goal and not one Roman player reacted. St Andrew’s were left with another easy chance, which they took with less than five minutes to play. It was enough to win the game and a very deflating defeat.

With some positives to take into the next game against Welwyn we must look for an improvement, but if we are going to improve on last years performance it is vital we start doing the basics right.

COME ON ROMANS!