SPIREITE John Mellor returned to Romania recently and he couldn't resist watching  some free football.

The Farul (Lighthouse) Constanta stadium holds around 20,000. It has no roof as you can see but it does have floodlights and one of the best playing surfaces in Romania. It is used by the national team when Steaua's ground is unavailable.

About 5000 people went to see the game for free complete with a complimentary programme. Apparently the owner wanted to encourage as many supporters as possible to attend in an attempt to avoid relegation to the second tier, they are currently one place above the relegation zone. Timisoara had been stringing results together and had climbed to 5th in the table, so Constanta were going to be up against it

We received our free ticket and programme at the turnstile from a security guard and sat down in the scruffy seats, we used the programmes to sit on as we were unsure who or what had been there previously.

The first thing you notice is that the floor is covered in sunflower seed husks and that the air is filled with the sound of 1. rustling bags 2. Crunching sunflower seeds between teeth 3. Spitting out the husk. In that order. Repeat this for every person in ear shot and you get the idea. Sunflower seeds are to them what meat pies are to us.

The game itself was reasonably entertaining, simulation is taken to an extra level in Romania where the slightest draught of a defenders boot can result in screams of agony. The referee did not apply any consistency in interpreting the action, free kicks seemed to be given at random. Artistic impression could have been a feature although it wasn't clear.

Farul, playing in white, took the lead after 15 mins. A bullet header from a corner delivered to the far corner of the 6 yard box. This was a sign for pandemonium as the crowd started to believe that Constanta could actually win this one. Half time 1-0.

Second half Timisoara took control. Constanta sat back, left one lone striker up front, and tried to keep the lead. Timisoara equalised with a 30 yard free kick which hit the bar then the keeper and trickled in. They then took the lead with a curling shot from the edge of the box which went in off the post. Although there was still about 20mins to go this was the trigger for a mass exodus from the ground as the crowd realised it was not to be their day again. Timisoara rounded the game off with a third goal with a neat one touch passing move and shot from 6 yards to give them a 3-1 victory.

After the game the entrance to the club offices was protected by a human wall of heavily armed riot police. They obviously expected some reaction from the crowd, the mood however seemed to be one of resignation to the inevitable rather than confrontational. There was no demonstration, after all they couldn't demand their money back. Perhaps that's why the chairman let them in for free in the first place.