Barking 2 (1) v (1) 2 Romford – Tuesday 30th July 2013
In what has become an annual pre season fixture between the two clubs the hosts gave the usual strong performance and, once again, proved to be a hard team to beat.
Boro shaded the play in the first half with fast attacks down both flanks but particularly the left where new trialist Luke Stanley in particular stood out. It was he who gave them the lead on fifteen minutes when he scored from a low left footed free kick from just outside the left hand side of the Blues penalty area.
Barking too had their moments but unlike their visitors had fewer sallies into their opponents area so it was a bit of a surprise when they equalised right on the stroke of half time when Joe Turner was on hand to sweep a low cross from his right into the back of the Romford net.
The second half was almost the reverse of the first with the hosts moving the ball faster with good passing movements and this time it was no surprise when they took the lead on seventy minutes when Ben Turner was on hand to convert a loose bouncing ball.
Close calls were evenly divided too as the game came towards its close with Boro having the ball cleared off the line and from close in and the Blues hitting the visitors’ crossbar with a shot from fully twenty five yards.
Coincidence had the final word in this game of two halves, however, when a Romford player was bundled over in the home penalty area and Abs Seymour, although the Blues keeper parried his first attempt was able to get to the rebound first and score. As in the first half this equalising goal was scored right on the whistle.
Romford squad: Aaron Ormond, Leandro Amaro, Charlie Newson, Paul Clayton David Hornsby 62), Scott Truman, Abs Seymour, Luke Stanley (Joe Oates 75), Alex Afful, Joel Palmer (Ash Bankhole 62), Aime Blessing, Tim Gbadeyan.
This was a typical game between the two old footballing foes with neither side pulling back on their efforts to gain a win but in the end, on the balance of play, a draw was probably the fairest result.
It’s Boro’s final pre season friendly this coming Saturday when they play at Colney Heath who compete in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division at three o’clock.
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