Romford XI 1 (0) v (0) 0 East Thurrock United XI

East Thurrock played with the advantage of a strong end to end wind in the first half but could not manage to benefit from this while Romford’s forwards could not seem to find their shooting boots when the opportunity came.

The break arrived scoreless although visitors could have taken a one goal lead into the interval had they not missed the easiest of chances right on the whistle.

In the second half wind aided Boro came to life and began to mount many attacks on the visitors’ goal deservedly taking the lead after just five minutes when Tom Richardson cleverly headed on a long forward ball over his opposing keeper.

After this it seemed that there might be many more Romford goals to follow but although shots came and went none of them managed to find the back of the net.

So this latest pre season game came to an end with just the one goal to show for it much, it has to be said, to the surprise of the watching spectators.

Romford squad: Aaron Ormond, Courtney Cann, Leandor Amaro, George Woodward, Scott Truman, Paul Clayton, Michael Sammut, Abs Seymour,
Josh Barzelo, Alex Afful, Tom Richardson, Joel Palmer, Aime Blessing, Tim Gbadeyan.

As mentioned in the introduction above this was very much a mixed Romford squad consisting of first teamers either working to match fitness or returning from injury plus some reserve, under 18 players and trialists. For their part the East Thurrock first team had played a home friendly the evening before so it is presumed that their squad consisted of the same sort of mix while the Boro first team squad, apart from their walking wounded, were training adjacent to the pitch on which this friendly was being played.

This was nominally the last first team friendly to be played at Newbury Park this season as all of the three (one home and two away) we have left to come will be played in stadiums. Our one remaining home fixture is this Saturday kick off 3pm at Ship Lane when we host AFC Hornchurch then we are away to Barking at Mayesbrook Park on Tuesday evening July 30, 7.45pm. Finally, unless another pre season match is arranged in the meantime, there’s a trip to Spartan South Midlands premier division side Colney Heath on Saturday August 3rd kick off 3pm.
The following Saturday, of course, we start our 2013/14 Ryman North season proper with a visit to Needham Market. Huzzah!