Heybridge Swifts 2 (1) - (1) 3 ROMFORD Attendance 93 - Scraley Road

The Boro totally dominated play in the first half opening the scoring on ten minutes when Eddie Hart was fouled on the edge of the box and Abs Seymour stepped up to curl the ball beyond the diving keeper. On twenty-one minutes Romford nearly doubled the lead when Abs Seymour’s corner found Callum Ibe free at the far post but his effort was somehow blocked on the line and shortly after Eddie Hart turned his man, but his shot was tipped wide at the near post. From the resulting short corner Tyler Hayes whipped in a cross to an unmarked Eddie Hart but the striker could only head over the bar. On thirty-five minutes Aaron Omand was finally called into action and easily beat out a header from a free kick before right on half time Eddie Hart beat the offside trap but his powerful effort was saved. In first half stoppage time a Heybridge corner was headed home by Neil Richmond completely against the run of play to give the home team an undeserved equaliser.

The second half was a lot closer with Heybridge going near twice early on and a George Cocklin cross almost sneaking in at the far post. On sixty-six minutes Heybridge failed to clear a Romford corner and when the ball found its way back into the area Matt Toms passed to Nathan Cooper to smash home and score his second goal in as many games. Heybridge should have equalised, but Aaron Omand pulled off a fantastic save and the rebound was fired over, and then down at the other end a short back pass was intercepted by Callum Ibe before the keeper took out both man and ball and the referee pointed to the spot leaving Eddie Hart to fire home and give Romford a two goal advantage on seventy-five minutes. With eight minutes left Heybridge got back into the game when full back Danny Barber’s attempted cross looped in at the far post but the Boro held firm to see out the game and earn a massive victory.

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS (1) 2 RICHMOND 45+1, BARBER 82

ROMFORD (1) 3 ABS SEYMOUR 10, NATHAN COOPER 66, EDDIE HART 75 (PEN)

ROMFORD: AARON OMAND, DAVID OTTLEY, TYLER HAYES, MATT TOMS, NATHAN COOPER, GEORGE COCKLIN, ROBBIE NORRIS, ABS SEYMOUR (JAMIE DICKS 86), EDDIE HART, REECE COSSON (RYAN IMBERT 75), CALLUM IBE (SAMUEL KEMP 75) SUBS NOT USED JACK BARRY