ROMFORD 2 (1) - (1) 2 Harlow Town Attendance 103 - Ship Lane

Things could not have started any worse for Romford when Nathan Cooper fouled a Harlow attacker in the box and ex Boro striker Alex Read once again scored against his former club, coolly dispatching the penalty into the bottom right hand corner in the second minute. After this it was one way traffic with Romford trying to get back in the match and on eight minutes Jack Barry had a header from Abs Seymour's corner cleared off the line, but two minutes later it was all square. Tom Richardson picked the ball up in his own half and ran at his marker, beating him easily before playing a neat one-two with Abs Seymour and flicking the ball to Callum Ibe who smashed it low into the back of the net. Eddie Hart nearly got a second but his header was well saved and on twenty-three minutes James Ishmail's long range low drive was tipped wide. On the half hour Abs Seymour whipped in a dangerous free kick that just eluded three Romford forwards before five minutes later the hosts should have taken the lead. Eddie Hart pressured a defender into conceding possession, and when Abs Seymour found an unmarked Tom Richardson at the far post the winger unusually mis-controlled the ball with only the keeper to beat and Jamie Dicks' follow up shot was cleared off the line.

Seven minutes into the second half and and Romford deservedly went in front when Matt Toms met a great Abs Seymour corner and headed the ball into the back of the net. The lead was short lived as Harlow equalised two minutes later when James Smith turned his man and hit a good shot into the net. Harlow enjoyed their best spell of possession but only forced Aaron Omand into one save low at his near post and the Boro defence comfortably cleared most of the attacks. With ten minutes left Matt Toms nearly got his second of the game when he back heeled the ball just the wrong side of the post after James Ishmail had put it back in the mixer. With two minutes of normal time remaining Harlow's Smith was sent off for a second yellow card which on another day could have been a straight red, diving in recklessly after over running the ball. Deep into injury time they had their keeper to thank for tipping over a long distance drive from James Ishmail that was heading for the top corner. Harlow looked anything but a team unbeaten and and will be happy with the draw after being outplayed for so long, and Romford will be disappointed they could not force a winner but very happy with the performance and commitment of the players.

ROMFORD (1) 2 CALLUM IBE 10, MATT TOMS 53,

HARLOW TOWN (1) 2 READ 2 (PEN), SMITH 55

ROMFORD: AARON OMAND, JACK BARRY, TYLER HAYES, MATT TOMS, NATHAN COOPER, JAMES ISHMAIL, JAMIE DICKS (ROBBIE NORRIS 86), ABS SEYMOUR, EDDIE HART, TOM RICHARDSON (REECE TRANTER 80), CALLUM IBE (SAMUEL KEMP 80)

YELLOW CARDS: NATHAN COOPER 2, ABS SEYMOUR 23, JAMIE DICKS 62, TOM RICHARDSON 72.