ROMFORD 5 (1) - (1) 1 Barkingside Attendance 111 - Ship Lane

The visitors started the better and twice went close early on before Romford should have taken the lead on ten minutes when Nick Reynolds' mishit shot fell into the path of Jack Barry but the Boro Captain could only fire over from ten yards. Chris Barry headed the ball off the line but Barkingside did take a deserved lead when Calvin Poku out muscled two defenders and slotted the ball past Aaron Omand on seventeen minutes. Nick Reynolds' flick from a corner was well saved before the same player broke through for a clear shot on goal but the Barkingside defender produced an amazing block to deny a certain score. The Romford man did grab the equaliser though on thirty-five minutes when Chris Barry's corner was dummied by brother Jack Barry and the striker headed home from a yard out. Loui Hazelwood had a shot saved minutes later as Romford started to get on top before the referee brought the half to an end.

A change of tempo was needed and Romford flew out of the blocks and took the lead inside the first minute of the second period when Abs Seymour was fouled in the box but managed to find Jack Barry down the right, and as the referee waved play on the Boro man crossed to the far post where Nick Reynolds headed home his second from an acute angle. Four minutes later and Nick Reynolds could only head a near identical chance across the goal after being teed up by Loui Hazelwood. On fifty-six minutes Romford fans were cursing their luck when a great Abs Seymour pass found Chris Barry who volleyed a thunderbolt against the inside of the post but Abs Seymour pounced on the rebound and found Loui Hazelwood who cut inside his man and fired low into the near corner to bring his personal tally to six goals in six games. At the other end Aaron Omand was alert to keep a shot out before substitute Ryan Imbert was awarded a soft free kick by a referee who was having a pretty dreadful night. Chris Barry crossed the ball and an unmarked James Ishmail headed home. Ryan Imbert had another chance cleared off the line and Loui Hazelwood went close before Romford should have had a fifth when Ryan Imbert found himself free at the far post, controlled the ball and fired home but the referee decided the ball hit the striker's arm to the bemusement of the whole stadium. The officials' inept performance was summed up when Samuel Kemp blocked a clearance and the ball bounced to Ryan Imbert who was a good five yards offside and as every player stopped expecting a flag the forward kept his cool and slid the ball into the back of the net on eighty-seven minutes. The Romford striker could have grabbed a couple more in injury time but his back heel was saved after fantastic skills by Loui Hazelwood set him up, and a shot from near the halfway line went just the wrong side of the post with the keeper stranded.

By the time the final whistle went Romford fans were in party mood and now look forward with confidence to Saturday's away match at Cray who are also in the relegation dogfight.

ROMFORD (1) 5 NICK REYNOLDS 37, 46, LOUI HAZELWQOD 57, JAMES ISHMAIL 65, RYAN IMBERT 89

BARKINGSIDE (1) 1 POKU 17,

ROMFORD: AARON OMAND, SAMUEL KEMP, CHRIS BARRY (CALLUM IBE 71), JAMES ISHMAIL, JAMIE BYRNE, JACK BARRY (RYAN IMBERT 55), LOUI HAZELWOOD, ABS SEYMOUR, NICK REYNOLDS (TYRONE SCARLETT 86), JOE SCOTT, ROBBIE NORRIS. SUBS NOT USED DANIEL JONES , MANZI MBALA