Romford 5 (3) v Harlow Town 4 (0) - Attendance 88

Moving fast from defence to attack at the start the home side took the lead when a cross from the left was headed on by Kurt Smith to Toran Senghore who unselfishly passed to Andy Edmunds who calmly scored with a ground shot.

On 16 minutes this lead increased to 2-0 when a high looping cross from the right by Richard Oxby was left foot volleyed first time by Smith low into the Harlow net and just after this a Smith cross was headed just wide by Chris Thomas.

It was Thomas who supplied the pass for the third Romford goal and Toran Senghore bursting through hit a tremendous shot from 25 yards beat James Hassel in the visiting goal all ends up.

From this moment until half time the hosts squandered a number of good chances to put themselves further in front.

At the restart Romford continued in their profligate mood with Smith hitting over the top, Edmunds into the side netting and Thomas over the top too when all of them were well placed.

Just after this a foretaste of the drama to come occurred when the home side just managed to clear the ball after a mad scramble in their goal mouth but still didn’t heed the warning signs and continued to waste even more chances through Thomas and Senghore.

A quarter of an hour into the second period Harlow, urged on by their vociferous away support, were rewarded for their never say die attitude when Julian Edwards was put through on the right and scored low across Jake Mathews in the home goal.

Not to be outdone Romford resumed their three goal lead again four minutes later when Senghore forced himself into the visiting penalty area on the right and his low cross was eventually planted into the net by Thomas.

Harlow were back in the game on 4-2 just two minutes after this when substitute Adrian Lawson was left free to head in a left wing cross and clawed the score back to 4-3 when a Danny Hayes free kick from outside the left hand side of the home penalty area looped over Mathews and into the net.

Normal service was resumed for Romford on 78 minutes this when Edmunds collected a pass from Senghore and turning smartly hit the ball hard and low left footed inside Hassel’s near post for a 5-3 lead.

The drama of this topsy turvy game continued when the visitors reduced the deficit to one goal once more as Edwards got through for his second goal on 84 minutes and the score was almost levelled at the beginning of added time when James Gammons just got back to clear a bouncing ball off the home goal line.

Romford could have made the game safe just before the final whistle but Brad Falco, who was completely unmarked in front of goal, somehow managed to get Senghore’s pass to him over the cross bar from a few yards out and this amazing and ultimately entertaining game came to an end at 5-4.

Romford squad: Mathews, Oxby, Neville, Ishmail, Toms, Clayton,Thomas (Gammons 75), Edmunds, Smith (Falco 75), Senghore, Kavanagh. Subs not used: Pearman, Barry and Mulrooney (GK).

Boro now face their last game of the season at Heybridge Swifts this coming Saturday April 23rd for which a joint team/supporters coach has been arranged leaving Mawney Road School at 12 midday and the Brentwood Holiday Inn at 12.15.