Maldon & Tiptree 3 (2) - (1) 1 ROMFORD Attendance 140 - Park Drive‏

With Michael Gooch unavailable and his deputy Atu Ngoy unable to reach the ground until half time, Boro started with striker Nick Reynolds in goal and they tried to protect him by going straight on the attack.
After four minutes Jamie Dicks received the ball out on the left not too far inside the Maldon half and let fly with his supposedly weaker right foot and had Sambridge in the Maldon goal desperately back pedalling to tip the ball over from just under the crossbar. However, only four minutes later Maldon developed a move down the right and were allowed to get in a low cross that Nick Reynolds could not hold and Hunter was left with an open goal. Despite this setback Romford pressed forward again and a good move ended with a Maldon defender using his hand to block Joe Scott's fierce shot from the edge of the area. Reece Cosson stepped up for the spot kick and coolly sent the keeper the wrong way for a deserved equaliser after twelve minutes.
Romford were still mostly managing to contain Maldon in their own half, but in the twenty second minute and slightly against the run of play Lock's shot from just outside the area seemed to take a deflection and swerved past the stranded Nick Reynolds to put Maldon back in front. After all this early excitement it now settled down into a very entertaining game with both teams putting together some excellent moves from defence and midfield. Romford's best chance before the break came after Jake Giddings won the ball which broke to Joe Scott who could only hit the side netting.
The second half began with Boro now immediately able to bring on Atu Ngoy for Joe Scott allowing Nick Reynolds to take up his more customary striking role. Romford's keeper was soon called into action to save a long shot and at the other end in the fifty fourth minute Reece Cosson had the chance of a header in front of goal which he could not get on target. Maldon were now mounting some good attacks with Romford trying to catch them on the break. A Nick Reynolds long throw caused a scramble in the Maldon goalmouth in the seventy second minute and then another one came two minutes later, but Maldon defended well and no Boro man could get a clear shot on goal. Then Greg Akpele made one of his trademark dribbles into the area and seemed to be pushed over but the ref, not up with play was probably unsighted and ignored Romford appeals..
With only nine minutes to go a Maldon long shot struck the top of the bar and then two minutes later substitute Henry struck the killer blow for them after collecting a cross from the right and finding sufficient space in front of goal.
Romford could not come back from this in the short time remaining and so fell to their third league defeat of the season.

MALDON & TIPTREE (2) 3 HUNTER 9, LOCK 23, HENRY 85

ROMFORD (1) 1 REECE COSSON 12 PEN

ROMFORD: NICK REYNOLDS, RYAN BOSWELL, JAMIE DICKS (GEORGE WOODWARD 72), SAM BURTON, NATHAN COOPER, DANNY COSSINGTON, JAKE GIDDINGS, REECE COSSON (RYAN IMBERT 79), JOE SCOTT (ATY NGOY 45), HARRY CULHAM, GREG AKPELE, SUBS NOT USED ROBBIE NORRIS, GEORGE TUBEY

YELLOW CARDS NATHAN COOPER 45, SAM BURTON 59, JAMIE DICKS 66