ROMFORD 0 (0) - (1) 2 Brightlingsea Regent Attendance 75 - Ship Lane

Boro were again handicapped by the unavailability of first choice squad members but would have been encouraged by the previous week's spirited victory at Great Wakering and the fact that Brightlingsea sat a place below them in the league table. However they suffered an early blow in the 10th minute when the visitors took the lead through Jake Turner who received the ball on the edge of the area and placed his left foot shot into the top corner. Boro were finding it hard to make much headway through a well organised Regent midfield and defence but were out of luck in the 21st minute when a lovely piece of skill from Chris Barry saw him flick the ball over a defender, turn, and hit a half volley fractionally past the post. After this Romford had more territorial advantage but could only fashion one or two half chances and just before the break Brightlingsea nearly extended their lead when a cross flashed across the Boro goalmouth with nobody able to get a foot to it.

Romford started the second half much more effectively and a number of dangerous attacks saw them go close and make an equaliser look likely. George Tubey went very near with a header and then had a shot blocked almost on the line after George Woodward's cross and Nick Reynolds beat a defender in a very tight space yards from goal, but nobody could get a clean hit on his his squared back pass into the goalmouth. Soon after though, Boro went two down when a defensive error presented the ball to Brightlingsea and a couple of passes gave Lamell Howell the opportunity to beat Michael Gooch in the home goal. This gave the visitors a cushion and control of the game and although Romford never stopped battling they could not create enough good chances to get back into it, until a very late flurry as time was running out when Luke Stanley's return to the club saw him collect Chris Taylor's pass, make space for himself and have decent shot blocked and Matt Frew have a header cleared from under the crossbar.

ROMFORD (0) 0

BRIGHTLINGSEA (1) 2 TURNER 10, HOWELL 58

ROMFORD: MICHAEL GOOCH, RYAN BOSWELL, GEORGE WOODWARD, MATT FREW, SAM BURTON, CHRIS BARRY, JAKE GIDDINGS, GEORGE TUBEY (LUKE STANLEY 63), NICK REYNOLDS (ROBBIE FARRELL 66), CHRIS TAYLOR, HARRY CULHAM (JORDAN THOMAS 55) SUBS NOT USED ROBBIE NORRIS, DANNY COSSINGTON

YELLOW CARDS: JAKE GIDDINGS 49, GEORGE WOODWARD 87