Thurrock 3 (2) - (1) 1 ROMFORD Attendance 206 - Ship Lane‏

defeat.

After the wind affected first fixture between the teams that had produced the amazing own goal now seen all around the world, the weather was back to normal allowing for a fast paced open game that would excite the big crowd who had turned up for this just after Christmas encounter.

Romford started well and the game was only three minutes old when Ryan Boswell clipped a ball over the defence for Nick Reynolds to chase and the big Boro front man out paced his marker and shot from the right hand edge of the box just past the near post. But then only minutes later at the other end the hosts took the lead when Romford keeper Michael Gooch pushed out a cross straight onto the head of Joe Christou and the winger was able to nod the ball back into the net. In the ninth minute of the match a poor defensive header back towards goal allowed Daniel Francis a chance to double the lead but the Fleet forward fluffed his lines and sent his shot well wide of the goal. Romford were close to getting back on level terms when in the eighteenth minute Jake Giddings produced a neat pass in behind the defence for Chinedu McKenzie to run onto but his shot into the corner of the goal was lacking just enough power and allowed Thurrock keeper Madden to produce a smart save low down to his right to deny the Boro forward. Soon after at the other end Christou fired over the bar when a deep cross found him unmarked but overstretched. For Romford, Reynolds forced Madden into a flying save and Matt Frew could not leap high enough to head home a cross when unmarked and this end to end stuff continued with a huge goalmouth scramble seeing Romford somehow clear the ball three times in quick succession from close in. On forty minutes Romford got a deserved equaliser when Reynolds was fouled on the edge of the box and George Woodward curled the free kick low around the wall and into the back of the net. However they could only stay on terms for three minutes when David Cowley went on a great run, beating three men across the area before placing the ball wide of Gooch and into the goal.

The second half was more of the same with both teams playing attractive, entertaining, attacking football with Ross Wall heading the ball against the outside of the Boro post six minutes in. After this, despite lots of Romford pressure and dangerous looking Thurrock counter attacks neither team could create a real clear cut chance until the seventieth minute when from a Thurrock corner a free header was met six yards out but Gooch produced a stunning save to tip over the bar. Akwasi Marfo who had been dangerous for Romford down both wings all night fired a shot just wide, and in the eightieth minute Romford substitute Chris Barry found space in the box but slipped at the vital moment and yet somehow from flat on his back conjured a curling effort that beat Madden and hit the upright.

Into stoppage time and Thurrock finished the game off emphatically when Charlie Cole's left foot drive beat Gooch to give the hosts three valuable points as they look for promotion and leave Romford hovering five points above the relegation zone as they face a huge six pointer at home to Barkingside on Saturday.

THURROCK (2) 3 CHRISTOU 4, COWLEY 43, COLE 90

ROMFORD (1) 1 GEORGE WOODWARD 40

ROMFORD: MICHAEL GOOCH, RYAN BOSWELL, GEORGE WOODWARD, MOSHOOD OLAFUNMISHE, MATT FREW, JAKE GIDDINGS (CHRIS BARRY 71), AKWASI MARFO, LIAM BURGESS, NICK REYNOLDS (JOE SCOTT 82), CHINEDU MCKENZIE (LEE WEEMES 76), LUKE STANLEY SUBS NOT USED TOM POTTER, GEORGE TUBEY

YELLOW CARD MOSHOOD OLAFUNMISHE