ightlingsea Regent (2) 3 - 1 (1) ROMFORD Attendance 124- North Road

The pitch had drained surprisingly well after all the recent rain and Boro had an early scare when after a low effort was saved by Michael Gooch the loose ball was put back in, presenting a home forward with an open goal but it only resulted in gasps from the crowd at how high he managed to get his shot over the bar from so near to the goal. However this reprieve did not last long as in the eighth minute Phil Kelly powerfully headed home a corner from the right.
Both teams missed half chances before Romford's first period of sustained pressure resulted in an equaliser in the twenty fourth minute. They won a throw close to the corner flag which Nick Reynolds hurled into the goalmouth. Joe Scott could not reach Moshi Olafunisle's backward header but it was picked up on the left by Akwasi Marfo and his low cross reached Reynolds who had drifted into the box and he made no mistake with a precise sidefoot finish. Boro were now giving as good as they got in the midfield battle but Brightlingsea were creating more in front of goal and Gooch had to produce a good save to keep out a header after an inswinging free kick. A large proportion of Romford goals conceded this season have resulted from high crosses into the box and this happened for the second time in the afternoon when another corner from the right was headed in by Josh Gould in the thirty eighth minute. Before half time George Tubey just failed to get his head to a cross when well positioned in front of goal and at the other end Gooch had to save and Tom Potter head off the line after the referee had awarded a ridiculous free kick for a good tackle by Potter himself.
Frenchman Zak Talha came on for his debut shortly after the interval as substitute for George Tubey who had earlier been booked by the over fussy official, but Gooch was soon brought into action again with a double save and then had a lucky escape when his clearance was picked up by a Regent attacker whose shot hit the crossbar and rebounded into the face of the keeper and behind for a corner. Brightlingsea did get their third in the seventy seventh minute when a low cross was hit goalwards and blocked by Gooch but lobbed back into the far corner by Jake Clowsley.
Brightlingsea now eased off and Romford battling as gamely as ever pushed nearly everyone forward and Reynolds very nearly got his second, seeing his left foot drive from the edge of the box just tipped around the post. Zakariya also had a decent attempt go not too far wide before the end and Romford now look forward to a run of three home games at Ship Lane, starting with league leaders Sudbury on Wednesday.

BRIGHTLINGSEA REGENT (2) 3 KELLY9, GOULD 38, CLOWSLEY 77

ROMFORD (1) 1 NICK REYNOLDS 24

ROMFORD: MICHAEL GOOCH, RYAN BOSWELL, JAMIE DICKS, TOM POTTER, MOSHOOD OLAFUNMISHE, CHRIS BARRY (ROBBIE NORRIS 71), LIAM BURGESS (JAKE GIDDINGS 70), GEORGE TUBEY (ZAK TALHA 54), NICK REYNOLDS, JOE SCOTT, AKWASI MARFO SUBS NOT USED: CHRIS TAYLOR, LEE WEEMES