ROMFORD 2 (1) - (0) 0 Heybridge Swifts Attendance 87 - Ship Lane‏

The Boro should have taken the lead in the fourteenth minute when Chinedu McKenzie passed to Greg Akpele who beat his marker and drove into the box, but was then tripped from behind giving the referee a simple decision to award the penalty. McKenzie stepped up to the spot, but his shot was well tipped round the post by the keeper. As it turned out that miss did not matter as from the resulting corner Nick Reynolds was fouled on the edge of the box and George Woodward, not for the first time this season accurately curled the free kick into the back of the net. Romford were forced into an early substitution when Akpele limped off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury and was replaced by Akwasi Marfo in the nineteenth minute and six minutes later an acrobatic attempt by McKenzie looked to be heading towards goal but the shot was well blocked, and Jamie Dicks fired a long range effort over moments later. Despite their dominance Romford could not find a second but were going close with McKenzie again unlucky after being picked out by a fantastic pass from Ryan Boswell, the striker's shot being tipped wide. The visitors did finally test the Boro goal in first half stoppage time but Michael Gooch was alert to stop a shot from Jamie Guy who has a prolific track record as a goalscorer for various clubs on the circuit.

In the second half Romford just needed to continue where they had left off and started on the front foot with a Reynolds overhead kick going wide and debutant Tom Anderson shooting straight at the keeper from the edge of the box after some fantastic skill from Marfo set him up. On the hour Reynolds, employed in a deeper role than usual for the second match in succession fired just over, and three minutes later Gooch was on hand at the other end to stop a free header from a corner. Romford then attacked twice down the wings and crossed only for the ball to travel through the six yard box without a anybody being able to get the final touch. With only one goal still separating the teams as the game went into the final ten minutes Heybridge, although having been second best throughout, sensed they still might be able to get something and started to push forward. But this left more space at the back for Boro and substitute Sam Coe who was also making his debut got free down the left wing and crossed for fellow sub Zak Talha who took a touch and passed the ball neatly into the back of the net. Romford had thoroughly deserved the win that pushed them ten points clear of the relegation zone before their battle with in form Harlow Town at home again on Wednesday night.

ROMFORD (1) 2 GEORGE WOODWARD 16, TALHA ZAKARIYA 86 (MCKENZIE MISSED PEN 14)

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS (0) 0

ROMFORD: MICHAEL GOOCH, RYAN BOSWELL, GEORGE WOODWARD, MATT FREW, TOM POTTER, JAMIE DICKS, TOM ANDERSON, CHRIS TAYLOR, NICK REYNOLDS (ZAK TALHA 80), CHINEDU MCKENZIE (SAM COE 75), GREG AKPELE (AKWASI MARFO 19) SUBS NOT USED LIAM BURGESS, JOE SCOTT