ROMFORD 1 (1) - (0) 0 Thamesmead Town Attendance 101 - Ship Lane

Romford were forced into into a change before kick off as defender Danny Cossington failed a fitness test and things got worse in defence when fellow marker James Ishmail was substituted through injury before half time leaving the Boro with no recognised centre back, but the makeshift back four consisting of three natural midfielders produced a fine performance until conceding late on.

Despite these defensive problems Romford took a positive attitude with good attacking play all through the match and in the fifth minute Jonathan Adebayo won the ball in midfield and beat three men before curling a right foot effort from the edge of the box that beat the keeper but cannoned back of the crossbar and then a minute later after a swift move, Kai Bichard had a goalbound effort blocked in the six yard box. Thamesmead's secret weapon was their long throws and it caused problems all night with Callum Chafer on hand to make a good one handed save after the ball was flicked on then fired towards goal in the thirteenth minute. Romford won a corner in the twentieth minute and after going close twice Bichard fired a left foot shot just wide of the far post, then three minutes later the hosts should have taken the lead when Chinedu McKenzie scuffed his shot straight to Nick Reynolds who could then only fire over the bar from five yards out. However it did not take much longer for Boro to go ahead when in the twenty-sixth minute Chafer punted the ball forward to McKenzie who laid the it off to Bichard to fire towards goal from twenty-five yards and even though the keeper got a strong hand to it the ball crawled over the line. Thamesmead went close with a header in the thirty-seventh minute before after a quick counter attack Greg Akpele pulled the ball back to Will Green whose point blank effort was tipped over the bar in the forty-third minute and then a minute later Jamie Dicks' low cross found Reynolds free at the far post but from a very tight angle his powerful drive hit the outside of the post. In first half stoppage time Chafer made another smart stop from a header to keep Romford ahead at the break.

Boro started the second half how they finished the first, on the attack and after Akpele beat his man he fired a shot towards goal that was pushed out for a corner. Neither team created anything else until the sixty-seventh minute when substitute Ayo Olukoga raced down the right wing and sent a cross to Reynolds at the far post who chested the ball down before volleying towards the near post but the keeper got down well to tip the ball wide. From the resulting corner Ryan Mallett rose well and headed down to Bichard but his snap shot went just inches over the bar. Thamesmead who were getting caught offside all night, finally broke clear but fizzed a shot wide of the goal. In the seventy-seventh minute a horror tackle on Dicks lead to a straight red card for Lewis Knight giving Romford the upper hand and they nearly doubled their lead when Olukoga broke clear but his chipped effort sailed just wide of the far post in the eighty-second minute. McKenzie flicked just over a minute later after good wing play by Green but with just two minutes left Thamesmead got an undeserved equaliser, when from another long throw Bode Anidugbe got clear and fired low past Chafer.

The result moves Romford one place up the league and nine points clear of the relegation zone but they will feel unfortunate not to have taken all three points.

ROMFORD (1) 1 KAI BICHARD 26

THAMESMEAD TOWN (0) 1 ANIDUGBE 88

ROMFORD: CALLUM CHAFER, RYAN BOSWELL, JAMIE DICKS, RYAN MALLETT, JAMES ISHMAIL (AYO OLUKOGA 32), JONATHAN ADEBAYO, KAI BICHARD (CHRIS TAYLOR 70), GREG AKPELE, CHINEDU MCKENZIE, NICK REYNOLDS, WILL GREEN (AKWASI MARFO 85) SUBS NOT USED CHRIS BARRY

YELLOW CARDS: KAI BICHARD 45+2, AYO OLUKOGA 50, CHINEDU MCKENZIE 78, JAMIE DICKS 85