Romford 0 (0) v East Thurrock United 0 (2) - Attendance 112

With a recent game under their belts visitors always appeared that little bit sharper and, although Kurt Smith ran himself into the ground, the home side definitely missed the presence of Toran Senghore (one match ban) and Alex Read (indisposed) up front to add some extra strength and fire power.

In a goalless first half Boro got the ball in the net with a header after just four minutes but it was ruled offside. Abs Seymour was unable to get the ball from under his feet on the frosty pitch to take advantage of a good chance and also shot over the top while Andy Edmunds ran in from the left but couldn’t finally beat his marker to get a telling shot on target.

At the other end of the pitch Adam Rafis was forced to make two excellent instinctive saves, one with his hand and the other with his foot and The Rocks also hit the top of the home crossbar from long range.

Play followed a similar pattern after the break although the visitors pushed harder and Rafis was forced to make some further good saves including a double one ten minutes into the half which left even his opponents applauding.

A few minutes later Jack Barry shot long range over the top and the match looked more and more as though it was heading for a draw.

But mid half the stalemate was broken when a Romford attack was halted in mid field and a long ball pumped through their defence for Kye Ruel to run on to. Although his shot was half parried by an advancing Rafis it carried enough momentum to find its way into the home net despite last minute efforts to clear it.

At this point Boro changed their formation to 4-4-2 and pushed forward for an equaliser with nothing to lose but went further behind on 79 minutes when a right wing corner was headed into the roof of the home net to give his side a 2-0 lead by Mac Cornhill who had arrived unmarked into a near post position.

Romford then made a couple of substitutions and changed their formation once more, this time to 4-3-3, but the nearest they got to reducing the deficit before the final whistle was from Seymour shot which whistled over the cross bar and a right wing move followed by a low cross from which the final shot was pumped just wide.

Romford squad: A. Rafis, Mackin (IOxby 78), Neville, Ishmail, Toms, Clayton ©, Seymour, J.Barry (Bansende 83), D. Rafis, Smith, Edmunds (Pearman 83). Substitute not used: Turner.

Boro now continue with their Ryman One North league campaign with an away game at Enfield Town this coming Saturday followed by a hoped for return to Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday evening to play the postponed league cup fourth round tie for a place in the quarter finals.