Soham Town Rangers 1(1) - (1) 2 ROMFORD Attendance 170

As the injury and suspension list grows even bigger The Boro were forced to play striker Nick Reynolds at centre half and named long term absentee Chris Richardson and the ever youthful Mark Lord on the bench. Romford got off to a disastrous start when Soham winger Dan Cotton cut in from the right and curled the ball past Elliott Anderson to give Rangers the lead after three minutes, but Boro thought they had equalised soon after but Jack Barry’s effort was adjudged offside. The rest of the first half was a tedious affair with neither team creating much, Isa Hussein had a free kick easily saved and when his volley was agonisingly deflected wide by Jack Barry it was looking like one of those days. With half time approaching, good work by Kurt Smith on the right wing allowed Wola Odedoyin and Hussein to link up before the ball fell kindly to the prolific Smith to apply his customary deadly finish. Romford managed one more effort before half time when Paul Kavanagh glanced a header just wide of the post.

Romford started the second half in the same manner they finished the first but Hussein’s great control was only followed by a weak shot and Smith and Oakes both had shots blocked. At the other end Elliott Anderson made smart save from a Ogbonn’s overhead kick and the same player also shot tamely wide. With ten minutes to go there was controversy when Ogbonna raced clear a coolly slotted home but the ref had already blown up for a head injury just before the striker shot.

In the 85th minute hard running by Kurt Smith earned Boro a corner and from the Hussein cross Jack Barry was there to lash the ball home from thirty millimetres. Romford played out the last five minutes and injury time in a very professional manner not allowing Soham a chance and when the final whistle went Boro’s push for a top half finish continued.

ROMFORD

ELLIOTT ANDERSON, DAVID OTTLEY, PAUL KAVANAGH, JACK BARRY,NICK REYNOLDS, RICKY MACKIN, JOE BINGHAM, WOLA ODEDOYIN (CHRIS RICHARDSON 77MIN), KURT SMITH, ISA HUSSEIN, JOE OATES (JAMIE DICKS 68MINS). SUBS NOT USED MARK LORD, MICHAEL GOOCH