Needham Market 3 (1) - (1) 3 ROMFORD attendance 209

Things started badly for the Boro when after only two minutes Danny Bloomfield chased a through ball and slotted home to give Needham Market an early lead. After four minutes Needham nearly doubled their lead but Duane Wright headed over.
Romford's first chance came after twenty-three minutes but Paul Clayton's header looped just over. Needham Market were well in control of the game and Bloomfield nearly scored again when he found space at the far post, but was denied by a great save from Elliott Anderson.
Thirty-five minutes in and another Needham chance, this time Scott Chaplin cut in from the wing and curled a shot past Anderson but the post saved Romford. Minutes later Bloomfield broke the offside trap and tried to round Anderson but was denied by the Boro keeper who next had defender Jack Barry to thank when McGlone passed to Bloomfield to tap in but the ball was cut out just before the striker applied the finishing touches. Once again Anderson produced another good save this time from Duane Wright.
Just before half time and against the run of play Romford equalised when on forty-two minutes Kurt Smith's touch fell to Joe Bingham to blast the ball into the top corner from twenty five yards.
Romford nearly took the lead early in the second half when Jack Barry's through ball was met be Joe Oates, but his toe poke was easily saved by Liam Jones in goal. In the fifty-third minutes a long ball over the Romford defence was met by McGlore but the striker was brought down by Jamie Dicks and the ref awarded a penalty despite claims the foul was outside the box. The ref decided that the penalty was enough punishment and Dicks stayed out of the book despite strong unsporting protests from the Needham players. After the unnecessary four minute delay the penalty kick was finally taken by Sam Newson who shot past Anderson to make it 2-1.
Romford came straight back at Needham when Kurt Smith's shot was saved and Isa Hussein's turn and left foot shot dipped onto the bar and over. On seventy-three minutes Newson's cross was met by Duane Wright to extend Needham Market's lead. Romford could feel a little bit hard done by, as Wright was lucky to be on the pitch after his bad tackle moments earlier went unpunished.
Boro manager Paul Martin brought on striker Nick Reynolds and after only a few minutes he assisted in a Romford goal. Chris Sullivan, despite being on his own byline cheekily flicked the ball over the Needham forward and began a long run well into the opposition half.
He found Paul Clayton whose through ball was met by Reynolds. His shot was half saved and trickling towards the goal line only for Kurt Smith to make sure.
Moments later, on eighty minutes Joe Bingham put in a great cross that was cleared for a corner. Isa Hussein took the kick and his cross was met by the head of Paul Clayton and turned into the net.
Romford now looked more likely to win it and on ninety minutes Kurt Smith's run down the right wing and cross found Hussein Isa but his shot was somehow kept out by defender Pip Boyland's knee on the goal line.
Romford made their final sub bringing on Assistant Manager Mark Lord and in the ninety-fifth minute he almost won it when Dave Ottley's cross was jointly met by Nick Reynolds and goalkeeper Liam Jones. The ball fell nicely to Lord whose chip sailed just over the wrong side of the bar. Moments later the ref blew the final whistle to end this thrilling encounter.

ROMFORD: ELLIOTT ANDERSON, DAVID OTTLEY, JAMIE DICKS, JACK BARRY, MATT TOMS, JOE BINGHAM (JAMES ISHMAIL 83), PAUL CLAYTON, CHRIS SULLIVAN, KURT SMITH, HUSSEIN ISA (MARK LORD 90+2), JOE OATES (NICK REYNOLDS 76).

GOALS: JOE BINGHAM 42, KURT SMITH 78, PAUL CLAYTON 80.