Ilford 0 (0) - (0) 2 ROMFORD Attendance 77

Hussein Isa nearly opened the scoring on two minutes but his free kick eluded everyone and bounced just wide. Mfulo shot wide for Ilford and Adejukun had a shot deflected wide by Lewis Payne. From the resulting corner Oshin headed the ball back across the goal and Simpson fired well over.
Joe Turner did well when receiving a long ball and his lay off set up Billy Radley but his shot was saved by Rose in the Ilford goal. Rose was once again called into action when on thirteen minutes Jack Barry popped up at the far post and headed towards goal but the stopper somehow kept the ball out of the Foxes net.
Four minutes later and it was Michael Gooch in the Boro goal who was the hero when he made a good double save from Mfulu after Jack Barry's miskick had left the striker one on one. Five minntes before half time Joe Turner got in behind the Foxes defence but was forced wide when rounding the keeper and his cut back was knocked wide by Hussein Isa. Mfulu nearly gave Ilford the lead right on half time but the forward volleyed over from ten yards.

Romford nearly went ahead on forty six minutes when a high Alfie Hilton cross was misjudged by Rose and looked to be dropping onto the head of Billy Radley on the Ilford goal line but the ball hit the crossbar and landed just behind the winger. Romford finally took the lead on fifty four minutes when a great ball in by Toran Senghore would have been met by Jack Barry with the goal at his mercy but the Boro captain was shoved in the back. The referee awarded a penalty and sent off the Ilford full back. Hussein Isa stepped up and achieved Romford's first penalty success in nine attempts when he placed the ball in the bottom right hand corner.
WIth a man advantage Romford kept possession well but could not find the elusive second goal with Alfie Hilton, Billy Radley and Toran Senghore all having shots easily saved. In injury time Ilford pumped a long ball into the goalmouth but it was cleared to the edge of the box where an Okwero shot was deflected and bounced safely into the arms of Michael Gooch. A minute later and Romford put the game out of sight when after some good closing down by Lewis Francis the ball fell to Michael Sammut and his strong run looked likely to end in a shot. Instead the midfielder cleverly reversed a pass and Toran Senghore curled the ball home into the bottom corner to clinch a fully deserved and well needed three point for Boro.

ILFORD 0
ROMFORD 2 HUSSEIN ISA 54 PEN, TORAN SENGHORE 90+3

ROMFORD: MICHAEL GOOCH, ADAM SALMON, JOE OATES, LEWIS PAYNE, JACK BARRY, HUSSEIN ISA (PAUL CLAYTON 85), MICHAEL SAMMUT, BILLY RADLEY, JOE TURNER (LEWIS FRANCIS 80), TORAN SENGHORE, ALFIE HILTON