Cheshunt 2 (1) v Romford 3(1) - Attendance 218

At the start of our first league game of the season possession was very well balanced with each side moving the ball quickly from end.

The as the half wore on the Boro started taking control and creating more potential scoring chances but the game was turned on its end just before half time.

Centre back Paul White seemed to be fouled out on the left during one of the visitors’ occasional sorties into his half and while he lay there, slowly getting to his feet, instead of a free kick to Romford, the Ambers were allowed to take a quick throw-in.

As their player bore in on goal from the right White, who had got to his feet and chased back closed in on him for a tackle but managed only to bring him down. Bradley Harrison then converted the inevitable penalty for Cheshunt.

Fortunately the home lead lasted only a few minutes when Boro stormed back on the attack and a cross from the right was headed back across goal by Remi Nelson for Paul Kavanagh to thump the ball hard with his favourite left foot low into the opposing net to equal the score at half time.

Romford continued on the ascendancy after the break and the game was only three minutes into the second half when a cross came over from the right to Jimmy Noakes with his back to the goal around the Ambers’ penalty spot and he cleverly turned and hooked the ball across the home keeper into the corner of the net to take the visitors into the lead.

As with the first half a lead in this game didn’t last long as just four minutes later Cheshunt’s Chris Meikle who had been a consistent thorn in the visitors’ side on the left got clear and with a number of defenders on his tail bore down on Neil Finn’s goal and scored firm and low past Neil and into his net.

Despite this setback Boro went back on the attack again moving the ball, as they had throughout the game,
skilfully out of defence and midfield on to their flanks to get around the Ambers’ backs and on 60 minutes were rewarded when the ball was only cleared partially out of the home defence to Danny Jones who was lurking just outside the penalty area and he hit a low scorcher of a shot through a crowd of players to give Romford the lead again.

While the visitors attempted to build on their lead Cheshunt mounted a number of dangerous counter attacks and once had the ball in the visitors net which was disallowed for offside.

Apart from that heart stopping moment the Boro defence kept them at bay and after what seemed an inordinate length of added time and a false alarm when the referee blew the whistle, but only to lecture a player from each side, this excellent and exciting opening league game of a new season came to an end.

Romford squad: Finn, Oxby, K.Neville, J.Barry, White, Clayton, Nelson, Jones, Noakes (Nyman 75), Clarke, Kavanagh, Gammons, Tubey, Mulcore, Hughes, D.Neville and Mulrooney (GK).

This week Boro have two home league game to look forward to with Thamesmead Town visiting on Tuesday evening August 18 kick off 7.45 pm and then Northwood on Saturday 22nd August with a 3 pm start.