Ilford 1 (0) – Romford 1(1) - Attendance 98

For this Boxing Day clash Romford travelled the short distance up the London Road to meet old rivals Ilford. They were without five 1st team regulars as Rob Port, Jack Barry, Chris Thomas and Paul White were suspended and Paul Clayton was still out with his long term injury.
Boro started the game the brighter and put together some good early moves. After five minutes Richard Oxby did well to find Kurt Smith who cut inside to fire off a fierce shot that was well saved by Robb Budd in the Ilford goal (he was to be the bane of our forwards the entire match).
Two minutes later Smith did well to win the ball and find Scott Truman who then passed inside to Toran Senghore but he wasn’t able to fully control the ball and it ended up with the keeper.
After ten minutes Smith again wins the ball in the Ilford area then lays it off to Paul Kavanagh whose low hard cross is deflected out for a corner. After 16 minutes Romford win a free kick which is taken by Truman, Steve Willis rises to head the ball goal wards only to see Budd make another good save.
After 20 minutes Ilford start to come into the game and create a few chances of their own, Ian Cooper is put through but his shot goes wide of Neil Finns post. A minute later Junior Appiah is put clean through on goal with just Finn standing in his way, but he shoots badly wide.
The game then gets a bit bogged down in midfield until the 37th minute when Romford break forward where the Ilford defence somehow manage to beat away two shots in quick succession from Smith and Senghore.
Back down the other end and Troy Hewitt brings out a very good save from Neil Finn. A minute before the end of the first half Truman wins the ball and sends Smith away who slots the ball wide of the advancing Budd to give Boro a half time lead in a game they had just about shaded until then.
A minute after restart good work by Senghore on the right sets up Kavanagh but his shot goes over the bar. Ilford were reduced to 10 men a minute later when Junior Appiah saw red after an off the ball incident.
On 50 minutes a Kavanagh free kick finds Smith but he sends his shot just wide of the post. In the 56th minute a defensive mix up allows Hewitt to go through where he calmly beats Finn to bring the scores level. Despite facing ten men Boro seem to lose their shape and find themselves put under pressure by Ilford but their hosts rarely trouble Finn.
On the hour a long ball into the Ilford box finds us watching a clever juggling act by Budd as he first palms the ball away from Smith then taps it over another Boro forward before gathering the ball safely.
Boro start to come back into the game as in the 66th minute Kavanagh finds Martin Heed with a throw in who lays it back to Smith who shoots just wide of the far post. Soon after Smith finds Richard Oxby in a good position who fires in a shot that Budd again save well.
With 15 minutes remaining Hewitt gets through again and Finn in racing out brings him down and is horrified to see the Referee reach for his red card, a bit harsh in my opinion with two Boro defenders homing in on Hewitt, probably just deserved a yellow. This seemed to spark life back into Romford and they had Ilford hanging on for a draw they probably just about deserved, with a Willis shot deflected and a long range Smith shot going just wide.
Boro manager Paul Martin though thought it was two points thrown away.

Romford Squad: Finn, Truman (Mulrooney), Neville, Toms, Willis Gammons, Heed, Oxby, Smith, Senghore (Skinner), Kavanagh (Godbold).

Romford now have two consecutive home league games. They host Redbridge this Tuesday evening December 29th kick off 7.45 pm and then play the return game with Ilford on Saturday January 2nd kick off 3pm.