Romford 1 (0) v Tilbury 2 (0) - Attendance 104

Romford 1 (0) v Tilbury 2 (0) - Attendance 104

Boro started in determined fashion but were unable to benefit from the early pressure they put on their opponents and the game soon settled down into a strong and physical end to end contest as the Dockers settled down more to their task.

Many of the Romford outfield players seemed to have headers or shots at the Tilbury goal at one time or the other but ‘keeper Andy Hall always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and the visitors had their forays into opposition territory too but the first half ended with neither side getting on the score sheet.

It was the Dockers who seemed to start the second half more strongly and Boro’s Matt Toms had to make a good blocking tackle to prevent them going into the lead. Home ‘keeper Neil Finn had to make a smart save too.

The deadlock was eventually broken half way into the second period when from a Scott Truman free kick from the half way line Boro’s Toran Senghore touched the ball into the visitors goalmouth and from the resulting ball rebounding melee his colleague Chris Thomas eventually forced the ball over the Dockers’ line just inside their right hand post.

Another Senghore/Thomas move came to nothing and then after another period of end to end play Tilbury were awarded a direct free kick just outside the home penalty area for a seemingly innocuous tackle on one of their players and, despite a well placed defensive wall, the visitors’ Joe Keith hit one of those “could go anywhere” strikes that sailed over an unsighted Finn’s right shoulder and into his net to level the scores.

As the game drew towards the 90 minutes a 1-1 draw seemed inevitable although Boro central defender Matt Toms went close with a header from a right wing corner which skimmed off the visitors’ crossbar.

But tragedy struck for a home defence who had defended stoutly all the game with 90 minutes on the clock when Tilbury’s Christian Wheeler ran towards a cross from his left wing and his glanced header skimmed across Finn and into the Boro net to give his team a 2-1 lead to set up a tingling period of added time.

Despite all their efforts Romford were unable to get a goal back and finished the game without any points compared to the three that they looked like getting during the latter part of the game.

Romford squad: Finn, Clayton, Neville, Truman, Toms, Gammons (Heed 77), Thomas, Barry, Smith (Burnett 73), Senghore (Jones 77), Kavanagh. Subs not used Green and Mullrooney (GK).

Boro now move on from this minor Ryman One North League set back and entertain Redbridge this coming Tuesday evening 16th February and then cross the river to visit VCD Athletic on Saturday 20th.