Romford 2 (1) v Leyton 2 (2) - Attendance 85

Leyton put more into their game overall and attacking mainly on each flank they caused a reshuffled Romford defence many problems throughout the game.

Not to say that the home side didn’t have their moments but being on the back foot overall throughout most of the first half these were few and far between and it was no surprise when the visitors opened the scoring after 18 minutes of play.

The ball was played through to Charlie Hamshire in the right hand penalty area and he made no mistake with a hard low shot across Danny Mulrooney in the home goal who go his hand to the ball but couldn’t prevent it from going into the net.

Play continued in the same vein and Leyton took a two goal lead ten minutes later when one of their forwards seemed to stumble into the right hand side of the Romford penalty area and the referee decided that a penalty was warranted.

It was Hamshire again who took the spot kick and his ground shot beat Mulrooney for speed to his right.

The home side then decided that it was time to put more effort into their play and reduced the deficit on 24 minutes again from a penalty decision given against a hand ball from a James Gammons shot. Paul Kavanagh put the spot kick away with his usual aplomb.

Play was more even in the second half and a slightly changed Romford formation began to create a lot more chances than they had in the first .

Unfortunately Gammons received a straight red card mid way through the half when, trying to pull away with the ball from a Leyton defender who was trying every physical means to prevent him from doing so, he was penalised for a raised arm offence.

This misfortune was the spur that the home side had been waiting for and they began to get a larger and larger share of possession.

However it took them into added time to level the score when substitute Andy Edmunds, having receive the ball back on the right wing from his left foot corner, aimed in a perfect right foot cross to the far post this time which centre back Matt Toms headed firmly into the visitors net.

Based on the balance of play Leyton can consider themselves unfortunate not to have picked up all three points but, due to results elsewhere, they failed to avoid probable relegation and Romford retained their same safe mid table position.

Romford squad: Mulrooney, Barry, Pearman, Ishmail (Senghore 46), Toms, Gammons, Clayton, Singh (Falco 72), Smith, Oxby, Kavanagh (Edmunds 57). Subs not used: Neville and Finn (GK).

Boro now their last home game of the season against Harlow Town this Tuesday and pay Heybridge Swifts a visit for their final game this coming Saturday April 23rd.