Heybridge Swifts 3 (2) v Romford 2 (2) - Attendance 138

Having said that, this fixture was a fitting finale to the season being played hard and fast by both teams with much end to end goalmouth action the further the game developed.

Swifts shaded the early action and moving the ball fast around the pitch took the lead with the aid of an element of luck on 8 minutes. Reece Morgan received the ball from a free kick out on the left, moved forward and letting fly along the ground fly from fully 30 yards out his shot found its way past everyone in the Romford penalty area and into the net past an unsighted Danny Mulrooney in the visiting goal.

Boro immediately fought back with a Paul Kavanagh cross from the left being bundled into the Heybridge net by Toran Senghore.

Both sides had their moments of possession after this but it was the hosts who took the lead once again mid way through the half when Ricky Griggs broke through to score.

With 35 minutes of the game gone the visitors were again rewarded for their fight back efforts when Senghore received a long ball on the left, forced his way in and placed an inch perfect low cross which Kurt Smith converted and the score then remained at 2-2 until the half time break.

Heybridge had the first effort of note after the restart when Ryan Hull hit a a hard long shot which whistled just past the visitors goal post then a Chris Thomas/Andy Edmunds move for Romford went unrewarded.

On 56 minutes came the moment when ultimately decided the match when Swifts’ Nathan Smith received the ball just outside his opponents’ penalty area and in turning appeared to control the ball with his left hand which allowed him a clear shot on the Boro goal from which he scored. Despite much protestation from the visiting defence the referee who was on the blind side of this action allowed the goal to stand as neither of his assistants were able to contribute much help in the matter either.

Heybridge almost increased their lead further a few minutes later during a goalmouth scramble but Mulrooney dived bravely to collect the ball and then it was Romford’s turn but Chris Thomas could only direct his header from an Edmunds cross into his opposing keeper Jamie Bower’s hands.

Then the same player did the same from a Jack Barry cross and going into the final quarter of the game Edmunds just put his shot wide from a Smith pass.

Play rapidly switched from end to end with Boro’s Smith just being unable to get to a Richard Oxby free kick to do any damage, then Swifts’ Luke Fisher just failed with his effort and Senghore likewise at the other end.

The visitors piled on the pressure in their efforts to get back on terms and with the final minutes looming Smith went down in the Heybridge penalty area to much appealing from his Romford team mates. A penalty was not awarded but this incident led to an altercation as a result of which a Heybridge player was red carded.

Boro had the final attack but Edmunds could not keep his cross from a Barry pass low enough into his opponents penalty area low enough to do any damage.

Romford squad: Mulrooney, Oxby, Neville, Clayton, Toms (Ishmail 64), Gammons (Barry 57), Thomas, Edmunds, Smith, Senghore, Kavanagh (Pearman 70). Subs not used: Falco and Mathews (GK).

This final game and other results gave Boro a creditable final 13th place in their first season back in the Ryman league. Everyone now look forwards to the final club event of the season which is the Players Presentation Evening this coming Saturday.