Needham Market 3 (1) - (0) 0 ROMFORD attendance 192

Needham took the lead in the second minute when Ian Westlake's free kick took a massive deflection and beat goalkeeper Aaron Omand. Four minutes later and Aaron Omand made a great diving save from the head of Luke Ingram. Needham were well on top dominating play without making any clear cut chances and a minute from half time Romford failed to clear the ball but Westlake shot just wide before Romford created their first chance in injury time when a neat one two by Kurt Smith and debutant Luke Stanley allowed the ball to fall to George Woodward whose left foot shot was blocked in the six yard box.
Just after half time Sheridan Driver lobbed the ball over the bar when through on goal but after that Romford piled the pressure on Needham. Kurt Smith missed a good chance when the ball fell kindly to him in the box on fifty-four minutes and on sixty minutes after great play by Abs Seymour and David Ottley the ball was dragged back to George Woodward who managed to get a shot off after being clattered by the Needham defender but the referee failed to point to the spot.
Needham still looked dangerous on the counter attack but it was Romford looking more likely to score next and Kurt Smith had a great chance on sixty-four minutes when one on one with the Market keeper Andrew Plummer. After setting himself and passing the ball into the net the stopper's hand came out of nowhere to claw the ball back despite it being well past him. Sam Nunn headed wide when unmarked from a Needham free kick with fifteen minutes left to play and Tom Richardson headed inches over when arriving late at the far post from a Joe Oates cross minutes later.
Needham earned a soft free kick on eighty-eight minutes and the deep cross was headed across the goalmouth by Jamie Guy and Lee Townrow bundled it in from only a few yards out. In stoppage time Sam Newson put a gloss on the score line after clearly fouling Luke Stanley from a time wasting short corner. The referee waived play on and Newson ran into the box and shot low into the net.
It was a great effort from the lads and they deserved a draw especially with the long list of key first team players that were missing for the Boro.

NEEDHAM MARKET 3 WESTLAKE 2, TOWNROW 88, NEWSON 90+1
ROMFORD 0

ROMFORD: AARON OMAND, DAVID OTTLEY, JOE OATES, SCOTT TRUMAN, JAMES ISHMAIL (JOEL PALMER 88), ABS SEYMOUR, GEORGE WOODWARD, TOM RICHARDSON, KURT SMITH, LEWIS FRANCIS (RYAN IMBERT 68), LUKE STANLEY.

YELLOW CARDS: RYAN IMBERT, KURT SMITH