ROMFORD 3 (2) - (1) 1 Thurrock Attendance 134

The visitors took the lead on five minutes when Charlie Stimson broke the offside trap, rounded Aaron Omand and put the ball into the empty net. Romford tried to bounce back quickly and Kurt Smith was harshly ruled to have fouled Robert Gilman before shooting low past Reece Ottley in the Thurrock goal. Gilman then had to go off injured after being clattered by Ottley and then the Fleet stopper gifted Romford a way back into the match. Abs Seymour received the ball on the edge of the box but his weak shot was going well wide before Ottley dived across and parried the ball into the path of Lewis Francis for a simple tap in on twenty-six minutes. Romford took the lead two minutes later when Lewis Francis whipped in a cross that found Tom Richardson at the far post who spectacularly smashed the ball home. Romford were well on top but couldn't find a way through the defence to extend their lead.
Thurrock came out of the blocks the quickest in the second half and twice struck the Boro woodwork early on. Ben Smith crashed a shot against the bar before Joel Nouble turned and shot against the foot of the post. On fifty-four minutes Kurt Smith held up the ball before turning his marker and sending a shot towards the top corner but Ottley threw himself across the goal and tipped the ball over. Ryan Imbert was introduced for Tom Richardson and immediately made an impact when he was tripped in the box and Paul Clayton stepped up to drive the ball down the centre of the goal to make it three-one.
Romford easily held out for the rest of the game and Kurt Smith nearly made it four in injury time when he burst through the middle, but Ottley saved with his legs and Ryan Imbert's follow up was cleared off the line.

ROMFORD 3 LEWIS FRANCIS 26, TOM RICHARDSON 28, PAUL CLAYTON PEN 68
THURROCK 1 STIMSON 5

ROMFORD: AARON OMAND, GEORGE WOODWARD, JOE OATES, SCOTT TRUMAN, PAUL CLAYTON, JAMIE DICKS (MICHAEL SAMMUT 69), ROBBIE NORRIS, ABS SEYMOUR, KURT SMITH, LEWIS FRANCIS (JAMES ISHMAIL 69), TOM RICHARDSON (RYAN IMBERT 55). SUBS NOT USED ATU NGOY.

YELLOW CARDS: JAMIE DICKS, ABS SEYMOUR, MICHAEL SAMMUT.