ROMFORD 2 (1) - (0) Witham Town 3 Attendance 85

A comedy of errors by referee Hallem Cutmore nearly ruined a great game of football before Kris Newby's late goal.
Romford twice had to clear the ball off their own goal line inside the first three minutes as Witham attacked from the off but George Woodward should have done better on seven minutes but could only fire over after being found in space by Abs Seymour.
Romford did open the scoring on ten minutes when Tom Richardson converted from the spot after a soft penalty had been won when Witham defender Bradley Stokes was harshly adjudged to have fouled Jamie Dicks. Eight minutes later and Romford were inches away from doubling their lead but Ryan Imbert was a studs length away from getting on the end of Tom Richardson's cross. On thirty-three minutes Atu Ngoy was sent scrambling across his goal to save from Rob Whitnall after a mistake in the Boro defence. The last ten minutes of the first half was end to end stuff with Eddie Hart fizzing the ball just over the bar, Tom Richardson hit a volley that was blocked on the line and Ryan Imbert dragged wide for Romford while Atu Ngoy was kept busy by shots from James Stevens and Khris Newby.
Romford doubled their lead straight after half time when Tom Richardson’s went on one of his Gazza like runs before teeing up Abs Seymour who feigned to shoot but passed to Eddie Hart who clipped the ball over the onrushing keeper to make it two-nil on forty-seven minutes. Witham made a double substitution and one of them, Dean Green helped get them back in the game on fifty-five minutes when he dragged back Scott Truman, but the referee ignored the shouts from the Romford players and the ball was pulled back to Newby who scored from close range. The equaliser came from a penalty to Witham on seventy-one minutes but once again the referee was the centre of attention making two major mistakes in one incident. Abs Seymour fouled the Witham player just outside the box but if the referee had played on for a split second more the ball was lashed into the goal. Witham were furious that the goal did not stand but then Romford were furious that he pointed to the spot as if to make up for his mistake and James Stevens dispatched the ball home. Newby stole the points in the second minute of injury time firing high and fast past Atu Ngoy at his near post but Romford were denied another penalty moments later when there was a clear handball in the box, before the referee brought his poor performance to an end and sent the Witham fans home happy and the Romford fans will be thinking what might have been.

ROMFORD 2 TOM RICHARDSON PEN 10, EDDIE HART 47
WITHAM TOWN 3 NEWBY 55, 90+2, STEVENS 73

ROMFORD: ATU NGOY, DAVID OTTLEY, GEORGE WOODWARD, SCOTT TRUMAN (ROBBIE NORRIS 64), JAMES ISHMAIL, PAUL CLAYTON, JAMIE DICKS, ABS SEYMOUR (MICHAEL SAMMUT 73), RYAN IMBERT, TOM RICHARDSON, EDDIE HART (LEWIS FRANCIS 83) SUBS NOT USED: ELLIOTT LONG, REECE TRANTER.

YELLOW CARDS: ROBBIE NORRIS 65, JAMES ISHMAIL 68.