Heybridge Swifts 3 (0) - (1) 1 ROMFORD Attendance 94

Heybridge had the first chance after 5 minutes when a corner was headed just over but this was followed by a period of sustained pressure from Romford with them coming nearest when a Jamie Dicks cross whistled just past the post after eluding the onrushing Nick Reynolds. Paul Clayton received a booking after only 15 minutes for a second late challenge but this did not stop the tackles flying in from both teams in which was becoming a fast and feisty encounter with some good football. Scott Truman made two great blocks to stop a couple of fierce Heybridge shots and up the other end the keeper did well to hold a shot from James Ishmail which took a wicked deflection. However the Boro defender, playing in a more forward role was not to be denied, and a minute before the break he took a clever return pass from Abs Seymour and hit the ball first time into the net to send Boro in with a well deserved lead.
Unfortunately they did not get the opportunity to build on this advantage as the second half was only two minutes old when from a quick break the ball was being picked out of the Romford net. They tried to come back and managed to hit the foot of the post directly from a Nick Reynolds long throw which surprised everyone, but were rocked again after 61 minutes when another quick break and cross by the home team was unluckily turned into his own goal by Matt Toms as he was trying to prevent it reaching a Heybridge forward.
The game continued to flow back and forth and Boro's best chance to equalise followed a surging Jamie Dicks run and cross in the 83rd minute with two fierce shots on target in quick succession by Abs Seymour and Eddie Hart only just stopped by the keeper. Two minutes later Heybridge made sure of the points with a soft goal after a mix up in the Romford defence.

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS 3 DUMAKA 47, 63, GUY 85.
ROMFORD 1 JAMES ISHMAIL 43

ROMFORD: ATU NGOY, JACK BARRY (c), JAMIE DICKS, SCOTT TRUMAN, MATT TOMS, PAUL CLAYTON, ROBBIE NORRIS (TOM RICHARDSON), ABS SEYMOUR, ROB WHITNELL, NICK REYNOLDS (EDDIE HART), JAMES ISHMAIL
UNUSED SUBS: GEORGE WOODWARD, AARON OMAND

YELLOW CARD: PAUL CLAYTON (15)

Report by Phil Redwin