ROMFORD 1 (0) - (0) 0 East Thurrock United Attendance 102

Both teams used the occasion to mix up their first team, reserves and youth team and it was maybe due to this that the first half took a long time to get going. Chances for either team were few and far between with Eddie Hart and Tom Richardson both dragging good chances wide of the goal and Elliott Long having a long distance shot saved for Romford. At the other end East Thurrock were mainly resorting to having shots from distance until on twenty-eight minutes the referee let a foul on Scott Truman go, leaving Kye Ruel the chance to run into the box from the left hand side, but his shot could only find the outside of the post and go wide. Eddie Hart and Tom Richardson were linking up well for the Boro but just couldn't produce the goods due to a combination of strong defending and good keeping.
The second half was played at a much higher tempo and it was Romford who were on top for long periods. Straight from kick off Reece Tranter had a run and his shot was deflected wide for a corner that Elliott Long put into the box. Scott Truman rose the highest to meet the ball and his downward header into the six yard box was met by Eddie Hart who turned and fired the ball towards goal but somehow David Huges flung himself across his goal and made a fantastic save. Jamie Dicks found Reece Tranter out wide on fifty-five minutes with a clever ball and his rasping near post drive was tipped over. James Ishmail came out of the back four to sting the palms of Huges from distance before Romford got the goal their play deserved. Reece Tranter picked the ball up and he drove into the box but just as he was about to shoot he and Eddie Hart got in the way of each other before a neat flick back by Eddie Hart found Reece Tranter again in space and the winger flicked the ball over the keeper, off the bar and into the net to record his first goal for the club on his first start.
Romford had chances to double their lead but Tom Richardson had a shot saved and Eddie Hart slipped when through on goal and in the last ten minutes the Rocks threw everything forward, with Aaron Omand making a great save from Grant Eagle when the midfielder beat the offside trap to go through and from the rebound the ball was chipped back towards the empty net but hit the bar and went over. In the last minute David Bryant had a shot saved by Aaron Omand and Romford who had defended well all night saw out injury time before the referee brought the game to a close.

ROMFORD 1 REECE TRANTER 63,
EAST THURROCK UNITED 0

ROMFORD: AARON OMAND, DAVID OTTLEY, GEORGE WOODWARD (LEWIS FRANCIS 68), SCOTT TRUMAN, JAMES ISHMAIL, JAMIE DICKS, CONNOR GOLDSTONE (MICHAEL SAMMUT 59), REECE TRANTER, EDDIE HART (RYAN IMBERT 75), TOM RICHARDSON, ELLIOTT LONG. SUBS NOT USED ROBBIE NORRIS.