ROMFORD 0 (0) - (1) 3 East Thurrock United Attendance 96 - Ship Lane

In a first half lacking action East Thurrock took a lead into the interval when a deep cross to the far post was volleyed towards goal by Tom Anderson. Despite a good effort from the returning Atu Ngoy in the Boro goal, the ball trickled into the net on thirty minutes. Romford had earlier twice gone very close to opening the scoring in the ninth minute, when full back George Woodward's cross was powerfully headed toward goal by Nick Reynolds but Ryan Sammons cleared the ball off the line and when the ball found its way to Joe Bricknell the midfielder's volley was deflected just wide. An unusual aspect of the match was that one or two volunteers seemed to be spending the majority of their time retrieving the ball from outside the stadium with the visitor's keeper in particular finding more and more creative ways to clear the stands with wayward clearances.

Romford started the second half much better and were well on top for large periods with Nick Reynolds nearly getting an equaliser in the fifty-second minute. Romford's Captain for the night found himself going one on one with the keeper after a lovely build up but was denied by a good save from the Rocks' stopper. Two minutes later and the ball was in the back on the net but Joe Scott was adjudged to be in an offside position when the ball fell to him and the goal was chalked off. Romford were producing easily the best football of the night and after another neat move Reece Cosson whipped in a fantastic cross between the keeper and defenders but Joe Scott could only fire the ball over from close range. With their first foray into the Romford half East Thurrock doubled their lead when the ball came to Anderson who was in space, leaving the striker to produce a sublime chip over Atu Ngoy and into the net on sixty-six minutes. Unbelievably it was three and a hat trick for Anderson who shot into the net when the ball fell kindly to him in the box leaving East Thurrock having scored three goals from three shots on target. Romford pushed forward leaving space at the back but both teams never really produced anything more to trouble the scorers and every attempt was easily dealt with by the keepers and defences at either end.

ROMFORD (0) 0

EAST THURROCK UNITED (1) 3 TOM ANDERSON 32, 66, 71

ROMFORD: ATU NGOY, RYAN BOSWELL, GEORGE WOODWARD, SAM BURTON, NATHAN COOPER, JOE BRICKNELL (JAKE GIDDINGS 74), CHRIS TAYLOR (JAMIE DICKS 82), REECE COSSON (SHOMARI BARNWELL 83), NICK REYNOLDS, JOE SCOTT, JORDAN THOMAS SUBS NOT USED: MICHAEL GOOCH. MATT FREW