Thamesmead Town 4 (1) - (1) 3 ROMFORD Attendance 47 - Bayliss Avenue

In this attacking end to end game both teams went close early on with Romford's Jonathan Adebayo's shot from distance being saved by Andrew Walker while at the other end two left wing crosses in quick succession failed to find the net, with debutant Oreoluwa Ogunleye nearly turning into his own net with one and Mead striker Ike Feehi blazing over with the next. David Manu making his first start for the club was causing his marker all sorts of problems but his crosses were flashing across the goal with the Boro forwards unable to connect. Another Manu run just after the half hour lead to two chances for Jonathan Adebayo but both goalbound efforts were blocked. Thamesmead, who had already been forced into an early substitution were made to make their second before half time when a ball over the top was chased by Chinedu McKenzie forcing Walker to be quick off his line to head the ball clear. Unfortunately his follow through took him into centre back Joe Denly who remained motionless on the floor for nine minute before being stretchered off and taken to hospital with everyone from both clubs wishing the player a speedy recovery. Three minutes into first half stoppage time Manu ran into the box at speed and was fouled, leaving the referee no option but to point to the spot. Jamie Dicks stepped up and blasted the ball in to the left hand side of the net to give Romford the lead. However, with half time rapidly approaching Mead won a free kick and Tom O'Connor whipped the ball over the wall and into the net to make it all square.

Seven minutes after the restart, and a speculative Adebayo effort squeezed past the keeper before striking the inside of the post and rolling across the goal line but the ball did not fully cross it and was scrambled clear. In the sixty-fourth minute a left wing cross was only parried by Callum Chafer and Paul Vines was on hand to stab the ball home for Thamesmead. The lead only lasted for three minutes however, as Chafer's long free kick was flicked on by Will Green to McKenzie who twice turned his man inside out before placing his shot into the back of the net. This topsy-turvey game continued as straight from kick off Mead got into the Boro box and Aaron Rhule curled the ball into the net with the outside of his left foot. Romford brought on Nick Reynolds for his 200th appearance for the club and he marked this occasion with a goal, sliding in after a great cross by McKenzie from the right in the eighty-second minute, but once again Boro were only on terms for less than a minute as Chafer found a low shot too hot to handle and Feehi scrambled the ball home. Thamesmead had a chance to extend the lead, but a fierce effort hit the bar while Ogunleye nearly grabbed an equaliser in injury time but his shot was saved and Boro could not force the penalty shoot out.
Apart from the serious looking injury it had been a very entertaining evening for the spectators but both managers may not have been totally satisfied with their team's performances in defence.

THAMESMEAD TOWN (1) 4 O'CONNOR 45+8, P.VINES 65, RHULE 69, FEEHI 83

ROMFORD (1) 3 JAMIE DICKS 45+3 (PEN), CHINEDU MCKENZIE 68 ,NICK REYNOLDS 82

ROMFORD: CALLUM CHAFER, ASHLEY BANKOLE, DAVID MANU, OREOLUWA OGUNLEYE, JAMES ISHMAIL (TOM POTTER 62), JONATHAN ADEBAYO, RYAN MALLETT, JAME DICKS (RYAN BOSWELL 76), CHINEDU MCKENZIE, CHRIS TAYLOR (NICK REYNOLDS 71), WILL GREEN SUBS NOT USED CHARLIE PORTWAY, DANNY COSSINGTON

YELLOW CARDS: ASHLEY BANKOLE 90