In a final pre-season friendly away to Harlow Town, played "behind closed doors" at the host's request, a scrappy goal in added time saw Boro fall to a 3-2 defeat and end their pre-season programme winless.

The game started well for Romford when, after 7 minutes, Rhian Fowler's header set Fabio Vieira on a dazzling run down the right flank , beating two defenders before cutting inside and putting a pass into the path of Aron Gordon. The winger duly lashed home an unstoppable shot off the far post to put Boro 1-0 ahead.

Harlow equalised on the half hour through a shot that 18 year old 'keeper George Sapsford had covered until a wild deflection took it away from him and into the net. As the evenly contested half drew to a close, the home side took the lead through a shot that Sapsford was able to block but not hold onto. The ball fell invitingly to a Harlow forward for the simplest of tap-ins.

Seven minutes into the second half, Boro equalised as Freddie Tandon leapt highest to meet Flynn Hamilton's corner from the left with a bullet header. Romford enjoyed a good spell early in the half but were grateful to Sapsford who twice came off his line to successfully intercept Harlow forwards who had beaten Boro's efforts to play them offside.

As the game entered stoppage time, a draw seemed to be a fair reflection of the action but the home side snatched victory through a scrappy goal. The ball had pinballed around the Boro penalty area, with Sapsford making at least two blocks before the ball ended up in his net.

Of some concern will be injuries that saw three Romford players having to be substituted. Jaxon Brown left the action after 20 minutes with a bloodied and swollen nose, to be followed later in the first half by Rhian Fowler, with what appeared to be a thigh strain. The biggest worry will be for Prince Sikiru, who had to be helped off 20 minutes into the second half with a knee injury, although he was seen after the game walking with an icepack on his knee.

Romford: George Sapsford, Rhian Fowler, Teddy Desmond, Alfie Osborne, Alfie Leach, Freddie Tandon, Aron Gordon, Prince Sikiru, Jaxon Brown, Flynn Hamilton, Fabio Vieira. Substitutes (all used): Julius Nwike, Ekow Owusu-Boakye, Greig Stewart, Ben McCrow, Dhillon Sandhu-Nelson, Elton Gjonbala, Matt Price.