Romford started the game at a high tempo and had Cheshunt camped in their own penalty area with Chinedu McKenzie setting up Robbie Farrell who's effort was deflected just wide inside two minutes and then a neat one two freed George Woodward, but his low shot was saved two minutes later. Ten minutes in, and Akwasi Marfo beat his man down the left wing before being fouled in the box but the referee didn't think there was enough contact and waved play on. Despite Romford's great start it was the visitors who broke away and took the lead when Hallett headed home a free kick in the fourteenth minute, but the hosts hit back within four minutes when McKenzie's right wing cross found Liam Burgess. The midfielder lost control and it looked like the chance had gone but he recovered and his somewhat gentle poke hit the head of Tom Fletcher and looped over the despairing keeper's dive and into the goal. Romford were only on level terms for a short while as in the twenty-second minute Hallett hit a stunning thirty-five yard volley over Richard Wray in the Boro goal and a minute later the league's top goal scorer completed his nine minute hat trick with a left foot shot. It could have been worse for Romford in the twenty-eighth minute as Stuart Zazone chased a long ball and rounded Wray but Tom Potter was on hand to clear the ball off the line. Shell shocked Boro went into the break wondering how they were losing a game in which they had had so much of the play by two goals
Romford had the wind at their back in the second half and McKenzie should have reduced the deficit in the fifty-seventh minute when Farrell put in an inch perfect cross but the striker's downward header bounced up and over the bar. Straight from the goal kick Hallett had a great chance to grab his fourth but Wray made a smart stop. As the game wore on Cheshunt were quite content to sit on their lead and although the Boro huffed and puffed they could not find a way back into the game before the referee brought the match to a close leaving Romford just six points above the relegation zone. The match had generally been a very even affair except for in one department and probably sums up this tight division where class finishing in front of goal sorts out the promotion chasing teams from the rest.
ROMFORD (1) FLETCHER O.G 18
CHESHUNT (3) HALLETT 14, 22,23
ROMFORD: RICHARD WRAY, LUKE STANLEY, GEORGE WOODWARD, TOM POTTER, MATT FREW, JAMIE DICKS (NICK REYNOLDS 66), JAKE GIDDINGS (CHRIS TAYLOR 76), ROBBIE FARRELL, LIAM BURGESS, CHINEDU MCKENZIE, AKWASI MARFO (JOE SCOTT 72) SUBS NOT USED MOSHI OLAFUNISLE