After twice falling two goals behind to promotion chasing SOUL Tower Hamlets, Romford fought back to earn a draw that was the least they deserved from a battling performance.

It was an unfamiliar Boro line-up that started the game, with regulars Christian Adu Gyamfi (suspended), Ryan Sammons (injured) and Lewis Browne all unavailable and Sonny Dutton having left the club. Chinedu Duru started up front and the returning Nick Reynolds was joined in defence by Liam Boxall making his Boro debut after a brief spell with us in 2022-3. Rhian Fowler was also able to take his place in the team, his appeal against the red card he received last week being upheld. Henry Hart, back from injury, was on the bench along with another new signing, central defender Jack Hurley.

The early exchanges were even but it was the home side who took the lead after 12 minutes as Brad Davison appeared to hesitate when Eric Koduah was put through on the right, Koduah's shot beating Davison and Nick Reynolds, who was only able to follow the ball into the net in his attempt to clear.

Boro were almost back level within a minute, when Tower Hamlet's 'keeper Max Pitman was beaten by Louis Mathias's shot only for the ball to bounce back off the far post. Teddy Desmond's follow up was cleared off the line but fell to Chinedu Duru, whose shot was blocked.

Tower Hamlets extended their lead on 16 minutes after former Boro players Ash Siddik and Sherman Artmeladze combined, Siddik finding Artmeladze on the left, who bamboozled Harry Elsey before lobbing the ball over Davison from just inside the penalty area.

On 26 minutes, Louis Mathias, having his best game in Boro colours, saw his looped shot comfortably saved by Pitman. Mathias then won a corner for Romford on 34 minutes, taken by Flynn Hamilton and met by Nick Reynolds with a powerful header that gave Pitman no chance as Boro reduced the deficit (main picture, above).

Hamilton had a shot blocked three minutes later as Boro applied pressure but Davison had to be called upon to tip the ball over his crossbar from a free kick taken by Siddik on 40 minutes.

The second half began with Brad Davison smothering a shot from Artmeladze but he was helpless to prevent Tower Hamlets restoring their two goal lead on 53 minutes when Koduah's shot took a wild deflection to wrong foot the Boro 'keeper. The goal appeared to inspire Romford to step up a gear and, three minutes later, Flynn Hamilton scored Boro's second goal. Hamilton had started the move himself in the centre circle, his ball out to Teddy Desmond on the left touchline being returned to him before he danced past four defenders to fire the ball past Pitman.

With the home side rattled by Boro's response, Henry Hart, on for Duru, shot wide on 75 minutes before being booked for a foul as the game approached 90 minutes. Ash Siddik's free kick found another ex-Boro man, Steve Carvell, whose shot was cleared by Harry Elsey.

A lengthy stoppage then followed after an incident involving the Tower Hamlets bench, the game re-starting well after the 90 minutes were up. Boro won a throw-in on the right, taken long by Kunle Adeyimi and, as the ball was headed clear, it fell to Boro substitute Dhillon Sandhu-Nelson just inside the penalty box. He was tripped by Tower Hamlets defender Levi Burgin and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty. Lengthy protests from the home side were dismissed and it was on 103 minutes when Flynn Hamilton stepped up to fire the spot kick home to put Boro level at 3-3. It was to be the last kick of the game, the referee blowing for time before the game could be re-started.

A well deserved point gained from a determined, battling performance as Romford prepare to face Sporting Bengal on Tuesday evening, in an away game switched to Mayesbrook Park due to the pitch at Mile End Stadium being unfit.

Romford: Brad Davison, Rhian Fowler (Dhillon Sandhu-Nelson, 81), Teddy Desmond (Kunle Adeyemi, 85), Harry Elsey, Liam Boxall, Nick Reynolds (Jack Hurley, 59), Greig Stewart, Freddy Cooper, Chinedu Duru (Henry Hart, 64), Flynn Hamilton, Louis Mathias.