Barking 3 (1) - (0) 0 ROMFORD Attendance 101 - Mayesbrook Park

With five first choice players unavailable Boro gave a debut to new signing Russell Barratt and made the early running, forcing some corners but without showing too much threat in front of goal. The Barking forwards were not posing many problems either until the twenty ninth minute when the Romford defence did not deal with a long throw from the right which drifted into the goalmouth for Darrell Russell to touch the ball past Rhys Hughes in the Boro goal. The visitors best chance to get back on terms before the interval came when skipper Danny Cossington showed great anticipation to get on the end of a free kick to the far post but could only steer his effort wide.

Romford upped the tempo after half time and on fifty six minutes Jonathan Nzengo dribbled down the left before cutting back inside to an area where he is always dangerous and his left shot beat the Barking stopper but hit the inside of the far post and then rebounded across goal to strike the other post before being hacked clear. Boro's luck seemed to have changed in the seventy sixth minute when a long hopeful ball into the area was handled by a home defender and the referee pointed to the spot. With first choice penalty takers Kurt Smith and Rodney Lemba out injured and Max Bolton, who had successfully converted one in the last match having been substituted a few minutes earlier, Toby Barlow stepped up but could only hit his shot over the crossbar. A minute later Barking took full advantage when Russell got his second from close in from a low left wing cross.

Romford pushed forward as they desperately tried to salvage something and twice Khadean Campbell made excellent jinking runs into the area, but on both occasions seemed to want one touch too many before pulling the trigger. Finally, after five minutes of added time Joe Campbell's penalty for the hosts made the final scoreline even more emphatic.

Team: Rhys Hughes, Jonathan Nzengo, Toby Barlow, Nathan Okoye, George Forrest, Danny Cossington (c), Chris Taylor, Max Bolton (Nathan Joseph 59), Khadean Campbell, Reece Barrett, Greg Akpele (Nick Reynolds 59)
Unused Subs: Golden Igbineweka, Danny Jones, Stephen Reynolds

Yellow Card: George Forrest 87