First Team
Matches
Sat 19 Oct 2019  ·  North Division
Romford Football Club
First Team
5
1
Histon
Romford 5, Histon 1

Romford 5, Histon 1

Michael Woods20 Oct 2019 - 07:41
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Saturday 19th October - BetVictor Isthmian League North

Romford finally put a figure in the win column with an emphatic win over Histon.

Boro boss Paul Martin opted for an adventurous 3-5-2 formation with wing backs Nathan Joseph and Giovanni Palmer encouraged to get forward, which they did to good effect, especially Palmer, who weighed in with two second half goals.

As early as the first minute, Palmer was on the front foot, combining with Timi Babalola and bursting into the Histon box, only to be denied by a last ditch tackle, but it wasn't long before Boro had their noses in front. Danny Cossington's fifth minute through pass found Babalola and he blasted the ball home off the frame of the goal. The lead lasted just two minutes however, as Histon broke down the right, and Dan Brown swept home a low cross.

Palmer was quickly into action again, charging into the visitors' penalty area before going down under a challenge from Histon keeper Sam Roach, but referee Hurst said no penalty. In the eighteenth minute however, Romford were back in front. Nathan Joseph did well on the right, and found Babalola, who in turn laid the ball off to Reece Tranter, whose low shot from the edge of the box flashed past Roach. Four minutes later it was three for Romford, and the same three players were involved. Joseph found Tranter and his low cross from the right was driven home by Babalola, who might have had a hat-trick almost immediately, but after rounding the keeper, his heavy touch allowed a Histon defender to clear.

Despite seeing plenty of the ball, Histon failed to unduly trouble Riddell in the Romford goal, and their best chance of the half saw Ed Rolph head wide.

The rain that fell as the second half began made the pitch slick and suited Romford, whose passing was equally polished, but it was a defensive error from the visitors that gave Boro an ideal start to the second period. Again, Giovanni Palmer was well forward and his presence put the Histon defence under pressure. Taking advantage of hesitant defending, he fired home a left foot shot for his first league goal for the club. A minute later, Timi Babalola was inches away from his third when his header from Nathan Joseph's superb cross was just wide of the post.

It wasn't all one-way traffic, however as Danny Cossington had to be alert to head off the line after 51 minutes, and two minutes later Histon's George Coy struck the Boro crossbar with a shot from range. Romford then had the Histon bar rattling from Reece Tranter's free-kick.

With 64 minutes on the clock, Boro completed their nap hand when Jimmy Cox and Timi Babalola combined with a pair of headed passes that set Giovanni Palmer free and he buried his shot into the bottom corner. Reece Tranter had a free-kick tipped over the bar by Roach (pictured), who then denied Babalola as the Boro striker burst through, while in injury time Ethan Kessell might have made it six, but again Roach made the save.

After defeat at the hands of Grays in midweek, this was a crucial win, and one which moves Boro to within one point of second from bottom Basildon United ahead of another tough league fixture next Saturday at Bury Town, who took advantage of Maldon & Tiptree's involvement in the FA Cup to move to the top of the table after their win at Felixstowe & Walton United.

Romford: Jack Riddell, Nathan Joseph (Inesh Sumithran, 78m), Giovanni Palmer, Luke McLeavy, Michael Agboola, Danny Cossington, Malaki Toussaint, Reece Tranter (Ethan Kessell, 69m), Jimmy Cox (Antonius Anastasios, 84m), Timi Babalola, Charlie Little. Subs not used: Danny Nesbitt, Rashaad Ogun

Match details

Match date

Sat 19 Oct 2019

Kickoff

15:00

Attendance

96

Competition

North Division

League position

11
Histon
20
Romford
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