Ryman North: Romford 1 Bowers & Pitsea 2
Bowers & Pitsea spoiled Paul Martin’s 450th match in charge of Romford by winning 2-1 in the Ryman North at Ship Lane.
Boro took an early lead and remained a goal to the good at half time, but Rob Small’s side hit back quickly after the break.
Although Romford pushed, they couldn’t find a response and lost at Ship Lane for the first time since March 12 against Maldon & Tiptree last season.
Martin made two changes from the team, which was held to a 1-1 draw at Great Wakering Rovers on Saturday.
James Ishmail missed out all together while Ryan Mallet dropped to the bench with Jamie Age and Chris Taylor replacing the pair.
Boro made a good start with Chinedu McKenzie having an effort deflected wide by Lewis Clark after two minutes.
The resulting corner came to captain Jamie Dicks at the back post and he found Age, but Rhys Madden in the away goal made a routine save.
Bowers responded and a mistake by Tarren Dhariwel nearly allowed Alfie Hilton to get in, but Martin’s men cleared.
A fine run by Dicks won Romford a corner from nothing in the seventh minute and it would prove decisive.
The set-piece by Boro’s skipper was swung all the way to the back post where Dhariwel cut inside and curled into the bottom corner brilliantly.
It was an excellent, low strike and just reward following an impressive start by the hosts at Ship Lane.
A slip by Martyn Stokes in the 13th minute allowed McKenzie to run at goal, but his through ball was intercepted and Bowers broke at pace.
Ex-Urchins forward David Knight beat the offside trap brilliantly, but his cutback couldn’t find Lewis Manor and Romford survived.
Rob Small’s team were slowly getting a foothold in the game and Hilton’s wonderful centre picked out Manor three minutes later, yet he headed over.
Hilton, who used to play for Boro, was becoming a constant threat and delivered another excellent cross into the box, which Jonathan Adebayo knocked behind.
From the resulting corner, Knight controlled and positioned to shoot, but Ryan Boswell made an exceptional block and then cleared.
A mistake at the back by Bowers presented Romford with another chance and Dicks curled into the side netting from the edge of the area.
Some of the Boro fans thought it had crept in, yet to their misfortune it was a goal kick and remained 1-0.
The visitors were getting on top now, though Martin’s team continued to defend with great discipline.
With the pace of the encounter slowing down, both sets of players clashed in the 33rd minute with tempers getting heated.
Chafer waited for a through ball to roll into his area and Brad Warner slide in, and unfortunately caught the Boro custodian late.
It looked a painful blow, yet the Bowers ace was fully entitled to go for the challenge, but Boswell wasn’t pleased.
Both players squared up to each other before several members of the respective team got involved.
The end result was a booking from referee Stu Kyle to Boswell, Warner and Adebayo for their heated reaction.
Bowers finished the first 45 strongly with Romford looking tired and fashioned two good opportunities.
Another good ball in by Hilton was cleared to Warner on the edge, yet he fired wide when well placed.
The same man was involved again a minute before the break when he ghosted past two opponents, but Boswell did enough to ensure his effort was weak and easily saved by Chafer.
At the end of the first half, three minutes of stoppage time were added on and Bowers went close again.
Referee Kyle harshly adjudged Adebayo to have given a foul away on the edge of Romford’s area.
Knight stepped up and saw his effort deflected just wide to ensure the pressure remained on the hosts.
The resulting corner was swung in and Chafer couldn’t grasp it, though Boro cleared and the half time whistle followed.
Bowers had come back well after Martin’s team edged the early exchanges, which suggested a tense second period was coming up at Ship Lane.
Small’s side began strongly after the break and Knight broke the offside trap again two minutes into the half.
After turning Chafer and Boswell, Matt Toms did well to get back and put the former Hornchurch striker off.
Knight called for a penalty from referee Kyle, yet the man in black was unmoved and Romford stayed in front.
But in the 49th minute Bowers did get their reward when Warner’s corner was headed home by Manor at the back post.
Six minutes later and they created another chance when Taylor accidently smashed the ball at team-mate Dicks from range.
Warner was played through on goal straight after, though Chafer came out quickly to smother the danger.
It was one-way traffic now and it seemed like a matter of time before Bowers scored the next goal.
Martin introduced the experience of Chris Barry on the hour mark with goalscorer Dhariwel making way.
Although it briefly stemmed the tide, the away team took the lead with 22 minutes remaining at Ship Lane.
Knight’s dangerous ball into the box nearly picked out Ben Startain, but Toms made an excellent covering tackle.
Manor picked up the loose ball inside the area and produced a neat turn before smashing into the corner.
Once again it was another accomplished finish and Romford’s unbeaten home record this season looked in serious danger.
Boro were nearly handed an equaliser in the 72nd minute, however, after a shocking back pass.
Dicks closed down Sartain well and he tried to pass back to goalkeeper Madden, though chipped wide of the Bowers number one and it went just past the post.
Romford couldn’t make the most of the corner with Toms heading off target, yet it seemed to lift the hosts.
Martin made his final roll of the dice with quarter of an hour remaining as Mallett and Ayo Olukoga were introduced in place of Taylor and Cossington.
Chafer was called into action twice after and made an excellent close range save from the impressive Warner.
Warner shoved Adebayo off the ball too easily in the 79th minute and picked out Manor, yet he fired wide.
Boro responded instantly with Olukoga skipped past two opponents before finding McKenzie, but he couldn’t beat Madden from 18-yards.
It was end-to-end now with both teams fully aware the next goal was crucial with time running out.
Romford were now camped inside Bowers half as the match entered the final 10 minutes at Ship Lane.
The visitors were defended well and should have put the contest to bed on the stroke of full time.
Warner glided past two Boro players before teeing up Manor, though Age blocked his effort on the line.
A flick by McKenzie in stoppage time set up Green inside the area, yet he smashed over when well placed.
It seemed like being Romford’s final chance before Age won a free kick in a dangerous position.
Dicks swung it in and Adebayo tried to cut back for a team-mate, but it was cleared before Boro won another foul.
Chafer lumped the ball into the box and again Bowers defended it before the full time whistle was blown.
Romford’s 16 game unbeaten record at Ship Lane stretching back to March was over despite a spirited comeback.
Martin will take his team to Haringey Borough this weekend looking to get back on track in the division.
Romford: Chafer; Adebayo, Cossington (Olukoga 75); Boswell, Toms, Dhariwel (Barry 60); Dicks; Green, Taylor (Mallett 75), Age, McKenzie.
Unused substitutes: Reynolds.
Bowers & Pitsea: Madden; Adams, Stokes, Clark; Hilton, Leahy, Sartain, Warner, Durrent (Waters 88); Knight (Russell 87), Manor.
Unused substitutes: Green, Stevens, Agombar.
Attendance: 111.
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