Captain looks on as team-mates win

Romford captain Jack Barry paid tribute to his team-mates after their win at Ryman North rivals Thamesmead last night.

Eddie Hart’s goal proved the difference between the two sides at Bayliss Avenue, but Barry was forced to miss the action after aggravating an injury during the warm-up.

He said: “It was a great win last night for us. I was supposed to start, but I twisted my knee on Saturday when I was away.

“In the warm-up I was striking the ball and my knee just wasn’t having it, so it was for the best that I rested for Saturday so I can be fully fit.”

Nathan Cooper came into the starting line-up at the last minute and helped Paul Martin’s men keep a clean sheet as they bounced back from their New Year’s Day defeat at Great Wakering.

And Barry felt the 1-0 win was fully merited, adding: “The boys that played deserve so much credit. They all put a shift in last night and were outstanding from the first minute until the last.

“We created so much that the scoreline didn’t do us justice really. We could have had four or five, but it might have done us good in a way to see a 1-0 out.

“We played some really good football in the build-up to some of our chances. It was good to watch and we definitely deserved all three points.”

Boro are set to welcome Brightlingsea Regent to Ship Lane on Saturday and Barry wants them to build on their success at Thamesmead and get revenge, having lost their two previous meetings with the Essex club in league and cup action this season.

He added: “It was nice to go away from home on a Tuesday night and get the win. Hopefully we can put in the same performance on Saturday and have a good start to the year.”