Needham Market and Maldon & Tiptree have beaten Romford over past week

Romford Recorder: Romford manager Paul Martin (pic: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO)Romford manager Paul Martin (pic: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO) (Image: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO c/o 27 Plaiters Way, Braintree, Essex, CM7 3LR - Editorial Use ONLY - FA Premier League and Football Lea...)

Romford manager Paul Martin is trying to remain positive despite watching his side drop into the bottom three of Ryman North after a difficult week.

They were beaten 6-2 by league leaders Needham Market last Saturday and suffered a two-goal loss at home to Maldon & Tiptree on Wednesday, whilst wins for local rivals Redbridge and Barkingside have seen Boro drop to 22nd.

Romford Recorder: Jack Barry goes close to a goal for Romford against Maldon & Tiptree (pic: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO)Jack Barry goes close to a goal for Romford against Maldon & Tiptree (pic: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO) (Image: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO c/o 27 Plaiters Way, Braintree, Essex, CM7 3LR - Editorial Use ONLY - FA Premier League and Football Lea...)

It is a worrying situation for the Ship Lane outfit, even if they are only in the relegation places because of goal difference.

“We go into games and the warm-up is good and I think we fancy it today. But we go out there and make an individual mistake and we have lost the game,” Martin said.

Romford Recorder: Nathan Cooper in aerial action for Romford against Maldon & Tiptree (pic: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO)Nathan Cooper in aerial action for Romford against Maldon & Tiptree (pic: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO) (Image: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO c/o 27 Plaiters Way, Braintree, Essex, CM7 3LR - Editorial Use ONLY - FA Premier League and Football Lea...)

“And at the end of the day it is individual errors that can get a team relegated.

“I need to keep positive for the players, though, and they are playing well enough to win games.

“It is just a case of us making too many individual errors and suffering from a lack of concentration. That is costing us at the moment.”

Boro expected a tough task when they travelled to Suffolk to face Needham Market.

However their cause wasn’t helped when they conceded two goals just before half time to find themselves 3-0 down.

Romford were trailing by five goals at one point before Nathan Cooper and Jack Barry reduced the deficit and Martin was pleased with the character they showed.

He added: “Even though we were 5-0 down after an hour we scored two goals and that shows we have some spirit.

“Plus if Jack Barry’s header had gone in at 5-3 who knows what might have happened.

“1-0 down at half time and you have a chance, but to concede two goals in the last three minutes of the half against a team that needed to win to go top is always a battle.”

Romford were looking to get back to winning ways against Maldon, but a goal towards the end of either half consigned them to a 2-0 defeat.

Martin admitted his team pushed to get the three points when they were losing 1-0, rather than keep it tight and nick a draw.

He added: “Do you sit back and try to catch them on the break and look to get a 1-1 or do you go gung-ho and try get the three points? I always try to take the three points, but we couldn’t get the goal.”

Martin concedes time is slowly running out for his team to get themselves out of the bottom three.

He also feels the teams promoted to the Ryman North this year have made it a stronger division.

“Brightlingsea Regent were one of the teams to come into the league and they have players from Colchester and Ipswich playing for them,” Martin admitted.

“The supporters are clapping the players off and everyone is behind them, but it doesn’t look good.

“There are 13 games to go so 39 points to play for and it doesn’t sound bad like that, but when you only have 31 on the board already it doesn’t sound good.”