Martin: We’re not a dirty side

Manager Paul Martin says his weekend was “ruined” by Romford’s 1-0 defeat at Ryman One North rivals Ware.

Boro finished the match with nine men after captain Paul Clayton received a straight red card in the opening exchanges and Jamie Dicks was dismissed late on, provoking a mass brawl on halfway.

Martin said: “I’d be talking about the referee even if we’d won 6-0. It ruined my weekend.

“Clayton’s red card was very harsh, but Jamie Dicks was more of a sending-off.

“But Nick Reynolds was left with blood pouring out of his nose after an elbow and their player only got booked.

“Then what fascinates me about the brawl at the end, is I get two players booked and they had none.

“The player grabbed Jamie Dicks by the throat and got nothing. That caused the brawl!

“There were 30 people pushing about and Lamar (Johnson) was booked, but their keeper ran 30 yards as well and he wasn’t booked.

“The officials said they didn’t see him, but he had a luminous green shirt on!”

Both Clayton and Dicks will now serve three-game bans, while Jack Barry is due to sit out Saturday’s home match against Maldon following his recent sending-off for handball.

Martin added: “We’re not a dirty side. We’ve had some disciplinary problems, but that’s mainly verbals.

“It’s made us look poor as a club. The boys were devastated. They put 100 per cent in and I couldn’t ask for more.

“On the footballing side, we had chances and were unlucky not to get a point at least.

“We were worth a win. We put our heart and soul into the game and to concede that late, with all the issues going on, I’ve got nothing but praise for my players.”

Romford are due to return to action at bottom club Ilford tomorrow (Wednesday).