Bostik North: Hertford Town 1 Romford 0

Romford fell to their seventh consecutive defeat as they lost thanks to a late 93rd minute winner against Hertford Town.

Phillip Lowen netted late for the Blues and denied Boro of picking up a point after a solid defensive display from the visitors at Hertingfordbury Park.

Manager Paul Martin made a handful of changes from the side who suffered a 2-0 defeat to high-flying Dereham Town on the weekend as he brought in new faces in the form of Nathan Okoye, Oka Powell, Onoakwi Chiduben, while also handing starts to new signings Rob Budd and Mario Gjini who were on the bench on the weekend.

The first chance of the match didn’t come until ten minutes in when the ball fell to Hertford winger Brett O’Connor curled a shot wide of the post.

Five minutes later Emmanuel Osei broke away from defender Danny Cossington but Rob Budd came flying out of his goal to deny the forward.

The ball then came loose and found Charlie Ruff who fired a shot towards the empty net but Aaron Waters saved the day as he dove across the goal line to clear it with his head.

Romford then rushed up the pitch and had a penalty shout in the 19th minute when winger Harry Daly was brought down in the box.

It wasn’t long until the hosts were back on the attack and Boro this time had to rely on Sam Mvemba to come to the rescue as he headed the ball out for a corner.

Ruff had another chance for The Blues in the 28th minute bur headed it just wide from inside the box.

Three minutes later it was Boro’s new striker Chiduben who fired a low shot towards the bottom right but was denied by Mann after the forward found the ball at his feet as Gjini made a great run down the right but his attempt was blocked.

With ten minutes left in the first-half Hertford should have taken a 1-0 lead when Emmanuel Osei broke clear and had most of the net to shoot for but managed to send it wide of the post.

Boro scrambled the ball clear again in the 38th minute and cleared it down the pitch to find Powell Oka who cut back and left a shot fly but Mann got his hand to the ball and steered it clear.

On the stroke of half-time Hertford’s Michael Toner was picked out at the back post but he headed the ball on top of the net.

Five minutes into the second-half the visitors Chiduben laid it back from the edge of the box to Daly who rocketed a shot just wide of the post.

It was straight back down the other end and the Blues O’Connor cut in and bulleted a shot at goal but Budd punched it down before clearing it out.

Romford’s left-back Mvemba broke away down the left, played it inside for Powell, who had his shot deflected wide for a corner in the 58th minute.

The next twenty minutes were back and fourth with neither side getting a chance until the 81st minute when the visitors keeper Budd pulled off an amazing save to deny substitute George Lutaaya from point blank range.

Hertford’s Phillip Lowen slid the ball into the back of the net at the back post to give the hosts a 1-0 lead and seal the three points in the 93rd minute.

Hertford Town: Mann, Stewart, Toner, Lowen, Sharman, Beck, Light (Thomson 85), Illsley, Osei (Cole 65), Ruff (Lutaaya 72), O’Connor.

Unused subs: Palmer and Roberts.

Romford: Budd, Olukoga, Cossington, Waters, Mvemba, Heather, Okoye (Clarke 79), Powell (Austin 76), Gjini (Nzengo 67), Daly, Chiduben.

Unused subs: Tiranhu and Taylor.