Week 4 - RTFC Vs Edmundsons

Romford Town Official Website

RTFC - 3 Vs Edmundsons - 10

Unfortunately, the score above doesn't do the team justice on a night when things could have so easily gone the other way if lady luck was with Romford Town.

A valiant effort was made by all players, most of them usually on top form when attacking but disorganised when defending. Most chances were made on the counter as opposition players were pressured well into panic passing or bad dribbling mistakes so that Romford Town could penalise the mistakes but it just wasn't happening.

From the off things were looking bad as every Edmundson player showed good skill on the ball and made good attacking runs which caught an unprepared Towner defence unable to stop initial attacks. Within the first 3 minutes Romford Town were 2-nil down and playing to restore the scoreline but it wasn't paying off. The Towner replies to Edmundson goals were unlucky as some good play exposed a decent Edmundson defence only for Jones to get unlucky by slamming some fine shots agains post and bar.

Towns opponents closed down well making individual towner dribbles and runs harder to pull off with any success but Roger Dogs found space early on from the left hand side to trouble the keeper with right, side-footed shot but the keeper got down well to his left and fumbled the save. It was enough to save the shot from going in and the keeper collected the ball before it returned to the pitch outside his area.

Spud was alright but Hoddle had always said that he wasn't a natural goalscorer

Much of same ensued as the match continued to frustrate Romford Town attacks but reward Edmundson attack with goals. Shit goals, mostly deflections.

After two weeks of half-decent referees, tonights ref seemed to have been bribed by the Edmundson manager as every decision that should have been a free kick to Romford Town for the 'overhead height' rule went the other way. Determined tackles and attacks nearly always left our opposition with a freekick which didn't help the Towner cause at all.

At one point John 'No remorse' McGhee started swearing at the fuckwit ref but only got himself a warning for bad language. Weird, because usually when a player complains about a bad refereeing decision he changes his mind and gives a penalty to the deserving team. Like fuck he does.

With more Edmundson goals going in and more Romford Town attacks being stamped out it time for something to actually come off for Romford Town. Half way through the first half, Towners Man of the Match tonight, DMK found himself with a little space all of a sudden on the edge of the area which the prolific goalscorer punished the opposition for. A sweet goal curling slightly into the top right hand corner of the goal capped a fine Romford Town move.

The only decision which went the Romford Town way tonight resulted in a penalty after a passback from a player who ran into his own area slightly. Murrell stepped up to tell Jones to take the spot kick who made no mistake in slamming it past the keepers right side. Legend.

As the whistle came to end the first half Romford still had a win within the sights expecting more of the same effort and persistance from the first half to pay off in the second but things went to shit.

Rejoining the second half the Towners kicked off with the classic John McGhee 'shot from the half-way line' but it was charged down immediately by an opposition player. At the beginning of the second it was 3-2 to Edmundsons but that soon changed. Romford Town were exposed at the back on multiple occasions as they were unable to contain a team that were on form as they attacked. Marking one player was useless as more always came to join the attack. Goals from the opposition were still deflected or lucky though (not biased at all, honest, ask me mum) as the score slipped further away from Romford Town reach.

Hammonds goalkeeping had done the Towners proud in the first but was unlucky in the second as the shots came flying in. On one occasion Steve was even nutmegged but thankfully he still managed to save a shot with his face again at least one point during the match.

Late in the second a further consilation was added to the Towner scorecheet as Murrell found himself in space just a bit past the edge of the area directly in front of the goal. Controlling a bouncing ball well, the starlet drilled it into the left corner past the keeper.

Further bad luck dogged the Towners even later in the first half, quite literally, as Roger 'Dogs' was injured after shooting and was forced to leave the pitch to continue the final minutes of the game on the sidelines.

Finally the whistle went and the Towners left the drizzled-on pitch to cry in the bar, but realisation of an unlucky night left the boys in hope of making up for it next week.

Reunited with the Towners again, Benny Brace gave a short speech after receiving the honoured Players Player of the season award on Sunday. 'Thank you' were among the words in the speech.

Hammond does well to, er, save down low? (Pic from training for other game last season)

Individual Ratings

DMK - Did well tonight to take the Man of the Match award with a fine performance when attacking. Got back well tonight aswell, on occasion being the only player in defence. A nice goal, well taken aswell caps a good night for Dan.

Roger Dogs - Did well tonight, unlucky with the afformentioned first shot that really summed up the entire night for the Towners. Battled up and down the pitch with his consistent tackling and attacking and shooting at the other end.

Benny Brace - There when it mattered most of the time with the tackles but was well conatined by the opposition players tonight. Those usual booming runs down the wings were absent as a result tonight but Benny's containment doesn't happen too often thankfully.

Stevie Hammond - Had a sterling first half but lost concentration in the second a bit. Pulled off some fine saves but most of the time in second half, Edmundson players had too much time and space for Steve to do anything about it after deflections from our players gave them these opportunities. More effective rolling out tonight.

John McGhee - Not a bad game at all tonight, kept working hard and sticking to it. Tackling was on top tonight and positioned himself well to intercept and break down a good few Edmundson attacks. Good work.

Chris Jones - Pretty good game for the captain tonight who's tackling was also on form. Difficult role for Jones as we needed him to come forward and attack but his also missed in defence when he did come forward. Some nice passing on the attack aswell. Still gunning for that Man of the Match though.

Rickee Murrell - Got a second wind from somewhere towards the end of the second half but fucked up a couple of passes and shots. Still scored a nice goal though. Did the match report pretty quick for once.