AFC’s last away game of the season on Saturday was a lack lustre affair and looked to be heading for a goal less draw after both sides missed first half penalties, but Romford clinched victory with a late goal from a rare shot on target to make it two consecutive defeats for Chris Tracey’s team.

The defeat made no difference to seventh-placed AFC’s slim play-off hopes as the teams above them got the necessary points to clinch play-off spots.

Tracey made four changes from the side that lost the previous game. One was forced with leading scorer James Baker sidelined through illness. In came Jamie Griffiths, while Robbie Martin and Danny Emmanuel both started as did skipper Sam Clarke.

Romford were playing their final ground-sharing game at Aveley FC’s Mill Field ground before moving to nearby Thurrock FC next season.

A hard bumpy pitch ruled out any chance of a neat passing game. In fact the ball spent most of the time up in the air and it was up in the air where one of the highlights of the day was seen…. the flying over of the ‘Good Year’ air ship en-route to its home base. It had probably been filming Sky TV’s lunchtime kick-off game at The Emirates Stadium between Arsenal and Chelsea. The air ship was overhead when AFC’s penalty kick was missed! Perhaps they have it on film!

The game got of to a slow start but was only eight minutes old when Romford were awarded a penalty for handball following a free kick into the box. But Kurt Smith fired the spot kick wide. Amazingly it was Romford’s seventh consecutive penalty miss!

AFC went on to enjoy some good approach play but they were guilty of trying to walk the ball into the net when a shot would have been a better option.

However, AFC had a great chance to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty after 30 minutes when their first corner was only partially cleared Emmanuel’s shot was handled in the area.

In the absence of regular penalty taker Baker, the spot kick was taken by David Wareham. But, like the home side, his kick was wide of the target to leave the teams level at the break.

Half time: Romford 0    AFC Sudbury 0

The second half had a real end of the season look about it with little goal mouth action and the game looked to be heading for a goal less stalemate. But four minutes from time Romford broke the deadlock when the AFC defence failed to cut out a right wing cross which found Jamie Dicks unmarked in the area and he finished clinically to score the only goal of the game.

The last few minutes were the most exciting of the contest as with AFC pressing for an equaliser there were gaps at the back and Romford squandered two good chances of increasing their lead, one of them from former AFC player, Chris Sullivan. On a one-on-one with keeper Danny Gay he was denied by a great block before Emmanuel had a great chance to salvage AFC a point. But he shot wide which just about summed up AFC’s day.

Pat Arbon