These two sides had to do battle all over again after the first game was abandoned due to a serious injury to Carl Bruce of Romford, thankfully his injury was not as bad as first thought, and so the battle commenced, same two teams and match officials, just a week later.

Manor continued where they left off from last week, playing some quality football and pressurising the Romford defence from the start, Graham Chester, starting his first game for the Manor looked sharp and was causing all sorts of problems for the visitors defence, along with the powerful running of strike partner Peter Kana a break through looked inevitable, and when Chester was wrestled to the ground inside the box a penalty looked on the cards, however the ref saw it differently and waived play on.

The game was almost all Manor’s and on the odd occasion that Romford pushed forward the offside trap caught them every time. The Manor went close with a number of chances, efforts from Chester, Kana, Wallace, McCarthy & Smith either went just wide or were saved well by the keeper.

Jason McCarthy’s powerful runs down the right flank were causing the visitors to panic and when he was fed the ball just inside the box he chose the option to cross the ball rather than have a shot, the latter looking to be the better option, another Manor attack coming to nothing. Romford looked to be struggling and were never a serious threat, with Steve Reading leading by example & Ray Coker taking control at the back any threat was soon snubbed out by a superb back four.

Still chances came and went for the Manor, and the breakthrough finally came 10mins before the break, when Graham Chester was tackled from behind and collapsed in agony, the only decision looked a Manor foul, but no, the ref let it go and Romford caught the Manor flat footed and despite being offside Jordan Tolan gratefully accepted the pass and calmly slipped the ball past the advancing Prince to put the visitors 1-0 up at the break.

The second half started as the first had ended, action all the way, this time Romford pushed forward to try and get a second, but found their way blocked by the impressive Steve Reading who seemed to be winning just about every header and tackle at the back. The best chance of the second half fell to Peter Kana, with the goal at his mercy he blasted the ball wide of the post as yet another chance went begging. Next a Lee Smith header just skimmed the wrong side of the post and then two consecutive strikes by Jamie Wallace flew just wide with the keeper stranded.

More chances came and went and it looked like despite running the show, Manor were going to leave empty handed, as a Wallace free kick beat the keeper and hit the bar, and then a Lee Smith effort was saved by the keeper. Kana, Hunt & Canahm all went close, but still the Manor remained frustrated. A double substitution from the home side, saw the tireless Graham Chester replaced by Ade Skyers & Terry Hunt replaced by Paul Docherty.
Skyers was straight into the action as he raced away from the Romford back four and saw his effort gathered up by the visitors keeper. Skyers pace started to unsettle the defenders and he was tormenting them on every occasion he received the ball. His best effort was a blistering 20yd shot that hit a defender on route to goal and deflected for a corner, it was from this corner that manor found themselves back in the game, as the inswinging ball found it way to Skyers, his shot again hit a defender but this time defected into the net 1-1 and game on.

Inspired by the breakthrough, Manor looked for the winner and as time was running out Kana, Skyers & Wallace all went close. In time added on the decisive moment came as a Wallace cross seemed to be deflected for a corner via the outstretched arm of a Romford player, the lineswoman was right on the spot and duly flagged for the offence, PENALTY to the braves, and with the clock ticking down up stepped captain Steve Reading to pick up the ball and place it on the spot, after a bit of gamesmanship he planted a crisp drive into the bottom corner 2-1 to the Manor and game over.

This was a game that the Braves deserved to win and despite their bit of good fortune, no one could say otherwise. The future looks good at the Manor at the moment and once they turn their many chances into goals someone is going to be on the receiving end of a tonking.

The whole team performed superbly tonight and a M.O.M. was always going to be difficult, but it was given to Captain Steve Reading, Showed real leadership and had the bottle to take the penalty that won the game.

Manor Man of the Match

Above: Steve Reading - Scored the winner

Prince, McCarthy, Coker, Barratt, Reading, Wallace, Canham, Smith, Hunt, Kana, Chester, Subs: Skyers, Docherty, not used, Baptiste, Jenkins.

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