Match of my lifetime: Mike Woods, Romford

Grays Athletic 1, Romford 2 -Ryman League Division One North - Monday 26th December 2011

With Boro boss Paul Martin starting a two-match touchline ban and assistant Mark Lord on holiday, it was left to kit manager and programme editor Keith Preston and injured striker Kurt Smith to share the duties in the Romford dug out at East Thurrock's Rookery Hill ground for this Boxing Day fixture. A straw poll of Boro fans taken at the previous game, a 1-1 draw at home to Tilbury, revealed that many had family commitments, meaning that the number of away supporters in the crowd of 225 was down on usual numbers. Those who were there witnessed something of a smash and grab by Romford, who came from 1-0 down to win despite being reduced to ten men.

Grays started the day in third spot, just four points behind leaders Needham Market; Romford were twelfth.

After a bright early start by Boro, Paul Kavanagh's free kick being diverted behind for a corner, Grays began to assert themselves and Paul Olima was twice off target with headers before striking the crossbar with a third. Harry Agombar shot straight at Lamar Johnson from a free-kick and after Kavanagh had made an important clearance, Johnson saved well from Stanley Muguo. A rare Romford foray into home territory ended with Ellis Skidmore's shot being held by home 'keeper Aksoy, but play was soon at the Romford end again and Boro were indebted to Johnson who saved well from Small, Baker and Carlos. Half-time came with the score still 0-0 and many home supporters bemused by the fact that their side were not in front.

The second half was more of the same. Grays had the first chance of the second period, a header from Muguo that went wide. Agombar similarly missed the target when well placed and Small hit the post. A rare Boro attack ended with no one able to get on the end of a Joe Oates cross after 51 minutes, but ten minutes later the deadlock was finally broken. It seemed as though Boro were somehow keeping out everything that Grays threw at them; Lamar Johnson was in inspired form and his defenders were performing heroically in front of him, but a free-kick from the left flank finally breached the Romford goal, Agombar's cross being headed home by Bradley Thomas. Grays supporters breathed a sigh of relief, probably expecting the floodgates to open. They did not, and for good measure, two minutes later Romford were level with Abs Seymour converting a cross from the right by Dave Ottley.

Adrian Clifton and Chris Richardson, the only two outfield subs available for Romford, replaced Joe Oates and Tony Martin and then, with 78 minutes on the clock, Boro took an improbable lead with the sort of goal that the Match Of The Day pundits would drool over, if they ever had the chance to see it. Paul Kavanagh cleared a Grays corner, finding Abs Seymour just outside the Romford penalty area. Substitutes Clifton and Richardson combined to move the ball forward until it was swept wide to Dave Ottley, whose cross eluded the Grays defence and two Boro players who had got into the box, finally reaching Abs Seymour who swept the ball into the net.

A second yellow card for Jamal Heywood meant that Boro had to negotiate the last ten minutes a man short but they did so, and went away with all three points leaving Grays supporters muttering about "the one that got away." It isn't really that unusual to see a team defending for their life and then come away with a win, and while it is immensely frustrating to support the team on the receiving end, it’s equally rewarding when you follow the team that get the three points!