Romford 1, Lowestoft Town 3: Lowestoft Town moved to the top of the Ryman League Division One North with a 3-1 victory away to Romford. On another blazing-hot afternoon Lowestoft produced some fine, flowing football to dominate the game for long periods.

Romford 1, Lowestoft Town 3

Lowestoft Town moved to the top of the Ryman League Division One North with a 3-1 victory away to Romford.

On another blazing-hot afternoon Lowestoft produced some fine, flowing football to dominate the game for long periods.

However, they did not make the start they would have liked being forced into an early change when Scott Mitchell, making only his second start of the season, was the recipient of a hefty challenge and was replaced by Reece Hunn after just nine minutes.

Adam Smith was revelling down the left flank and his forward run in the 12th minute created the opening goal for the Blues.

His cross picked out Craig Bussens whose close-range shot was parried by Romford keeper Danny Mulrooney but fell to Matt Nolan who opened his Lowestoft account from close range.

Lowestoft were well on top and were close to adding to their lead when Reece Hunn's corner was met by a near-post Matt Nolan header that was cleared off the line by Paul White.

Adam Smith carried the ball forward before taking a return pass from Gary McGee but after rounding keeper Danny Mulrooney his shot was cleared from in front of goal by Paul Clayton.

Lowestoft were not to be denied and added a second goal in the 22nd minute which came at the end of another excellent spell of flowing football.

Gary McGee started it off with a cross- field pass to Reece Hunn. He played it back to Adam Smith who played it square to Dale Cockrill who threaded an excellent pass through to pick out the full-back's surge forward and from Smith's square pass Gary McGee was left with a simple tap-in for the second goal.

Rare Romford threats saw Shaun Clarke take the ball to the bye-line but from his chip into the danger zone Jimmy Noakes failed to get a decisive touch to the ball and then George Tubey curled a free-kick just wide.

Not surprisingly, Lowestoft were not able to continue the momentum in the second period but remained very much on top. A piece of slack play near the halfway line saw the ball given away carelessly and Shaun Clarke raced away down the left and crossed for substitute Paul Burnett to score with an excellent far-post header.

Lowestoft restored their two-goal advantage in the 80th minute. Neil Plaskett played the ball to Craig Bussens who slipped the ball through for Matt Nolan who, from an acute angle, sent a screamer into the net off the underside of the bar.

Romford: Mulrooney, Oxby, Taylor, Clayton, White (Sub Barry 66), Port, Tubey, Jones (Sub Cosson 55), Noakes (Sub Burnett 55), Clarke, Kavanagh, Subs (not used) Neville, Finn.

Lowestoft: Reynolds, Poppy, Smith, Dale Cockrill (Sub Crane 77), Plaskett, Halliday, Bussens, Fisk, Nolan, McGee (Sub King 66), Mitchell (Sub Hunn 9), Subs (not used) Darren Cockrill, Woodrow.