ROMFORD 2
Dorrell 58, Siddik 90
LINCOLN UNITED 2
Cotton 11, Dye 90
IT’S all to play for in the second leg at Lincoln United’s Ashby Avenue Io on Saturday after this highly entertaining draw at Rookery Park.
Romford suffered a horror start after losing captain Kris Newby to a straight red card in the opening five minutes following a sliding challenge on Tobias Liversidge.
Lincoln went in front through Finlay Dorrell six minutes later but Romford were level just before the hour thanks to a Matthew Cotton penalty.
The visitors thought they’d won it at the death when Elliott Dye slotted home but a rather fortunate Romford equaliser from Ash Siddik deep into time added on kept it perfectly poised for the second leg.
“It was an excellent performance,” said a relieved Romford boss Dan Spinks.
“The red card completely changed how we set up but they boys dug in like they have done all season.
“We’ll take the 2-2 and go there with eleven next week and hopefully do the job and get to Wembley.”
Newby’s dismissal by referee Alan Dale stunned this side of Essex into silence and it almost got worse for the hosts as Michael Jacklin headed just wide from the resulting free-kick.
Then, on 11 minutes, referee Dale was forced into another key decision when Jack Park was brought down in the box and captain Cotton stepped up and slotted the ball past Jake Anderson and into the bottom left corner to put Lincoln a goal up.
Led by experienced midfielder Sam Deering, Romford went about finding their feet but although his excellent passing range was creating chances for D
