Boro Safely Through

Romford (2) 2, Crawley Green (0) 0 – Saturday 11th November 2023 – Isuzu FA Vase 2nd Round

A goal inside 52 seconds and a penalty save in the 89th minute were the highlights as Romford progressed in the FA Vase against a Crawley Green side who made them work hard for the win.

Boro made the ideal start. Henry Hart won a corner on the right, Kris Newby floated the ball into the penalty area, and Michael Turner met it with a firm header that flew into the top corner, giving Crawley Green keeper Finley Purcell no chance.

Boro celebrate Michael Turner’s goal. Photo: Alan Blackholly

Junior Luke then played in a low cross from the left that no Boro player could capitalise on, and after George Cox had been fouled 25 yards out, Kris Newby curled the resulting 10th minute free-kick just over the bar.

After thirteen minutes, Boro doubled their lead. A long ball over the Crawley Green defence found Charlie Morris and as he lofted the ball goalwards, a defender handled. Kris Newby stepped up and sent Purcell the wrong way with his spot kick (picture below by Alan Blackholly)

Charlie Morris was denied by a block after running onto Henry Hart’s pass after fifteen minutes before shell-shocked Crawley Green fashioned their first chance when Jake Anderson made a comfortable save from Kian Wilkes’s free-kick. Boro then went close again, this time it was Flynn Hamilton who tried his luck, but Purcell pushed his shot round the post.

Crawley’s Harry Peterson shot high and wide after a good move down the visitors’ left flank had created the opportunity after 23 minutes, and on the half-hour the teams exchanged yellow cards when Crawley’s Joe Hankins was cautioned for pulling back Finlay Dorrell, and Kris Newby was booked for a foul.

The visitors looked as though they might reduce the arrears after 41 minutes, but the Boro defence managed to get enough bodies in the way before the ball carried through for Jake Anderson to claim possession.

There were bookings for both sides at the start of the second half with Crawley’s Paolo Deritis cautioned for a foul on Lewwis Spence, and then Henry Hart was booked for handball, from which the free-kick was floated into the Boro penalty area, but Anderson saved the header.

Good work by Spence set up his fellow substitute Hassan Nalbant for a shot that flew across goal after 58 minutes, but Lanrewajul Balogun ought to have done better for the visitors when presented with a shooting opportunity on the hour after a good move down the right. Romford were riding their luck a little at this point as the visitors were having the lion’s share of possession, although Boro were creating the better chances.

Flynn Hamilton shot over after a superb back-heel by Charlie Morris had set Nalbant free and Spence had laid off his cross, but at the other end, Anderson saved Boro’s bacon when Crawley looked certain to score.

Charlie Morris had a snap-shot that was just wide after 73 minutes, but when Junior Luke brought down Balogun after 78 minutes, Anderson had to be at his best to turn Keane Fullwood’s header over from the resulting free-kick.

Purcell saved well from Morris and was indebted to a defender who blocked the follow up, but with just a minute remaining, the visitors had a golden opportunity to score and make stoppage time uncomfortable when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Luke. Balogun took an age over the spot-kick, and when he struck it, saw Anderson throw himself to his right to turn the kick away to preserve the clean sheet and put Boro through.

The Third Round of the FA Vase is scheduled for the 2nd December; Boro’s trip to Buckhurst Hill that weekend will be rearranged.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky, Junior Luke, Michael Turner, Henry Hart, George Cox (Lewwis Spence, 46m), Finlay Dorrell (Hassan Nalbant, 56m), Flynn Hamilton (Ashaan Siddik, 68m) Amaree Robinson-Jones, Kris Newby, Charlie Morris. Unused subs: Bradley Mott, Toheeb Elegushi, Alvin Smeraldi, Wayne Baker