Essex Senior Cup Exit For Romford

Romford (0) 1, Athletic Newham (4) 5 – BBC Essex Senior Cup 2nd Round – Wednesday 25th October 2023

Athletic Newham are a pacey and nimble side, and their speedy attacks created a hat-trick inside half an hour for their lethal striker Richard Kone which had this BBC Essex Senior Cup tie settled before half-time. Romford recovered to make more of a game of it after the break, but by then the damage had been irretrievably done.

With just seven minutes played Newham – and Kone – had their first. Romford keeper Wayne Baker’s clearance from wide on the right had neither sufficient height nor distance and after Kone intercepted there was only one place the ball was ending up, and into Boro’s net it duly went. Michael Olatunji had a speculative shot at the Romford goal that went well over the bar after 16 minutes, but it was only a temporary reprieve as after 19 minutes, quick feet by Gideon Ssonko put him into a position to slip the ball past Baker. After 25 minutes the contest was effectively over as Kone bagged his second and Newham’s third.

A rare Romford attack after 19 minutes saw Hassan Nalbant’s cross from the left only partially dealt with by Newham keeper Lindrit Beqiri, but when the loose ball ran to Kris Newby, the Boro captain could not keep his shot down and the ball went over the bar. Seedorf Mendes then hit a shot that met a similar fate, but after 34 minutes another incisive Newham attack provided Kone with his hat-trick as he fired a low shot into the bottom corner.

Romford made three changes at the interval with Jake Anderson taking over in goal after his spell on the sidelines through injury, although he was powerless to stop Stephen Botchey making it five for the visitors when his spectacular 72nd minute shot found the top corner. Jacob Wiggins and new signing Amaree Robinson-Jones also joined the fray at the expense of Seedorf Mendes and Lee Hursit, and Robinson-Jones was frequently involved as Boro made a much better fist of the second half.

Jamie Hursit had perhaps Boro’s best second half chances. His 64th minute free kick found the side netting and then a minute later Beqiri had to tip Hursit’s shot over after Charlie Morris had set up the chance. Most unfortunately, Hursit hit a post with the rebound running across goal and clear after he had again been set up by Morris just seconds before Botchey netted Newham’s fifth goal.

Hassan Nalbant had a shot blocked by Beqiri, and Michael Turner was also denied by the Newham keeper, while Bruno Gomes – who had replaced Nalbant – set up another Boro sub, Toheeb Elegushi, for a shot that lacked power, enabling Beqiri to save comfortably.

After 86 minutes Boro finally got the goal their second half display merited when Robinson-Jones crossed from the left, Henry Hart laid the ball back across goal and Bruno Gomes scored despite Beqiri getting a hand to his shot.

In the last minute Hart and Gomes set Elegushi up for a shot that Beqiri proved equal to, but Athletic Newham deservedly advanced to the Third Round.

Romford: Wayne Baker (Jake Anderson, 46m), Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky, Michael Turner, Scott Doe, Henry Hart, Lee Hursit (Amaree Robinson-Jones, 46m), Hassan Nalbant (Bruno Gomes, 74m), Seedorf Mendes (Jacob Wiggins, 46m) Jamie Hursit, Kris Newby, Charlie Morris (Toheeb Elegushi, 74m).