Romford Go Nap At Halstead

Halstead Town (1) 2, Romford (1) 5 – Errington Challenge Cup – Wednesday 27th March 2024

Three goals in four minutes, albeit separated by the half-time break, put Boro in command of this tie and if it wasn’t over then, it certainly was when the fourth goal went in after 76 minutes.

As early as the fourth minute, Romford had a sight of goal. A ball from the left found Michael Bakare and his shot forced a save from Halstead keeper Jack Cherry. While Boro had more of the early possession, the home side always looked dangerous on the break and after 14 minutes Wayne Baker was forced into action for the first time as he turned a low shot from outside the box round the post with a foot.

A late challenge on Lee Hursit resulted in a booking for the Halstead player and Hursit was replaced at the break by Kris Newby. After 25 minutes, shortly after the foul on Hursit, the home side went ahead. Joel Older’s run ended with Kane Gilbert having a shot that was blocked, but the ball ran kindly to Older and he gave Baker no chance with his shot.

Halstead might have doubled their lead four minutes from the break when Danny Hurford lost possession, but the shot from range was comfortably gathered by Baker, and Halstead would rue that missed opportunity when Boro equalised as the half entered stoppage time. Jacob Wiggins’ attempted through ball was blocked, but the ball came back to him and his second attempt found Hassan Nalbant on the edge of the box and his low shot zipped past Cherry.

The second half was just two minutes old when Boro went ahead. After Halstead had half cleared a corner, Michael Bakare chipped the ball in from the right of the penalty area and Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky headed home. And after 49 minutes it was three for Boro as Nalbant’s pass found Amaree Robinson-Jones and his shot beat Cherry and went in off a post.

Halstead went close to getting one back after 58 minutes with a free-kick chipped in from the left and headed over Baker’s crossbar (the red numbers on the back of Halstead’s black and white quartered shirts made identifying the players involved impossible with the naked eye. UEFA and English Football League guidelines are that the back of shirts should be a solid colour to make players more easily indentifiable, but this clearly doesn’t apply in the Essex Senior League!)

Another ball swung in from the left by an unknown Halstead player was met by one of his unidentifiable team mates with his chest rather than his head, allowing Baker to gather easily after 74 minutes and two minutes later Boro put the game beyond the home side’s reach with a fourth goal. Bakare put Robinson-Jones clear on the left and his cut-back reached Mike Faulkner and he found the net for his first Boro goal.

Toheeb Elegushi made it five after 81 minutes. Robinson-Jones’s cross from the right looked to be too long, but Faulkner retrieved the ball and cut it back for Elegushi to fire home. The home team got one back as the second half entered stoppage time as what might have been intended as a cross by Robbie Bennett on the right found the top corner.

With some players rested and others unavailable, this win showed the strength in depth of the Boro squad this season and sets up a Semi-Final away against either Saffron Walden Town or Barking on a date to be decided.

Romford: Wayne Baker, Lee Hursit (Kris Newby, 46m), Danny Hurford, Jacob Wiggins (Mike Faulkner, 62m), Darren Phillips, Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky, Amaree Robinson-Jones, Adalberto Pinto, Hassan Nalbant (Toheeb Elegushi, 55m), Ash Siddik, Michael Bakare.