Kris Newby’s penalty in the last minute of the first half was all that separated the sides in this Play-Off Semi-Final and set up a winner takes all game at Rookery Hill on Bank Holiday Monday against Sporting Bengal United, who won a penalty shoot-out in their Semi-Final at Woodford Town.

With so much at stake, it was no surprise that this game was a tense affair. Too little space or time on the ball for players of either side made for a first half that was close and lacking in clear cut chances. Play opened up after the interval and the anxious closing stages that Boro endured might have been avoided had either of a pair of good chances not been missed.

Barking had the game’s first sight of goal when their former White Ensign forward Ezekiel Bademosi found space on the left and after his low drive had taken a deflection off a Boro defender, Jake Anderson was forced into a low save, turning the ball away for a corner. The flag kick was headed clear by Adalberto Pinto, whose next significant action was to pick up a 15th minute caution for a challenge on Kenedi Dariri as the Barking defender cleared.

Romford went close after 27 minutes when Hassan Nalbant found Finlay Dorrell in space on the left. Dorrell’s cross was met by Nalbant, but the ball ran harmlessly to Barking keeper Max Spence. Bademosi then went close for the visitors when he ran onto a diagonal pass, but his shot from a position wide of goal on the right went straight across goal and out for a goal kick.

Sam Deering found Finlay Dorrell with an astute pass after 38 minutes, but the young Boro forward was denied by Spence who was quickly off his line to divert the ball away for a throw-in. Deering won what proved to be the crucial penalty after 45 minutes when, having made a good run to the by-line on the right, just yards from the Barking goal, he was brought down as he attempted to cut the ball back. Kris Newby stepped up for the penalty: Spence went one way, the ball went the other and Boro were ahead.

Finlay Dorrell was the victim of a poor challenge as he played the ball through to Hassan Nalbant in the 56th minute, but Nalbant’s run was halted by the referee’s whistle when an advantage might have been a better decision, especially in light of the fact that the Barking defender was not cautioned for the foul.

A minute later and Dorrell went oh so close with a chip over Spence that hit the top of the bar, but a period of Barking pressure then ensued with the visitors making strong appeals for a penalty when Scott Doe challenged in the box. Referee Brian Taylor – who made every effort to let the game flow and was rewarded with a match played in a good spirit despite the high stakes – was unmoved, and Boro broke quickly with Junior Luke and Charlie Morris heavily involved in a move that ended with Barking having to concede a corner. Deering’s corner was partially cleared and reached Newby, whose shot from just outside the box went wide.

Charlie Morris had a golden opportunity to put the game beyond Barking’s reach after 73 minutes. Hassan Nalbant did superbly to win the ball on the left flank and drove towards goal, but having worked his way into a good shooting position, Boro’s leading scorer chose to unselfishly square the ball to Morris, only for Spence smother his shot.

Finlay Dorrell limped off to be replaced by Ash Siddik, who picked up the night’s second booking for time wasting, while Amaree Robinson-Jones came on for Morris and used his pace to good effect to alleviate some of the pressure that Boro were coming under by this stage.

Barking continued to press, but as they came to increasingly rely on crosses into the box, Jake Anderson came to collect a number of them with Scott Doe and Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky mopping up the rest, and after seven added minutes Boro were through without the drama of a penalty shoot-out.

Sporting Bengal United await in the Play-Off Final, the first of three Finals that Boro face in six days. One can only guess what Premier League managers like Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp would say if faced with such a schedule.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Junior Luke, Kris Newby, Remi Sutton, Charlie Morris (Amaree Robinson-Jones, 83m), Scott Doe, Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky, Adalberto Pinto (Jaiden Babalola, 89m), Hassan Nalbant, Sam Deering, Finlay Dorrell (Ash Siddik, 78m) Unused subs: Lee Hursit, Danny Hurford