As anticipated, Boro boss Dan Spinks rang the changes with the visit to Little Oakley coming less than 48 hours after the win over Stanway Rovers, and his much changed side made short work of Little Oakley on a sunny and blustery afternoon in north Essex, making it ten league wins on the trot and assuring a Play-Off place into the bargain.

Most of the first half excitement was packed into the last six minutes, which were extended by 13 minutes following a bad injury to Little Oakley’s Oliver Hart who broke his wrist as he landed awkwardly after challenging Lee Hursit. Fortunately, the potential four hour wait for an ambulance was not required and after the physios from both teams had tended to him, he was able to leave the pitch under his own steam.

When play resumed with a throw in, Boro went ahead. Remi Sutton launched the ball into the penalty area where Darren Phillips met it with his head, and having got height but little distance, had another go and this time headed the ball beyond Billy Lawlor and into the far corner of the net.

Four minutes later, Boro had a second and as against Stanway Rovers, Sam Deering was the man on target as he pounced on a half cleared ball and fired a low right foot shot past Lawlor from just outside the box.

Prior to those closing stages, chances at either end were few. A fourth minute shot by Oakley’s Rory Harman that Jake Anderson fielded with no difficulty was the first, the second fell to Boro twenty minutes in when Sam Deering created an opportunity for Jaiden Babalola whose low cross was cleared off the line for a corner which Remi Sutton headed wide.

Babalola then turned provider, flicking the ball into the path of Adalberto Pinto who was denied by a defensive header that won Boro a corner. Jake Anderson made an excellent diving save to deny a shot from distance by Daniel Rowe and from the ensuing corner, Lewis Wood headed over the bar., and that was that until the drama of the closing moments.

The early stages of the second half were dominated by the hosts. Jake Anderson saved well at the foot of a post after 52 minutes and Luke Hipkin shot over the bar as the ball was only partially cleared. The same player had a snapshot just over the bar after 56 minutes and after 59, Anderson, under pressure from a Little Oakley forward, was unable to gather a cross and the loose ball had to be cleared off the line.
Thereafter however, Boro began to reassert themselves. Darren Phillips had the ball in the net with a header from a corner after 68 minutes only for the goal to be chalked off for a foul, and a couple of minutes later, Hassan Nalbant – who had replaced Michael Bakare – set up Finlay Dorrell for a shot, but Dorrell was not ideally placed to get a clean strike and Lawlor saved. Immediately after that Nalbant was put clear on the left and his shot flashed across goal.

Nalbant clattered the bar with a shot from close range after Jaiden Babalola and Ash Siddik had created the opening on 73 minutes, but with 75 minutes gone Nalbant was able to roll the ball into an empty net after Jake Anderson’s long clearance had caught out the Little Oakley rearguard and keeper Lawlor collided with his own defender and made a hash of collecting the bouncing ball.

Adalberto Pinto was booked for a foul on a Little Oakley as he – Pinto – cleared, the only booking of the game, and Boro then might have added to their score when Charlie Morris chose not to shoot but to set up Amaree Robinson-Jones instead and his shot was blocked by Lawlor. Robinson-Jones then sent the last opportunity of the game well over the bar after the chance was created by Siddik.

This win consolidates second spot for Boro, ten points behind leaders Tilbury - who need just two points for the title from their remaining two games – and ahead of third place Woodford Town, who have played two games more. A first ever Play-Off place is now ensured.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Jamie Hursit (Amaree Robinson-Jones, 57m, Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky, Remi Sutton (Luke Foster, 57m), Darren Phillips, Jaiden Babalola, Lee Hursit, Adalberto Pinto, Michael Bakare (Hassan Nalbant, 65m), Sam Deering (Charlie Morris, 57m), Finlay Dorrell (Ash Siddik, 73m).

Report: Mike Woods