Stanway Rovers (0) 3, Romford (0) 1 – Saturday 14th October 2023 – Essex Senior League

With Woodford town beaten at home by Tilbury and West Essex losing at Coggeshall Town, a trip to lowly Stanway Rovers ought to have provided Romford with an ideal opportunity to close the gap with the top two. It didn’t turn out that way and defeat, combined with Sporting Bengal United’s win over FC Clacton, sees Boro drop one place to fourth.

There was little in the first half to suggest that either side were going to much trouble the scorers. Stanway’s Max Sherlock had a shot tipped over by Jack Dixson, and after the home side’s Nat Mardell had a shot blocked, Boro broke well with Bruno Gomes winning a corner. Jacob Wiggins had a shot that was well over after 15 minutes and that was just about that for the action in the first forty five minutes.

Romford looked the better side in the opening stages of the second period with Charlie Morris having a shot turned over the bar and Michael Turner heading the resulting corner just wide (pictured below by Alan Blackholly) after 48 minutes.

Morris then had a shot comfortably saved by Stanway keeper Alfie Mafigliani but after 52 minutes the home defence gifted possession to Hassan Nalbant and he tucked the ball home. The lead lasted only till the hour mark when Romford proved that anything Stanway could do, they could do better (or worse), by passing ever backwards and sideways until an almost unmissable chance was presented to Sherlock, which he duly took.

Romford looked to have been handed a lifeline when Ashaan Siddik was fouled and referee Richard Airey seemed to have awarded a penalty after 62 minutes. The ball was placed on the spot and Charlie Morris stepped up to take the kick, only for the referee to rescind the award and give Boro a free-kick just outside the penalty, from which Jamie Hursit’s shot was parried by Mafigliani.

Encouraged by this let off, the home side fashioned a shooting opportunity for Nat Mardell that forced Dixson to tip over the bar, but after 74 minutes a long cross from the left was headed home by Joe Debell. Siddick then had the ball in the net only for the goal to be ruled out for offside, but Boro were then indebted to Dixson for keeping the score at 2-1 when he saved Debell’s header.

With five minutes remaining, Stanway sealed the points, breaking quickly and setting up Tom Lewis for a shot from the corner of box that found the opposite corner of the net.

A rare Boro attempt at goal saw Finlay Dorrell’s shot go wide, but the home side nearly had a fourth when once again Boro lost possession deep inside their own half but fortunately, on this occasion, the chance went begging.

Romford: Jack Dixson, Jamie Hursit, Junior Luke, Jacob Wiggins, Michael Turner, Scott Doe, Charlie Morris (Finlay Dorrell, 66m), George Cox, Hassan Nalbant, Ashaan Siddik (Darren Phillips, 85m), Bruno Gomes. Unused subs: Toheeb Elegushi, Jayden Silcott-Brown, Henry Hart.