There are victories, and there are famous victories: This was a famous victory, the sort of victory that Boro fans will be talking about for years to come.

Despite being reduced to ten men when Michael Turner was sent off after less than half an hour, and then having to play the last five minutes plus stoppage time with just nine players after Kris Newby was sin-binned, this was not purely a rearguard action from Boro, who could conceivably have added to the single goal that won the game. And what a strange goal it was!

Just five minutes of the second half had been played when Boro scored what would prove to be the winner – or rather, Saffron Walden scored it for them. Charlie Morris gamely chased a through ball that Saffron Walden defender Jamie Riley got to first; he played the ball back to his keeper, Jarvis Monk, but his attempted clearance became an air shot. With the ball rolling inexorably goalward, Monk set off in pursuit, in vain as it turned out; the ball rolled gently over the line.

The early stages had given no indication of the drama that would ensue. Playing down the slope, Saffron Walden had more possession, but created little to trouble Jake Anderson. Ryan Melaugh put over a number of crosses that promised more than they delivered – the most dangerous of them forced Anderson to punch clear, the ball running back to him off Michael Turner.

Alex Warman had a shot for the hosts from distance that took a deflection as it passed over the bar, and from the resulting corner, Jack Grosvenor put the ball into the side netting. At the other end, a long throw from Junior Luke was met by Charlie Morris but his header was easily held by Monk. Back came Saffron Walden and after 24 minutes Anderson saved well with his feet from Joe Lilly: Three minutes later, Jacob Noble shot over the bar.

With 29 minutes on the clock, Romford were reduced to ten men when Michael Turner was shown a straight red for a challenge on the halfway line on Joni Vukaj, who bounced back to his feet without recourse to treatment. Not so George Cox, who required the ministrations of Boro physio Victoria Omadeli after being the victim of a very poor challenge by Saffron Walden’s Joe Lilly, who was lucky to get just a yellow.

There was a scare for Boro when Warman headed Melaugh’s cross just wide, but in the first minute of stoppage time Boro came within a whisker of taking the lead when Flynn Hamilton’s shot from more than thirty yards clattered the crossbar.

Flynn Hamilton, whose long range effort came back off the bar. Photo by Bob Knightley.

After opening the second half with what proved to be the winning goal, Boro had some decent chances to double their lead. Charlie Morris had a shot from outside the box saved by Monk after 56 minutes, and after 67 minutes he put George Cox through with an astute pass, but Monk came off his line to block the shot.

A minute later Morris was again the provider, setting Hamilton free, but as the Boro midfielder bore down on goal, he was hauled back by Riley, who was possibly fortunate that the card he was shown was only yellow.

Saffron Walden’s attempts to find an equaliser comprised largely of high balls into the penalty area, meat and drink for Darren Phillips in particular, but the whole Boro defence stood firm, impressing with the calm assurance with which they dealt with the home side’s attacks. The most difficult save that Anderson had to make in the second 45 was when he punched an inswinging corner clear when under pressure.

Kris Newby was clobbered in midfield by a late challenge but then chipped the ball forward for Morris after 84 minutes, who was just beaten to the ball by Monk in the Saffron Walden goal. Newby’s remonstrations about the foul on him led to him being sin binned.

Jamie Hursit was yet another Boro player taken out of the game by a poor challenge after 90 minutes, but at least the Walden player was yellow carded for this one, and after four minutes of added time, Lewwis Spence went close to scoring when he volleyed back a clearance and nearly caught Monk out, but the keeper made it back to field the ball.

In football, as in life, you don’t always get what you deserve: Boro did today, there was no way they merited anything less than maximum points from this gutsy and skilful display.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Junior Luke, Jamie Hursit, Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky, Michael Turner, Darren Phillips, Kris Newby, George Cox, Hassan Nalbant (Lewwis Spence, 40m), Flynn Hamilton (Lee Hursit, 86m), Charlie Morris. Unused subs: Jacob Wiggins, Ashaan Siddik, Wayne Baker.

Report: Mike Woods