Romford (1) 2, Baldock Town (2) 2 – Saturday 22nd August 2026 – FA Cup Preliminary Round

Flynn Hamilton’s 87th equaliser spared Romford’s blushes and earned a replay against Baldock Town in this FA Cup Preliminary Round tie. Hamilton’s goal came at the end of a game in which Baldock had been by and large the better side: Few would have begrudged them victory had it not been for their unendearing habit of griping about decisions and the amateur dramatics that followed almost every challenge that won them a free-kick.

The early stages had Baldock in the ascendancy and Lamar Johnson – making his first competitive start for Romford since 2012 - had to make a smart save after five minutes when he gathered a low cross from the right that had deflected off a Boro defender. Twelve minutes in and Freddie Tandon had to head away a shot from Baldock’s Harry Smith before Johnson was again in important action after 22 minutes, making a good low save.

Between those Baldock chances, Jaxon Brown latched onto a loose ball in the visitors’ penalty area but shot wide, but on the half-hour mark, he put Boro ahead, admittedly against the run of play. Aron Gordon won the ball on the left and found Brown. Brown’s initial shot was blocked but when the ball ran loose, he swivelled and fired home.

Romford’s lead lasted just four minutes as Ayomide Akinbobola found space in the Romford penalty area and headed home Smith’s cross from the left. Baldock had already gone close to a second when William Blair’s free-kick was headed wide after 41 minutes, but in the last minute of the first period, Akinbobola struck again as he converted a cross from the right.

Baldock carried on where they left off after the break, taking every opportunity to slow the game down and disrupt the flow of play, but gradually Romford began to claw themselves back into the match.

There was a moment of some controversy after 61 minutes when Prince Sikiru’s measured through pass put Matt Price through on goal. He was denied a goalscoring opportunity by Baldock keeper Oluwayomi Olonisakin’s foul 30 yards from goal, but the Baldock goalkeeper was spared a red card and shown only a yellow due to there being two defenders present, although whether either would have been able to prevent Price from rolling the ball into an unguarded net is a question to which we will never know the answer.

A superb pass from Sikiru found Fabio Vieira in space on the left after 67 minutes, but the Romford substitute’s shot went wide. A somewhat soft free-kick awarded to Baldock for a challenge by another Romford sub, Flynn Hamilton, allowed Freddie Higgs a shot from the knock down, but fortunately for Boro the visiting forward shot wide.

Although Baldock continued to look dangerous on the break, Romford were now creating chances. Jaxon Brown forced a save from Olonisakin after Teddy Desmond’s throw had been flicked on with Hamilton unable to get his shot on target from the loose ball and then a long cross from the right eluded the Baldock keeper but fell beyond Vieira’s reach.

Boro finally drew level with a quality goal three minutes from the end. Baldock half cleared, Ekow Owusu-Boakye played the ball back into the danger area and Flynn Hamilton scored a trademark goal on the turn from the edge of the box with a shot that left Olonisakin flat footed.

There was still drama to come when Julius Nwike was sent off in the last minute. Having already been booked for kicking the ball away in the first half, the Boro defender was dismissed after losing possession in his own half and hauling back his opponent. Baldock put the ensuing free-kick over the Boro bar and shortly afterwards the whistle went for full-time, signalling a replay at Baldock’s home at Arlesey Town FC on Tuesday evening.

Romford: Lamar Johnson, Prince Sikiru (Ekow Owusu-Boakye 68'), Teddy Desmond, Alfie Osborne, Freddie Tandon, Julius Nwike, Aron Gordon (Fabio Vieira 63'), Greig Stewart, Jaxon Brown, Matthew Price (Alfie Leach 90+1'), Ben McCrow(Flynn Hamilton 63'). Unused subs: George Sapsford, Elton Gjonbala