Burnham Ramblers (0) 2, Romford (2) 3 – Saturday 12th September 2026 – FA Vase Secon Qualifying Round

A sweetly struck free-kick from Harrison Day 11 minutes from time gave Boro a narrow win over Burnham Ramblers to earn Romford a place in the First Round Proper of the FA Vase, but this was a far from comfortable win against Step 6 opposition.

It appeared to be plain sailing as the first half entered stoppage time with Boro two goals to the good, but a red card for defender Julius Nwike gave Ramblers 45 minutes to exploit their numerical advantage and they struck twice inside three second half minutes to draw level before Day’s winner.

Romford had the first of a number first half chances with Jake Barlow putting a header wide from Fabio Vieira’s free-kick after only three minutes, but Burnham went close with a header of their own when Aiden Brown put Petjra Doradon’s corner across goal and wide after 10 minutes.

Barlow sent Aron Gordon free on the left after 12 minutes, and when Gordon cut in and fired a shot at goal, Burnham keeper Freddie Drew – who made a string of notable stops – saved at full stretch, gathering the ball at the second attempt.

Twenty minutes in and Boro were in front. Teddy Desmond chipped the ball over the Burnham defence on the left and Jaxon Brown ran on and beat Drew at his near post for his fifth goal of the season. There was almost an immediate reply from the home side when Ethan Brien found space in the Boro penalty area but chipped the ball over the bar.

Alfie Osborne had a shot turned round a post by Drew after 25 minutes, but with 40 minutes played, Romford doubled their lead. Vieira found Gordon on the left and he in turn fed Brown, whose shot was parried by Drew but Day followed up to slam the ball home.

Day was put through by Osborne with 43 minutes gone, but Drew parried the shot from the forward who has joined Boro on a month-long loan from Hashtag United. What seemed to be very satisfactory first half took an unfortunate turn however, when Nwike found himself on the wrong side of a Burnham forward, pulled him back and was shown a red card by referee Oliver Townsend; there could be no complaints about the decision. The ensuing free-kick was chipped over the wall but was an easy gather for Lamar Johnson in the Boro goal.

There were chances at both ends as the second half started, but Burnham were taking advantage of their extra man and creating more than they had in the first half. In the 49th minute, Johnson made a good block and a further block by a Boro defender prevented Burnham from scoring. Boro then created a chance when Jaxon Brown cut in from the left and fired in a shot that Drew pushed away, only for Burnham to retaliate with Aiden Brown meeting a cross from the left, but putting the ball well wide.

Ramblers pulled one back after 67 minutes when a free-kick from the left after a foul by Ben Sargent was not cleared and Adolson Joab scored from close range. It got worse for Romford two minutes later when Ramblers’ player-manager, the highly experienced Stuart Zanone, scored with a shot from an acute angle.

Stung by the equaliser, Boro began to get their act together and when a foul on Prince Sikiru earned a free-kick some 30 yards out, Day lifted his shot over the wall and past the motionless Drew. Sikiru curled a shot wide after Matt Blake and Day had combined well to create the opening and despite Burnham putting the Romford defence under pressure, Boro fashioned another opportunity when Samir Ali’s tenacity on the edge of the home penalty area provided Blake with a shooting opportunity, but he put the ball wide.

Not the most fluent performance from Boro, but good defending after the red card and some incisive finishing topped off with an excellently taken free-kick for the winner, means a place in Monday’s draw, which at the end of the day, was the prime objective.

Romford: Lamar Johnson, Ben Sargent, Teddy Desmond, Alfie Osborne, Julius Nwike, Jake Barlow, Aron Gordon (Matt Blake 46'), Greig Stewart (Ekow Owusu-Boakye 76'), Harrison Day, Jaxon Brown (Samir Ali 85'), Fabio Vieira (Prince Sikiru 46') Unused sub: Freddy Tandon

Report: Mike Woods