Buckhurst Hill 1, Romford 2

Mission accomplished at Buckhurst Hill as Romford opened their Essex Senior League campaign with a win, a mere 287 days since the last three point haul back in October 2021, when Stowmarket Town were beaten in an Isthmian League game.

It looked relatively plain sailing as Boro took an early lead and doubled it in the opening stages of the second half, but Buckhurst Hill proved to be tenacious opponents and will probably feel that they did enough to salvage a point on their debut at Step 5.

Boro fans were greeted with disappointing player news prior to kick off when it was revealed that Kris Newby had decided to take up an offer to play at Step 4 with Tilbury, while keeper Billy Lawlor was unable to play, the formalities of his loan move from Dagenham & Redbridge having not been completed. As it transpired, Lawlor’s replacement Jake Anderson, turned in a fine performance, making some important saves as the home side sought an equaliser in the closing stages.

Romford made a perfect start, scoring after just five minutes. Toby Barlow intercepted well on the left and played the ball up the line to Emmanuel Robe, who turned his marker, strode into the box and fired a shot into the opposite bottom corner.

Barlow was provider again on eleven minutes when his cross-field ball found Jesse Olukolu, but his shot was comfortably saved by Daniel Blockley in the home goal.

Thirteen minutes in, and Buckhurst Hill - who had been growing into the game - had their first sight of goal when Max Nicholson strode forward from right-back, but his shot was well off target.

Boro’s Danny Hurford had to make an important tackle inside his own penalty area to deny a Stags forward a shot at goal, and then Tambeson Eyong became the first of four Boro players to see a yellow card when he was penalised for a foul on the half-way line.

The home side forced a free-kick on the edge of the Romford penalty area that was blocked by the wall after 34 minutes, and a minute from the end, Toby Barlow was forced to leave the field and be replaced by Jake Gordon after being on the receiving end of a poor challenge in midfield. The half concluded with Jake Anderson making a smart save from Buckhurst Hill’s Tyler Dolan in the first minute of added time.

The Stags almost levelled the score in the second minute of the second half, but Dylan Florence shot horribly wide when well placed, and Boro punished that with a second goal in the 50th minute. The home side conceded possession in midfield, the ball was moved swiftly to Robe, and he buried his shot past Blockley from well outside the box.

Jesse Olukolu and a home player went in referee George Barker’s book after a midfield incident, and Buckhurst Hill twice came close to reducing the arrears on the hour mark, Anderson pushing one shot away and then making a good low save from the resulting corner.

Robe looked to be on his way goalward only to be thwarted by Henry Day clinging onto his shirt, for which the Buckhurst Hill player was rightly booked after 64 minutes. The home side capitalised after 66 minutes as they scored their first goal at Step 5 when substitute Fehinti Falola converted from close range after a shot had come back off a post.

George Cox became Boro’s third recipient of a yellow card for taking too long over a throw-in, and then Olukolu cut in from the left and forced Blockley to save at his near post at the expense of a corner.

Boro found themselves under pressure in the closing stages, and the home side might have done better when Keaton Moore’s cross was headed over by Falola with four minutes of normal time remaining. They went even closer three minutes into added time when Griggs's header from a left-wing corner hit the top of the bar. The corner had stemmed from a free-kick on the edge of the Boro penalty area from which Scott Doe became the fourth Boro player to be booked.

Three points to kick off the season, but some uncomfortable moments for Boro against a Buckhurst Hill team that impressed on their first showing at this level.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Dan Taylor, Toby Barlow (Jake Gordon, 44m), Jack Glenister (Martin Touhy, 73m), Tambeson Eyong, Scott Doe, Jesse Olukolu (Justin Bailey, 85m), George Cox, Emmanuel Robe, Jacob Wiggins (Tyrese Sibanda, 59m), Danny Hurford. Sub not used: John Mbamarah