Romford (0) 1, Athletic Newham (1) 1 – Wednesday 31st July 2024 – Essex Senior League

An already eventful game ended in high drama with a missed penalty, the Athletic Newham manager red carded, and one of his players yellow and red carded simultaneously, all within the last five minutes.

There were 87 minutes on the clock when, from a corner taken on the right, Romford’s Andy Morris was hauled down by Newham’s Christopher De Nguidjol, who was booked. Chris Millar stepped up and hit a fierce penalty that unfortunately cannoned off the crossbar instead of hitting the back of the net. Newham’s protests about the penalty had been muted, but in the aftermath of Millar’s miss, their manager was shown a red card for something he said. Two minutes into stoppage time and Newham’s Alessio Akabuogu was yellow carded for a foul and then sent off for a second yellow when he kicked the ball away.

Although not quite the proverbial game of two halves, Romford’s second half performance was much better than their first half display as Newham were largely on top in the first period with Boro becoming more assertive after the break.

Romford actually started with a couple of decent chances; Praise Ogbebor had a low shot saved by Sebastian Basford in the Newham goal in the very first minute and after nine minutes, full back Sam Elwood’s deflected effort from Chris Millar’s free-kick had to be beaten out by Basford. Between these chances, Newham’s George Rankin was cautioned for pulling back David Owiredu.

The visitors then began to get on top, although they were aided by some less than decisive defending from Boro when the ball was given away in midfield after twelve minutes affording Abdul Khamis the opportunity to have a shot which Qamil Dervishaj saved, and then good pressure from Newham created a chance for Tychique Kinkela, but he shot across goal and wide.

Twenty-five minutes in and Newham took a deserved lead when a free-kick floated into the box was met by a sweet side foot volley by Alessio Akabuogu that gave Dervishaj no chance. Boro might have had an immediate equaliser when Chris Millar closed down keeper Basford, but the ball, having been blocked by the Boro midfielder went wide.

A very ambitious long range effort from Derek Feyi was deflected wide by a diving header from a Newham defender, but it was the visitors who looked the more likely to score, although Boro defender Sam Elwood might have done better with a 41st minute shot that was well over the bar.

Romford’s tendency to lose possession in their own half was again evident after the break. Andy Morris dillied and dallied and lost the ball to Idris Aminu whose shot was parried by Dervishaj with the ball running kindly for Leonardo Luis De Carvalho Pedro, who really should have done better than shoot over the bar. Oliver Plunkett then lost possession but did well to recover and clear by conceding a corner, but Romford had a good chance themselves when Elwood set up Elliott Howson for a shot that the Boro substitute put over the bar.

Isaac Sijuade joined the fray at the expense of Plunkett after 64 minutes and after 69 minutes, created Boro’s equaliser, powering through the middle to set up Praise Ogbebor for a shot that found the bottom corner.

Another instance of Boro losing possession in their own half led to Newham putting the ball in the net after Dervishaj had saved the initial shot, but Boro’s blushes were saved by the raised flag of the assistant signalling offside.

At this point it was anyone’s game and it really ought to have been Romford’s, but Millar’s penalty hit the bar and Boro had to settle for a point against a Newham side who would have legitimately considered themselves hard done by had they gone home without a point.

Romford: Qamil Dervishaj, Sam Elwood (Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky, 64m), Oliver Plunkett (
Isaac Sijuade, 64m), Jake Giddings (Leandro Alva, 71m), Derek Feyi, Andy Morris, Praise Ogbebor, Chris Millar, David Owiredu (Kalum Bama, 73m), Connor Hogan (Elliott Howson, 46m), Toheeb Elegushi.