Romford (0) 1, West Essex (0) 0 - Essex Senior League - Saturday 14th December 2024

After midweek wins for Barking amd Saffron Walden Town had seen Romford slip to seventh in the table, victory over mid-table West Essex was essential, and Amaree Robinson-Jones' 51st minute goal earned Boro their first home win since mid-October and returned his side to the play-off places against dogged opposition.

The visitors looked the more sprightly side in the early stages and twice within the first five minutes Darnell Asare- Williams won corners after being put clear on the left, and from the second of these, Harry Norman's attempt to set up a chance found a team mate well placed, but offside.

Brendan Ocran had a shot pushed away for a corner by West Essex keeper Lewis Edwards after six minutes but Boro almost went behind two minutes later when the visitors' Jaedon Phillips was denied a goal only by a combination of a post and Qamil Dervishaj before Harry Elsey cleared the loose ball. Elsey, pole axed while blocking a West Essex shot, lasted only until the interval when he had to make way for Derek Feyi.

Other than that, the opening 20 minutes were drab and formless, although after 23 minutes Francis was called upon to make a good save from Kennedy Feyi's header from Praise Ogbebor's cross. Amaree Robinson-Jones went close shortly afterwards when he met Elsey's header from Ocran's free-kick and Robinson-Jones then put over a dangerous cross that no team mate could connect with.

Romford had a penalty appeal turned down when Robinson-Jones burst through onto Ogbebor's pass in the penultimate minute of the first half and in the dying seconds, Francis had to kick away a shot from Blaise Uwandji, but in reality neither side could argue with the blank halftime scoreline.

The first significant action of the second half proved to be the winning goal. Kennedy Feyi out fought a defender on the left and sent in a low cross that Amaree Robinson-Jones sidefooted home from six yards.

An almost identical chance after 65 minutes should have brought Boro a second goal. This time Feyi out muscled a defender on the right and delivered a perfect low cross that Sheri Artmeladze met unopposed, but the returning forward sent his shot across goal and wide.

Chances were few and very far between in the remaining minutes with none worthy of note until the 88th minute when Arnold Mengi finished a strong run with a shot that was deflected for a corner. At the other end, West Essex - whose good approach play failed to create a clear cut opportunity after the interval - forced Dervishaj into his first second half save of note when he dropped on a loose ball in the 89th minute with West Essex skipper Harry Norman well placed.

The result apart, this game won't be remembered for very long, but after a run of four home Essex Senior League games that had yielded just one point, this was a very welcome result.

Romford: Qamil Dervishaj, Isioma Richard, Kelvin Boampong, Ashaan Siddik (Arnold Mengi 82m), Eli Benoit, Harry Elsey (Derek Feyi 46m), Amaree Robinson-Jones, Brendan Ocran (Hafeez Elegushi 65m), Kennedy Feyi ( David Oweridu 82m). Blaise Uwandji (Sheri Artmeladze 54m), Praise Ogbebor