Romford (1) 1, Little Oakley (0) 2 – Tuesday 25th November 2025 – Essex Senior League

A game of two halves? Almost, but not quite. In boxing parlance, Boro were ahead on points at the break, but Little Oakley administered the knock-out blow in the second half to go above SOUL Tower Hamlets and top of the league.

While Boro shaded possession in the first half and deserved their half-time lead, Little Oakley grew more assertive as the second forty-five wore on and far from being disadvantaged by influential midfielder Joshua Mcfaull’s 58th minute dismissal for a high boot, increasingly took the game to Romford from that point.

Mcfaull had looked the most likely Little Oakley player to score before his red card as twice in the first ten minutes he had pots at goal from free-kicks; the first after five minutes was saved by Brad Davison while the second just a minute or so later, cleared the crossbar.

Romford had already had one decent chance – Dhillon Nelson saw his first minute shot saved by Little Oakley keeper James Askew – before going in front after fourteen minutes. Gabriel Ipanga’s cross from the left looked to be drifting harmlessly out of play - the visiting defenders certainly thought so - but Ryan Sammons did not see it as a lost cause and when he pulled the ball back from the goal line, Flynn Hamilton was on hand to tuck the ball past a wrong footed Askew.

Davison had to save well with his feet to deny Oakley’s Jordi Papple, but Boro twice went close before the end of the half with Rhian Fowler having a pot-shot saved by Askew and then Christian Adu Gyamfi – well found by Dhillon Nelson – ran on strongly and fired a shot across goal that was only just wide of the mark.

The second half opened with two well struck efforts by Oakley’s Mcfaull as he shot over in the very first minute and then, after 54 minutes, hit the top of Davison’s crossbar with a free-kick. Mcfaull’s red card just before the hour might, at first sight, appeared to have swung the balance in Boro’s favour, but if anything, it seemed to give the visitors fresh impetus and they equalised with a 68th minute penalty. Gabriel Ipanga was dispossessed in midfield and his efforts to retrieve possession ended with him tripping Luke Hipkin in the box allowing Louie Arnold to step up to beat Davison – who went the right way – from the spot.

Little Oakley won the game in the penultimate minute of normal time when Jack Elvestad’s pass found Taylor Jacobi, who scored with a low shot. The visitors were reduced to nine men in the second minute of stoppage time when Rory Harman – booked earlier – refused to give the ball up after conceding a throw in and was shown a second yellow card after wrestling for it with Lewis Browne, who was also booked.

There was to be no repeat of the heroics that won a point against White Ensign as Boro failed to test Askew in the remaining time added on. Makhi Johnson’s shot that flew over the bar was the best that it got, but when it disappeared into the night, Boro’s chance of a draw went with it.

So, another unwanted home defeat for Boro, but a performance that had much to commend it and hopefully means that that much sought after first home league win of the season cannot be far away.

Romford: Bradley Davison, Ryan Sammons, Teddy Desmond, Harry Elsey, Freddy Cooper, Rhian Fowler, Gabriel Ipanga, Louis Mathias (Makhi Johnson 80'), Christian Adu Gyamfi (Lewis Browne 72'), Flynn Hamilton, Dhillon Nelson (George Cornwell 46') Unused subs: Nick Reynolds, Kevin Musimami