Little Oakley (0) 1, Romford (0) 0 – Saturday 10th January 2026 – Essex Senior League

With five minutes of stoppage time played Romford were on course to return home with a point from the visit to Little Oakley and with a clean sheet to boot. Heartbreakingly, in the sixth additional minute, the league leaders’ Daniel Keeble got his head to a high ball hoisted into the Boro penalty area and diverted it into the corner of the net.

The result was harsh on Boro, and keeper Brad Davison in particular, who had kept his side in the game with some fine saves and did not deserve to be on the losing side.

Boro created an early opportunity when Lewis Browne’s ball in from the right found Christian Adu Gyamfi, but the Boro striker slipped on the bumpy, treacherous surface and the chance was lost. He was by no means the only player to lose their footing on a pitch that favoured an agricultural style of play.

Harry Elsey was yellow carded when he pulled back Little Oakley’s Luke Hipkin on the left flank and from the free-kick Nick Reynolds made an important headed clearance from under the Boro crossbar.

Romford went close through Henry Hart shortly after when he was well found on the left side of the home penalty area and after his initial effort was blocked, the ball ricocheted off him for a goal kick. Brad Davison then made a good save to deny Jordi Papple at his near post before the hosts went close twice more, first when Hipkin’s shot was deflected wide and then, after the resulting corner, when Rory Harman’s shot hit the top of the crossbar as he latched on to Nick Reynolds’ headed clearance.

Romford were giving as good as they got however, and had three opportunities inside four minutes. Lewis Browne was found by Joe Damrell as Boro broke quickly after 27 minutes but volleyed over, then a minute late a quick throw was flicked on by Browne, Adu Gyamfi moved the ball on and Damrell had a shot saved by James Askew.

Askew then had to turn an effort from Henry Hart round the post as the Boro player ran onto Flynn Hamilton’s pass after referee Adam Miller had played a good advantage, but the official really ought to have cautioned the Little Oakley player whose bad challenge on Lewis Browne in the build up had the Boro man writhing in agony and requiring lengthy treatment.

Joe Damrell won a free-kick after being fouled on more than one occasion before the referee saw fit to whistle; again the Little Oakley player was lucky to escape without a caution. Lewis Browne saw a shot saved by Askew and Greig Stewart’s follow up shot was blocked by a defender as Romford finished the half strongly, but the first 45 ended with a yellow card for Freddy Cooper for a challenge that seemed tame compared with those that the referee had not punished in a similar fashion.

The second half opened with Harry Elsey having to head away a dangerous cross but at the other end Greig Stewart’s goalbound shot was deflected away for a corner.

Nick Reynolds became the third Boro defender cautioned after 61 minutes for delaying the restart of play. Considering that the offence took place in a crowded Little Oakley penalty area after a corner, when the home side would not have been looking to restart play immediately, it seemed a petty decision. Two minutes later Ryan Sammons was booked for a foul that seemed little different from others which the referee had punished merely with the award of a free-kick.

Brad Davison earned his corn with a double save after 65 minutes, plunging to his left to keep out one shot before recovering to block the follow up, but he was grateful to see Little Oakley substitute Trevor Harding flick wide after meeting a ball played into the Boro penalty area.

Christian Adu Gyamfi was agonisingly close to a goal after 72 minutes when he headed Flynn Hamilton’s corner back across goal but wide of the post, while at the other end Davison denied Bobby Rea with a superb save from the Little Oakley substitute.

The closing stages became increasingly fractious as Boro frustrated the home side and two minutes into stoppage time Davison was called upon to make another excellent stop before Little Oakley sneaked the points with their late winner.
In addition to the four cautions meted out to Boro players by referee Miller, he also red carded Joe Damrell, who had been unwise enough to offer the official an unfiltered critique of his performance.

Romford: Bradley Davison, Joe Damrell, Henry Hart (Teddy Desmond 90+4'), Harry Elsey, Freddy Cooper, Nick Reynolds, Ryan Sammons (Louis Mathias 85'), Greig Stewart, Christian Adu Gyamfi, Flynn Hamilton (Rhian Fowler 76'), Lewis Browne Unused subs: Kunle Adeyemi Dhillon Sandhu-Nelson

Report: Mike Woods