White Ensign (0) 0, Romford (0) 2 – Saturday 31st January 2026 – Essex Senior League

When Sonny Dutton headed Boro’s second goal from Lewis Browne’s cross after 65 minutes pictured, by Bob Knightley , any doubts about the destination of the three points were emphatically dispelled. Dutton’s goal came just three minutes after Boro had netted their first, credited as an own goal to White Ensign keeper James Scammell whom the assistant referee spotted had carried Ryan Sammons’ cross over his own goal line.

On a sunny day in Great Wakering, the usually immaculate Burroughs Park pitch was showing the effects of recent rain, being soft and pock marked, but Boro made light of the conditions and dominated for long periods. The only concern at half-time was that Boro had not turned possession into goals and in fact it was Ensign who had the ball in the net in the first half, converting a corner five minutes before the break, only to have the goal ruled out for an offside.

The bulk of the first half chances fell to Boro. After nine minutes Teddy Desmond headed Browne’s cross over the bar and after thirteen minutes Jake Gordon’s shot after a half cleared corner fell to him was headed over by an Ensign defender. Sonny Dutton was put through after 18 minutes and appeared to be brought down as he advanced on goal, but referee Mihai Nitu ruled no foul and Ensign breathed again.

New signing Mitchell Keen – who put in a solid shift in the centre of the Boro defence with Freddy Cooper moving into a midfield role – headed a free-kick from Flynn Hamilton over the bar after 23 minutes and two minutes later Sonny Dutton was nearly on the end of a Lewis Browne volley that flew wide of goal.

The hosts began to create opportunities as the half wore on and after 32 minutes Emmanuel Sergio cut in from the right and shot across the face of the goal. In the 36th minute the home side were appealing for a penalty when Brad Davison spilled a cross and a White Ensign forward went to ground as the Romford keeper sought to retrieve the loose ball; fortunately for Boro, the referee was unimpressed by the claims. Ensign also went close in the final minute of the half, but George Godfrey was unable to convert a low ball driven across the Romford goal.

Boro continued to look the better side after the break and Flynn Hamilton’s shot in the opening minute of the second period went narrowly over the bar and then, after Davison had done well to claim a low ball, Romford broke quickly in the 56th minute with Jake Gordon only denied a goal by a last ditch intervention by a White Ensign defender who was relieved to see the ball go just wide of his own goal.

Two goals inside four minutes put Boro firmly in the driving seat with 20 minutes to play and with the midfield and back four looking solid, White Ensign looked unlikely to make any meaningful comeback. The closest they came to reducing the arrears came from Riley Weir, whose 66th minute shot skimmed the Romford crossbar.

Boro almost extended their lead after 75 minutes when Rhian Fowler headed Hamilton’s corner just over the bar, and in the final minute Christian Adu Gyamfi set up George Cornwell for a shot that Ensign keeper Scammell pushed away at full stretch.

All in all, a satisfactory afternoon for Boro as they claimed their first win away from home since November (and the first clean sheet of the season), and an important one with tough home games against Woodford Town and Great Wakering Rovers to come in the next two weeks.

Romford: Bradley Davison, Ryan Sammons, Teddy Desmond (Kunle Adeyemi 80'), Harry Elsey (Louis Mathias 50'), Mitchell Keen, Freddy Cooper, Rhian Fowler, Jake Gordon (Christian Adu Gyamfi 65'), Sonny Dutton (George Cornwell 84'), Flynn Hamilton, Lewis Browne (Dhillon Sandhu-Nelson 80')

Report: Mike Woods