Romford (0) 2, Harwich & Parkeston (1) 1 – Saturday 25th April 2026 – Essex Senior League

At one point during the afternoon, had the scores around the league stayed as they were, then Boro were relegated, but an equaliser from Teddy Desmond and a marvellously headed winning goal from skipper and all-time top scorer Nick Reynolds not only kept Romford out of the bottom two, but lifted them to a final position 14th, the highest spot that Boro have occupied since the 4-1 win at Buckhurst Hill back in October 2025. It was real Roy of The Rovers stuff!

Christian Adu Gyamfi had the first sight of goal but having been put through his shot was blocked by Brad Cook, the first of a number of decent saves the Harwich keeper made over the course of the 90 minutes. There were then penalty appeals from the visiting players for a handball by Nick Reynolds, but the referee was unimpressed.

Both sides then had chances but were unable to get their shots on target. Flynn Hamilton found Matt Price on the right side of the penalty area, but Price’s shot went over after nine minutes and then after 14 minutes Chris Millar cut in from the right and played the ball across the edge of the penalty area, only for Teddy Desmond to shoot over the bar. Harwich carved out a clear shooting chance for Louis Bloom after 19 minutes, but fortunately for Boro, he placed his shot wide.

Matt Price put another shot over the bar after 23 minutes, but 60 seconds later Harwich went ahead. A long, high ball forward seemed to present no immediate danger, but when Liam Boxall headed the ball back to Lee Haylock, he found that the Boro goalkeeper had advanced further than he expected and the ball rolled agonisingly slowly into the back of the net.

Nick Reynolds then became the first player in referee Campbell’s book, for a challenge that looked worth a free-kick but not a card, and then his fellow central defender Ben Sampayo went into the sin bin for expressing his disappointment over a throw in that didn’t go his way.

Christian Adu Gyamfi had a shot blocked by Cook after 41 minutes and Matt Price fired the loose ball wide, but Boro were indebted to Haylock after three minutes of added time when he made a superb block to prevent the visitors doubling their lead.

Boro looked to have equalised when Price had the ball in the net only to have it ruled out for an illegal challenge on the Harwich keeper, and as the half entered the sixth minute of stoppage time Christian Adu Gyamfi somehow put the ball wide from Millar’s low cross.

Greig Stewart ran forward strongly in the opening minute of the second period and let fly with a low shot that Cook parried, but after 58 minutes, Boro were finally level. Christian Adu Gyamfi was unable to get a decisive touch on Munir Hadi’s low cross from the right, but the ball ran invitingly for Teddy Desmond, who followed up to smash the ball into the roof of the net.

Harwich substitute Tiwa Odufuye drew an excellent save from Haylock, who turned his shot over after 65 minutes, but Boro seemed to have gone ahead when Darnell Fuller turned in a low ball from the right by Hamilton only for an offside flag to rule out the strike after 69 minutes. After 72 minutes however, came the goal that kept Boro up. Flynn Hamilton lofted a free-kick in from the left and skipper Nick Reynolds rose highest at the far post to direct his header over Cook and into the net.

Harwich were by no means out of this game, however and after 74 minutes Odufuye met a cross at the far post but headed over and with 80 minutes played, Jack Cosby tried his luck with an overhead kick that Haylock was relieved to see go wide.

Darnell Fuller then had three chances to make the game safe for Boro. After 83 minutes, having retrieved the ball on the left, he cut in but was denied by Cook, who blocked his shot and then with five minutes remaining, he latched onto a poor defensive header but fired wildly over the bar. Finally, in the final minute he was put through but was twice denied by Cook as the Harwich keeper came off his line.

With just over five minutes of added time played, referee Campbell blew for full-time, signalling Boro’s retention of their Essex Senior League status which, at one time they had looked perilously close to losing.

In events elsewhere on the final day, Little Oakley beat Basildon United to clinch the championship, while the Play-Offs will be contested by SOUL Tower Hamlets, Great Wakering Rovers, Buckhurst Hill, and Barking. At the bottom, Athletic Newham finished last of all, but although Frenford’s victory over West Essex (their fifth win in their last six fixtures) lifted them off the bottom, it was not quite enough to keep them out of the drop zone.

Romford: Lee Haylock, Munir Hadi, Teddy Desmond, Liam Boxall, Ben Sampayo, Nick Reynolds, Greig Stewart, Chris Millar (Louis Mathias 72'), Christian Adu Gyamfi (Ibitayo Oyebola 80'), Flynn Hamilton, Matthew Price (Darnell Fuller 59') Unused subs: Bradley Davison, Henry Hart

Report by Mike Woods