Basildon United (0) 1, Romford (1) 2 – Saturday 1st August 2026 – Essex Senior League

Alfie Leach came off the bench to score what proved to be the winner and leave Basildon rueing their missed chances in a game that rarely rose above the ordinary.

On a hot afternoon and on a pitch showing the signs of the recent long period of hot dry weather, the home side were in the ascendancy in the early stages, although it was Romford who had the first sight of goal, but Alfie Osbourne’s 13th minute shot went wide.

Basildon went close after 18 minutes when former Boro defender Charlie Hare met a corner from the right, but his header went back across goal and out for a goal kick. The hosts then forced a save from Boro keeper Conor Beattie, who was equal to a shot from Robbie Allen at his near post.

With neither side creating many clear cut chances, Boro’s best efforts were a shot by Flynn Hamilton after 30 minutes that went wide, an overhead kick from Jaxon Brown that flew over the bar after 38 minutes, and a low shot by Ben McCrow that was comfortably saved by Enriqu Kalsi in the Basildon goal.

In the 42nd minute a long ball from defence by Basildon caused the Boro back line some difficulty, but after a Basildon defender had got round Beattie, Julius Nwike was in the right place to clear the danger.

With four minutes of added time played, Boro took the lead. Teddy Desmond’s long ball forward bounced invitingly for Jaxon Brown, and with Kalsi having come off his line and caught somewhat in no man’s land, the Boro forward headed over him and into the net.

The opening minutes of the second half saw Aron Gordon booked for a foul and Jaxon Brown sin-binned after complaining about a free-kick he didn’t get. To be fair, he seemed to have a point. With Boro temporarily down to ten men, Basildon pushed forward in search of an equaliser, and after a couple of missed chances, they got it.

Just after the hour, Daniel Susteck shot straight at Beattie after taking advantage of a less than decisive clearance and then Ben Sargent had to make a vital clearance as a low cross came in from the right, although he was fouled in the process. Basildon’s pressure told in the 66th minute when Lochlain Murray lost his marker and headed home a right wing cross.

Beattie had to kick away a goal bound effort from Lesedi Mbegabolawe immediately after the goal and after 74 minutes Boro defenders threw bodies in the way of the ball to block a dangerous chance. With 13 minutes remaining, Mbegabolawe volleyed over from a cross from the right, but by now restored to full strength, Boro began to get back into the game. An excellent cross-field ball by Osbourne gave Brown a shooting opportunity and after his effort had been deflected wide, Flynn Hamilton flighted a corner into the Basildon six-yard box that Alfie Leach diverted into the net.

A poor challenge by Mbegabolawe on Osbourne resulted in some pushing and shoving by players of both sides and when the dust had settled, the Basildon player went into referee Zakariya Ikram’s book; he was possibly fortunate not to see red.

Stiffer challenges lie ahead – Romford’s next league game is against Woodford Town, who served notice of their intentions with a 6-0 win at Saffron Walden Town – but for the moment, we can savour a three point start against a team that Boro hadn’t beaten in a league game since 2020.

Romford: Conor Beattie, Teddy Desmond, Freddie Tandon (Alfie Leach 82'), Julius Nwike, Ben Sargent, Greig Stewart, Alfie Osbourne, Aron Gordon (Elton Gjonbala 78'), Flynn Hamilton (Ekow Owusu-Boakye 87'), Ben McCrow, Jaxon Brown. Unused subs: Dino Maras, Fabio Vieira.