Romford (1) 1, Woodford Town (0) 1 – Tuesday 11th August 2026 – Essex Senior League

At the end of 90 absorbing minutes the points were shared, although Woodford might feel that they deserved more having had the lion’s share of second half possession. The result see Boro in third place, behind Woodford and Heybridge Swifts, but only on goal difference.

After Saturday’s FA Cup tie and with another testing home game – against Ilford in the FA Vase – just a few days away, Boro boss Darren Manning tweaked his starting line-up with Alfie Leach, Fabio Vieira and Ekow Owusu-Boakye making their first starts and Freddie Tandon, Greig Stewart, and Aron Gordon moving to the bench.

The sides exchanged early chances with a quick Woodford break effectively snuffed out by the Romford defence after six minutes and with 13 minutes played Jaxon Brown met Ben McCrow’s cross from the left but got under the ball and his header rose over the crossbar.

A dangerous low cross from Woodford’s Kahlil Kirwan-Meade was cleared after 22 minutes and sixty seconds later, Boro were ahead. Alfie Osbourne’s pass found Jonathan Evans on the half-way line and his astute pass gave Fabio Vieira a free run at goal, and having timed his run to perfection, he slipped the ball past the advancing Woodford goalkeeper.

Woodford might have got back on level terms almost immediately but a header from a right wing cross drifted wide. Boro had a chance on the half-hour, but when Vieira’s low cross from the left was only partially cleared and fell invitingly for Osbourne, he could not keep his shot down and went over the bar.

A similar fate befell Woodford’s Marko Protic when he tried his luck following a corner after 33 minutes, but the prolific Woodford striker drew his team level in the first minute of the second half as he met Emmanuel Sergio’s cross with a somewhat under hit shot that nevertheless found the corner of the net. Woodford substitute Uko Oji had the ball in the Boro net only for referee Ricardo Reynolds to rule handball in the build up and Conor Beattie had to be alert to claim a low cross as the visitors began to assert themselves.

Not that Boro were without chances. A cross from the right by Ben McCrow was somehow bundled wide after 68 minutes, and with 73 minutes played Greig Stewart’s low shot from the edge of a crowded penalty area was turned round the post by Sidi Haidara in the Woodford goal.

A long clearance by Haidara was latched onto by Oji, but his angled shot rose over the crossbar and then Beattie had to come off his line to block with his feet as the visitors threatened once more.

It’s early days – nothing is settled in August – but Boro have started the season in decent form and look well set to deal with the challenges that are to come.

Romford: Conor Beattie, Teddy Desmond, Alfie Leach (Freddie Tandon 46'), Julius Nwike, Ben Sargent (Prince Sikiru 73'), Ekow Owusu-Boakye (Greig Stewart 46'), Alfie Osbourne, Fabio Vieira, Jonathan Evans (Aron Gordon 75'), Ben McCrow, Jaxon Brown. Unused sub: Jake Barlow