Heybridge Swifts (1) 3, Romford (1) 1 – Tuesday 3rd November 2026 – Essex Senior League

Romford were unable to put a dent in Heybridge’s 100% home record, but my goodness they gave it a go, pushing Swifts all the way until two late goals settled it.

Employing a more direct style than the ponderous approach that has been the hallmark of recent games, Boro took the game to Heybridge in the early stages and were rewarded with a goal of the highest quality after 16 minutes. Sadly, the lead lasted a bare three minutes, but for the remainder of the first half Romford gave at least as good as they got.

After the interval Heybridge showed just why they are league leaders and undoubtedly the best side that Romford have faced this season, pushing Boro back with a stream of attacks. The Boro defence held firm however, until a couple of late goals put the game beyond them.

In only the fifth minute, Romford created a shooting opportunity for debut-making Carter McClean, but his shot drifted wide, then with 16 minutes played, Boro went ahead. Aron Gordon won the ball in midfield and drove forward before finding Jack Zielinski lurking in the Swifts penalty area and he curled a delightful shot past Swifts’ former Boro keeper Callum Chafer.

Swifts levelled after 19 minutes as they worked the ball from right to left and an angled drive across goal by Alex Golder found the far corner of the net. It might have been two for Heybridge after 23 minutes when the home side moved the ball to Ben Search on the right-hand side of the penalty area, but George Sapsford turned Search’s fierce drive onto the bar. Moments later Sapsford had to dash from his line to clear as a pacey Swifts attack put a forward into dangerous territory.

A cross by Ryan Sammons that was partially cleared fell to Jaxon Brown after 31 minutes but his shot went wide and then Zielinski charged down Chafer’s clearance as Boro continued to press the Heybridge defence.

A shot by Luca Albon had all the sting taken out of it by Jake Barlow and ran harmlessly through to Sapsford after 38 minutes and as the half drew to a close, Sapsford was again quickly off his line to force Henry Hart into a rushed shot that flew over the bar.

The rain came down as the second half began and Heybridge poured forward with it. In the 47th minute Barlow made a good block from Wesley Santos’s shot after the forward had cut in from the left and with 52 minutes on the clock a shot by Jack Adlington-Pile sailed over the bar.

Referee Steven Walsh angered Boro full-back Sammons by penalising him for handball after he had been clearly fouled and for which offence Walsh’s assistant was flagging; fortunately for Boro, the free-kick came to nothing, but Sammons’ continued protests eventually earned him a ten-minute break in the sin-bin.

A superb tackle by Chris John prevented a shooting opportunity after 58 minutes, but the Boro defender was injured in the challenge and he lasted only a further 19 minutes before being replaced by Ekow Owusu-Boakye with Julius Nwike – who had done well in an unfamiliar right-back slot – moving into the centre of the defence.

Swifts were by now much the more dominant side and after 70 minutes Jack Dickinson headed over from a free-kick before their pressure finally told in the 76th minute. A free-kick was floated into the box and when Sapsford’s punch got no distance and Boro’s attempts to clear were ineffective, the ball ran to Zack Littlejohn, who scored from close range. It looked as though Heybridge would go further ahead after 78 minutes when Sapsford saved well from a low shot, and with a forward following up, a goal looked certain only for the shot to fly well over the bar.

The home side did make it three two minutes from time however. Again, Sapsford saved the initial shot – a fierce drive that he got a strong hand to – but the ball didn’t clear the bar and fell kindly for Chris Manangu who tapped it home.

After matching their opponents in the opening 45 minutes, Boro struggled to make headway against a very good Swifts side in the second half, but the contrast between this performance and the abject display that led to Saturday’s defeat against Hutton could not have been greater.

Romford: George Sapsford, Julius Nwike, Ryan Sammons, Alfie Osborne, Jake Barlow, Chris John (Ekow Owusu-Boakye 77'). Aron Gordon, Carter McClean, Jack Zielinski, Jaxon Brown, Kian Cocking (Flynn Hamilton 80’). Unused sub: Ezra Agyiri