Ilford (1) 2, Romford (0) 1 – Saturday 24th October 2026 – Essex Senior League

The final score suggests a much closer game than this actually was. Ilford commanded possession from the off and were well worth their win; Jack Zielinski's injury time goal was a mere consolation for Boro.

The pitch at Cricklefields has been much maligned in the past, but having survived Storm Austen, it easily shrugged off Storm Boelo (better than Romford were able to). The constant rain and blustery wind were hardly ideal footballing conditions, but the home side seemed rarely discomforted by them, while Romford struggled to get their game together.

Chances were few in the opening 45 minutes, but those that there were fell Ilford's way. A fourth minute free-kick by Daniel Izekor comfortably cleared George Sapsford's crossbar and it wasn't until half an hour later that there was another meaningful chance when Abubakar Mohammed put a shot over the bar for the home side.

Romford's first, indeed only, chance of the first half came a moment later, but once again the shot - this time from Boro's Jack Zielinski - went harmlessly over the crossbar.

The first half seemed to be meandering to a goalless conclusion when Ilford went ahead in the penultimate minute. Ilford's possession worked the ball out to the left, from where a cross was delivered which Teddy Desmond unfortunately diverted into his own net. Worse might have followed had Sapsford not turned a shot over the bar in stoppage time.

With the wind at their backs in the second half, Romford really ought to have put the screws on Ilford, but the home side were just as adept into the storm as they had been in the first half and Boro made little headway against them. In fact, Ilford had at least as much second half possession as Boro and while chances remained thin on the ground, the home side looked the more likely to score, which they did for a second time after 75 minutes when Timothy Banks latched onto a long kick by his keeper Ben Szubski and drilled a low shot just inside Sapsford’s right hand post.

Both sides had opportunities before Ilford’s second goal, but tellingly it was the home side who had more of them. Zielinski was on the end of a good move involving Desmond and Jaxon Brown but had his shot kicked away by Szubski in a rare Boro attack after 53 minutes, but a minute after that it took a good block by Jake Barlow to prevent an Ilford shot at goal. With 57 minutes played, a low cross from the right was diverted over the Romford goal by Shaike Kamara, and then Abubakar Mohammed had two shooting opportunities for Ilford, shooting over after 69 minutes and then wide four minutes later.

Ilford struck a post after 88 minutes, but a rare opportunity came Boro’s way in the last minute of normal time when Ezra Agyiri’s shot forced Szubski into his first real save of the afternoon.

In the first minute of time added on, Boro finally got on the scoresheet. Agyiri crossed from the left, Zielinski met the ball and guided it past Szubski. There was just time for one more Romford attack, but when Barlow floated a free-kick into a crowded penalty area with five additional minutes played, the Ilford defence stood firm, cleared, and Boro’s last chance had gone.

After the excellent win over Hullbridge Sports in midweek, this was a very disappointing result, albeit against a decent Ilford side, and Boro will have to regroup ahead of a tricky trip to Saffron Walden Town on Tuesday.

Romford: George Sapsford, Kenny Nobrega, Teddy Desmond (Ekow Owusu-Boakye 59'), Alfie Osborne, Jake Barlow, Julius Nwike (Chris John 80'), Aron Gordon (Matt Blake 66'), Greig Stewart (Ezra Agyiri 80'), Jack Zielinski, Jaxon Brown, Kian Cocking. Unused sub: Freddy Tandon