Hackney Wick (0) 0, Romford (1) 3 – Saturday 7th November 2026 – Essex Senior League

Aron Gordon’s first goal for the club in just the seventh minute set Romford on the way to their first away league win since the opening day of the season at Basildon United, but Boro were pushed hard by a Hackney Wick side whose performance belied their position near the foot of the Essex Senior League table, and it wasn’t until the last half hour that Boro made the game safe.

Romford had a first minute chance when a ball down the right by Ben Sargent found Jaxon Brown. Hackney keeper Deniz Aytac beat out Brown’s shot and although Jack Zielinski was well placed to take advantage of the loose ball, the Hackney defence scrambled the ball clear.

Then, when Brown was fouled some 25 yards from goal, Gordon expertly placed his free-kick between Aytac and his right-hand post to put Boro in front. Romford had further first half chances and might have increased their lead in the 21st minute when a partially cleared corner was returned into the penalty area by Chris John, but although Brown found the net, he was ruled offside.

Jack Zielinski had a tame shot fielded by Aytac after the Boro forward had latched onto Brown’s header and on the half hour Aytac turned Brown’s overhead kick over the bar. John then shot wide from 10 yards after the Hackney defence had been unable to clear a corner.

The home side were not without chances of their own however, and after 11 minutes, when George Sapsford’s punch from a left-wing corner had got little distance, Romford had to work hard to clear. Hackney’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes came after 26 minutes. John made an excellent tackle in his own penalty area to prevent a shot at goal, but when the ball ran wide on the right, it was chipped back in and Nicholas Afriyie-Barwuah – who was the pick of the home team’s forwards – headed only just over the crossbar.

The lumpy, uneven surface at Spa Road made passing football difficult and both sides wisely opted to get the ball forward quickly and at every opportunity with Hackney giving as good as they got, and five minutes from time it took two excellent blocks by the Boro defence to prevent Wick from getting shots on target.

After a formless opening to the second half, Romford created a couple of good openings for Brown, and with the second, he doubled Boro’s lead. With 56 minutes played, Brown was put through on the left, but from a tight angle he could only shoot across goal and wide, before he found the net after 59 minutes. Gordon took possession in midfield and put Brown through on the right. Aytac came out of his area but Brown evaded his challenge and ran through unopposed to pass into an unguarded net.

Hackney came close to pulling one back after 61 minutes when a cross from the left was swept against the bar with the rebound being slammed over and that, despite the home side gamely pressing for a goal, was the closest they came.

Zielinski made it three after 71 minutes. Teddy Desmond’s quick throw found Gordon and after he had beaten his full-back and got to the goal-line, he pulled the ball back for Zielinski to score from 12 yards.

Jaxon Brown and Jack Zielinski celebrate Boro’s second goal. Photo by Rob Frost.

Boro might have had another after 83 minutes when Julius Nwike ended a good run with a pass that put Zielinski through, but Aytac reacted well to kick the shot away.

It ought to have been four in the 87th minute as Brown, whose pace frequently troubled the Hackney back four, was put through, but rather than shoot he tried to find Zielinski who was well placed, but the ball ran frustratingly wide.

A pleasing win for Boro, who adopted a pragmatic style of play on a difficult surface against opponents who at times looked a better side than their league position suggests.

Romford: George Sapsford, Teddy Desmond (Julius Nwike 74'), Ben Sargent, Ryan Sammons (Flynn Hamilton 64'), Jake Barlow, Chris John, Carter McClean (Adolson Joao 80'), Alfie Osborne, Jack Zielinski, Jaxon Brown, Aron Gordon. Unused subs: Ekow Owusu-Boakye, Ezra Agyiri.

Report: Mike Woods