Boro beaten after failing to build on good start

Ilford 2, Romford 0

Boro’s first match under new manager Dan Brown ended in defeat at Ilford on Saturday with the home side’s Joel Appiah doing the damage with both goals.

Romford began the match firmly in control, yet it was Ilford who struck first after 28 minutes when Appiah bent a precise effort beyond Brad Davison from the edge of the box. When Appiah rose to head in his team’s second goal on 65 minutes, Boro were left with too much to do.

Boro started brightly and within two minutes, Gabriel Ipanga forced Ilford goalkeeper Wilkinson Boateng to push his shot around the post for an early corner, but Boateng would not be seriously tested again until the 67th minute when he saved Christian Adu Gyamfi’s shot.

Even during Romford’s early dominance, it was Ilford who produced the clearer chances. After 23 minutes Brad Davison to dash from his line to with his feet from Daniel Izekor and three minutes after the opening goal,Boro were fortunate when a shot cleared the bar following a well-delivered cross from Shaike Kamara. Davison again had to come off his line to thwart another Ilford attack, with Nick Reynolds completing the clearance.

Romford continued to monopolise possession but rarely threatened Boateng’s goal. Flynn Hamilton’s 38th-minute effort was their only attempt on target as the half wound down. At the opposite end, Davison saved from Izekor, Kamara, and Appiah in the final minutes before the interval.

Ilford effectively secured the victory 20 minutes into the second half. Maksym Trush hooked in a cross from the left that Appiah met with a firm header for his second of the afternoon.

Davison had little else to deal with, while Boateng was only called upon occasionally. Christian Adu Gyamfi saw a drive beaten away by the Ilford keeper after 67 minutes and later nodded wide from Ryan Sammons’ corner. Lewis Browne also tested Boateng once and had another effort blocked by a defender.

Both sides sent shots well over the bar in the dying stages, but with Ilford satisfied that the job was done and Romford unable to find a breakthrough, there were no further goals.

Romford’s next two games are at Mayesbrook Park, and Boro will be looking for a first home league win of the season when White Ensign are the visitors on Saturday. This is followed by a tough assignment against in form Little Oakley on Tuesday, 25^th November.

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