A Point For Boro, But So Close To All Three

By Mike Woods, Romford Official

Great Wakering Rovers 2, Romford 2

Had Boro converted either of the two late chances that came their way, then the one point earned at Great Wakering would have been three. Just before the end Gabriel Ipanga cut in from the left and fired a shot against a post, and in the second minute of stoppage time, he delivered a perfect cross that Riley Garrick headed wide.

Flynn Hamilton had a shot for Boro in the very first minute that went wide and then, after a good interchange of passes around the edge of the home penalty area, he tried his luck with a shot that drifted wide in the 42^nd minute. Greig Stewart had a shot saved by Wakering keeper Gene Ghag, while Christian Adu Gyamfi went close with a header in the pick of Boro’s first half chances.

A free-kick from 30 yards that was driven straight at Brad Davison, and a header from Harrison Topliss that landed on the roof of the net were the best opportunities that Great Wakering had, although they did have the ball in the net with a header from a 38^th minute free-kick, but their celebrations were cut short by the raised flag of the assistant.

Both sides continued to press forward after the interval and after 52 minutes Davison saved well from Wakering’s Ben Search with Nick Reynolds completing the clearance and at the other end a minute later, Flynn Hamilton had a low shot saved by Ghag.

Romford went ahead after 55 minutes. Flynn Hamilton collected the ball in midfield, strode forward, and placed a low shot into the bottom left hand corner of Ghag’s net. Boro then had an opportunity to double their lead Ipanga’s pass found Lewis Browne who was denied by Ghag as he came off his line.

Rovers levelled after 73 minutes when a long forward pass found Harry Talbot and he lifted the ball over the advancing Davison. Two minutes later and Boro were back in front with a composed finish from Henry Hart, who had been found by Browne’s pass.

The lead proved to be short lived however, as after 81 minutes, a low cross by Great Wakering’s Shaye La-Rose found Ben Search, who went down under a tackle to win his side a penalty. Davison blocked Topliss’s spot-kick, but was powerless to prevent the same player ramming the ball home after the rebound had landed at his feet.

Neither side were content to settle for the draw, although it was Romford who had the better chances to win it late on, but in the end had to settle for a point.

Boro end 2025 with a short trip to play Frenford – currently bottom of the Essex Senior League table – next Saturday.

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