Late Penalty Denies Boro Maximum Points

By Mike Woods

Hackney Wick 1, Romford 1

An 87^th minute penalty from Hackney Wick’s Romario Gittens denied Romford a win after Flynn Hamilton had given Boro the lead in the 74^th minute, but had they taken some of the chances that fell their way then Boro would have been home and dry long before that.

Romford had a golden opportunity to take control after 12 minutes when Christian Adu Gyamfi was put through by Greig Stewart and was brought down by Hackney keeper Adeshinayo Awoniyi. Adu Gyamfi took the penalty himself, striking the ball down the middle but Awoniyi – diving to his right –diverted the shot over the bar with his foot.

From the corner Louis Mathias hit a shot that rose just over the bar and then on the quarter hour Owen Bellamy was put through on the right and chipped the keeper with Adu Gyamfi unable to get a touch as the ball ran across goal and wide.

Nick Reynolds lost his footing just inside his own half on the soft and bobbly pitch giving Hackney’s Alexander Nicolaides a clear run at goal, but the Hackney forward shot harmlessly wide. A long range shot from Kyle Anderson that Brad Davison fielded comfortably was Hackney’s only other real sight of goal in the opening 45 minutes.

Romford ought to have converted at least one of string of chances that came their way in the first half. Adu Gyamfi slipped at the crucial moment after being sent clear and then after Owen Bellamy’s cross from the right had come off the Hackney keeper, Adu Gyamfi could not find the touch that would have found the unguarded net. Joe Damrell burst into the box in the 43^rd minute but was denied by Awoniyi who came off his line to block.

Owen Bellamy shot wide of the far post in the first minute of the second half and then Hackney went close, hitting a post from close range following a corner.

Mathias fired over the bar from 30 yards on the hour for Boro and two minutes later Hackney’s Daniel Atkinson shot wide from a similar distance, before Romford finally took the lead in the 74^th minute. Freddie Cooper’s pass found Flynn Hamilton and the Boro midfielder netted his eighth of the season with a shot into the corner that left Awoniyi flat footed.

Jake Gordon came on for Hamilton shortly after the goal and immediately set up Owen Bellamy, but Bellamy dallied and another chance went begging.

Romario Gittens rode some Boro challenges but shot wide before the game turned with six minutes left. Jake Gordon’s cross from the right was met with a header by Teddy Desmond, but Awoniyi saved and Hackney broke quickly, leading to a scramble just inside the Boro penalty area with referee Chay Saggers awarding a penalty. Gittens stepped up to take the spot kick and although Davison correctly dived to his right, he could not get a hand to the shot.

Romford’s longest unbeaten run of the season extends to three games but with one of the sides below them, West Essex, starting to find some form, Romford need to start converting draws into victories starting next Saturday at Gardiners Close when fellow strugglers Basildon United are the opposition.

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