Skipper’s Goal Keeps Romford Up

By Mike Woods

Romford 2, Harwich & Parkeston 1

Captain and all-time club record goalscorer Nick Reynolds scored the goal that won the game and preserved Romford’s Essex Senior League status.

Trailing to an unfortunate own goal, Romford were staring relegation in the face, but Teddy Desmond levelled the scores after 58 minutes and Reynolds netted the winner in the 72^nd minute.

Boro had early chances; Christian Adu Gyamfi was denied by a good block by Harwich keeper Brad Cook after just seven minutes and both Matt Price and Teddy Desmond – having been found by passes from Flynn Hamilton and Chris Millar respectively – were both off target with shots that rose over the bar.

Harwich had a penalty appeal turned down by the referee and then created a golden opportunity to go ahead when Louis Bloom found space in the Romford penalty area after 19 minutes but his shot went harmlessly wide.

The visitors took the lead after 25 minutes with an unfortunate own goal. A long, high ball forward seemed to present little immediate danger, but when Liam Boxall headed the ball back to Lee Haylock, he found that the Boro goalkeeper had advanced further than he expected and the ball rolled agonisingly slowly into the back of the net.

Christian Adu Gyamfi had a shot blocked by Cook after 41 minutes and Matt Price fired the loose ball wide, but after three minutes of added time Haylock had to make a superb block to prevent the visitors doubling their lead. Adu Gyamfi went close to an equaliser in the sixth minute of stoppage time but side-footed Chris Millar’s cross wide.

The second half opened with Greig Stewart having a shot turned away by Cook, but after 58 minutes, Boro were finally level. Munir Hadi’s low cross from the right was not dealt with by the Harwich defence and the ball ran to Teddy Desmond who followed up to smash the ball into the roof of the net.

Haylock turned a shot from Harwich substitute Tiwa Odufuye over the bar after 65 minutes before Boro sub Darnell Fuller had the ball in the Harwich net, side footing in Hadi’s low cross from the right only to be ruled offside.

Romford’s nerves were eased after 72 minutes when Nick Reynolds netted what proved to be the winner, losing his marker to get on the end of Flynn Hamilton’s free-kick and heading over Cook and in at the far post.

Harwich were not letting Romford rest however, and Odufuye met a cross at the far post but headed over after 74 minutes and then, with 80 minutes played, Jack Cosby went close with an overhead kick.

Darnell Fuller had chances to make the game safe for Boro in the closing stages. Twice he forced Cook into good saves and once he shot over the bar after latching onto a poor defensive header before the referee called time on what was only Romford’s third league win at home in what has been a disappointing season, but which lifted them to a final finish of fourteenth place in the table.

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