Ilford 2, Romford 1

Photographs: Bob Knightley

On an afternoon when wind and rain made playing conditions difficult, Ilford coped rather better with the wind and rain than did Romford and were well worth their win. Jack Zielinski’s late goal, his third in five starts, was no more than a consolation. It came in second half stoppage time and was one of the few times that Boro had got a shot on target, and Ezra Agyiri’s shot that was comfortably saved by Ilford keeper Ben Szubski came just a minute or two earlier.

There were few chances in the opening 45 minutes and those that there were fell to Ilford. A fourth minute free-kick by Daniel Izekor comfortably cleared George Sapsford’s crossbar and it wasn’t until half an hour later that there was another meaningful chance when Abubakar Mohammed put a shot over the bar for the home side. Romford’s only chance of the first half came after 35 minutes when Jack Zielinski’s shot passed harmlessly over the crossbar.

It seemed as though the first half would end goal-less until Ilford went ahead in the 44th minute. The home side patiently worked possession from right to left and when the ball was crossed, Boro defender Teddy Desmond was unfortunate to divert it past Sapsford, who then had to make a fine save in stoppage time to prevent Ilford from doubling their advantage with the last kick of the half.

With the wind behind them after the break, Romford might have been expected to put Ilford under pressure, but it was the home side who continued to create the better openings. With 57 minutes played, a low cross from the right was diverted over the Romford goal by Shaike Kamara, and then Abubakar Mohammed had two shooting opportunities for Ilford, shooting over after 69 minutes and then wide four minutes later.

A rare Romford attack ended with Zielinski on the end of a good move involving Desmond and Jaxon Brown but his shot was kicked away by Szubski in the 53rd minute. Ilford went two up after 75 minutes when Timothy Banks latched onto a long kick by his keeper Ben Szubski and drilled a low shot just inside Sapsford’s right hand post.

Ilford struck a post after 88 minutes, but an opportunity came Boro’s way in the last minute of normal time when Ezra Agyiri’s shot forced Szubski into only his second real save of the afternoon.

Romford got one back in the first minute of second half injury time. Agyiri crossed from the left and Zielinski was on hand to shoot past Szubski. With referee Royan Campbell looking at his watch, Romford had one last opportunity when awarded a free-kick in midfield, but despite piling men forward, Ilford were able to clear and time was up.

After Wednesday’s excellent win over high-flying Hullbridge Sports, this result was a disappointment, but no one could deny that Ilford were deserved winners. Romford next face a tricky away game at Saffron Walden Town on Tuesday, by which time the stormy weather will hopefully have abated, before returning to Mayesbrook Park on Saturday for a home game against Essex Senior League new boys Hutton.

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