Despite a first half hat-trick by Hassan Nalbant – his third of the season – Romford went out of the Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy to FC Clacton for the second season running.

After the sides had shared six goals in 36 first half minutes it was something of a surprise that the second half should contain just the one goal, although had Boro converted any of the numerous chances that came their way, the scoreline could have been much different.

Jake Anderson had made two early stops before the home side went ahead through Jamie Eveleigh after seven minutes. The Clacton full-back cut in from the left and fired a shot that cannoned in off the far post.

Romford had two decent opportunities to equalise almost immediately. Finlay Dorrell was just unable to get on the end of a cross by Charlie Morris, and Mike Faulkner placed a shot over the bar from outside the box, but it was the home side who scored again after 22 minutes. Good work on the Clacton right ended with a cross that Teddy Collis volleyed home.

Charlie Morris shot narrowly wide after 24 minutes, but Hassan Nalbant got one back for Boro after 26 minutes when he reacted first to drive home after Faulkner’s shot had come back off the bar. The home side restored their two goal lead after 28 minutes however, when a quick break ended with Charlie Collis through and he chipped over the advancing Anderson.

Hassan Nalbant had a shot beaten away by home keeper Michael Bett after 32 minutes and Lee Hursit picked up a yellow card for a foul almost immediately after that, but Boro halved the deficit in the 40th minute when Nalbant latched on to Jacob Wiggins’ pass and fired a low shot past Bett.

Nalbant completed his hat-trick after 43 minutes. Finlay Dorrell flicked the ball on and Boro’s leading scorer did the rest, scoring with another low shot.

Romford did enough to win the game after the break, creating several decent chances, but it was Clacton who scored the only goal of the second half. It came after 62 minutes when Jake Anderson did well to beat away a swerving shot from outside the box only for the ball to run kindly for the home side’s Louie Kudiabor to score.

Clacton might have put the game beyond Boro’s reach after 67 minutes when Charlie Collis hit a shot on the turn that went over the bar, but after 69 minutes Finlay Dorrell went close to an equaliser when he shot just wide after Hassan Nalbant had headed down substitute Kris Newby’s ball into the box.

Scott Doe went close with a header in the 77th minute that was grabbed on the goal-line by Bett amid some half-hearted appeals that the ball had actually crossed the line, and in the 79th minute Clacton were reduced to ten men. Teddy Collis, who had been booked just six minutes earlier for a foul on Lee Hursit, launched into a completely unnecessary challenge on Danny Hurford on the touchline and referee Henry Steele had no compunction – nor option – in showing the Clacton player a second yellow, and hence, red card.

Kris Newby’s corner was headed just wide of the target by Nalbant after 81 minutes, and after 86 minutes a long clearance from Anderson was headed on by Nalbant to the perfectly placed Morris, but a defender got back to block the shot.

More Boro pressure in the dying moments frustratingly ended without a final product and so end Boro’s run of six consecutive cup tie wins.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Amaree Robinson-Jones, Danny Hurford, Charlie Morris, Jacob Wiggins (Kris Newby, 63m), Scott Doe, Darren Phillips (Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky, 63m), Lee Hursit, Hassan Nalbant, Mike Faulkner (Jaiden Babalola, 75m), Finlay Dorrell (Reece McGovern, 75) Unused sub: Wayne Baker

Report: Mike Woods