The absence of Boro’s suspended trio was felt less keenly than some had feared and in the second half enough presentable chances were created that, had any been taken, the margin of victory could easily have been doubled.

On a soft and sloping pitch, the home side exerted pressure from the start and as early as the second minute a strong run by Ryan Ewhare on the right ended with the Boro defence having to work hard to clear his cross.

Back came Romford however, and after Finlay Dorrell was fouled on the left, Sam Deering floated in a free-kick which was punched away by keeper Sam House but only as far as Darren Phillips, whose shot was blocked for a corner. House flapped at the flag kick, giving Dorrell the chance of a header at goal that went the wrong side of the post.

Darren Phillips, whose physical presence in an unexpected forward role gave the home defence plenty to think about, had a speculative effort from range that went wide while North Greenford’s Joseph Mills tried his luck from outside the box but his shot flew over the bar. Another dangerous run by Ewhare had Romford defending in depth after nineteen minutes, but after twenty-five minutes, Boro were ahead.

Sam Deering’s free-kick from the left was flicked on by Phillips; Charlie Morris headed back across goal and Remi Sutton applied the final touch with a deft header.

North Greenford went close through Anotida Mano, who headed Ewhare’s cross over the bar after 32 minutes, and then Jake Anderson had to make his first save of note, diving to his right to hold a shot at the base of the post.

Samuel Brown of North Greenford became the first player to find his name entered in referee Steven Hughes’s book after making a rash lunge at Darren Phillips and the half ended with Boro going close to a second goal when Ash Siddik and Charlie Morris had shots blocked before Phillips headed straight at the keeper.

The home side came out for the second half all guns blazing for an equaliser. After 49 minutes Joseph Mills fired a 30 yard shot onto the top of the Boro crossbar, and after 53 minutes Samuel Brown’s free-kick from a dangerous position was deflected over the bar by Remi Sutton in the Romford wall.

A minute later, when Ash Siddik put Charlie Morris through, a second goal looked on the cards, but instead of shooting, Morris tried to find Dorrell and the chance was lost. Morris then went close when his volley from Siddik’s corner was blocked.

Jake Anderson kept Boro in the tie with an important save after 58 minutes, diving to his left to push away a shot from Brown, but he would have been able to do nothing about Harvey Killeen’s close range shot soon after but fortunately for Boro the Greenford player failed to hit the target.

Romford were tantalisingly close to a second when Remi Sutton’s header from Siddik’s corner came down off the bar and was cleared off the line after 66 minutes, and after 74 minutes another corner was only half cleared and Siddik set up Scott Doe for a shot that House saved.

The home side were reduced to ten men after 78 minutes when substitute Tomasz Siemeineczuk foolishly kicked out at Jake Anderson as the Boro keeper guarded the ball and Boro almost punished them when Phillips was put through by Siddik with a clear run at goal. Claims that Phillips was pulled back as he bore down on goal were waved away by referee Hughes.

Phillips was denied by a block by House and the Greenford keeper also saved well from Jaiden Babalola with Deering denied by a last ditch tackle as the ball ran loose as Boro continued to create the better chances.

There was a flurry of cards as the game entered its closing stages. The home side had Joe Gritt booked for a foul on Sutton six minutes from the end and in stoppage time Lee Hursit was booked for kicking the ball away while Sam Deering was cautioned for a foul.

Greenford keeper House was lucky to get away without a booking – or even a foul – when, after coming up for a free-kick in the fourth minute of added time, he had to sprint back to prevent Babalola having a clear run at goal. It mattered not in the end as the final whistle soon blew to end an afternoon that many rightly described as surreal; Romford are in the FA Vase Semi-Final!

Romford: Jake Anderson, Jamie Hursit, Remi Sutton, Jacob Wiggins (Lee Hursit, 59m), Scott Doe, Ash Siddik (Jaiden Babalola, 84m), Sam Deering, Charlie Morris, Finlay Dorrell (Jeremie Mukendi, 64m), Darren Phillips, Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky. Unused subs: Toheeb Elegushi, Reece McGovern, Danny Hurford, Wayne Baker

Report: Mike Woods