Last season Romford put five past Saffron Walden in an FA Cup tie with Charlie Morris netting a hat-trick, and in Friday night’s season opener Boro again went nap against The Bloods, and this time it was Finlay Dorrell who bagged three goals.

Finlay Dorrell opens the scoring. Picture by Alan Blackholly

After the visitors had had almost exclusive possession of the ball in the opening minutes, Romford went ahead after only three minutes. Jamie Hursit’s ball down the right found Jayden Silcott-Brown and his low cross provided Finlay Dorrell with a simple tap in. There was almost a repeat after seven minutes when Kris Newby picked out Silcott-Brown but this time the Boro winger’s ball across forced Dorrell wide and the chance was lost.

Boro’s lead didn’t last that long with Saffron Walden equalising after nine minutes, Reece Barrett finding the net with a low shot after Romford had been hassled out of possession in their own half. Parity lasted just three minutes however, as Boro were ahead again with twelve minutes gone. Again, Silcott-Brown was the provider as his cross from the right was met by Dorrell’s head, and when the ball came back off the bar, Bruno Gomes – who had begun the move - was on hand to sweep the ball home from close range for his first Romford goal.

Saffron Walden’s Charlie Cole struck a shot from range that rebounded off the bar after sixteen minutes, but that was the last real threat that the visitors posed until Jake Anderson made a routine save over an hour later. So dominant were Boro – especially after the interval – that Anderson was virtually a spectator.

Michael Turner headed narrowly wide from Newby’s corner, Silcott-Brown was denied by Saffron Walden keeper James Young after being sent through by Gomes and Jamie Hursit’s cross almost embarrassed Young, but fortunately for the visitors’ goalkeeper, the ball dropped just wide of the post as Romford pressed for a third.

And a third goal duly arrived after 29 minutes. Bruno Gomes broke from midfield and found Charlie Morris, whose low ball across goal was converted by Finlay Dorrell from close range. Dorrell might have had a first half hat-trick, but after being put through by Morris, his shot was too close to Young, who pushed the ball away for a corner. Morris was perhaps fortunate to still be able to take part in proceedings at that stage, having been victim of a poor challenge ten yards inside his own half when Saffron Walden’s George Pullen scythed him down and gave referee Gavin Bailey no option but to show him a red card.

It was little surprise that Romford took no chances and substituted Morris at the interval with Sonny Shilling taking his place, but there was no change of pace from Boro who continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession without being perhaps quite as incisive in the early stages of the second half as they had been before the break.

Aside from Morris’s substitution, Romford rang the changes with all the other four substitutes playing their part, and as Boro continued to make chances, Dorrell was well found by Jacob Wiggins after 65 minutes, but had strayed offside. After 68 minutes however, Dorrell completed a deserved hat-trick when his header from a cross by Junior Luke – who had been well picked out by Jacob Wiggins - found the net off an upright.

Jordan Sarfo was tripped in full flight after 75 minutes, providing Boro with a shooting opportunity from the free-kick 30 yards out, and Young had to make an excellent save to tip Sonny Shilling’s shot away for a corner.

Jayden Silcott-Brown chipped over Young from an acute angle only to see the ball land on the roof of the net, and the young Boro winger was then involved in an incident that ended with Saffron Walden’s goalscorer Barrett booked for his part in an ensuing melee.

Seedorf Mendes forced Young into a good save with a low shot in the 83rd minute, but the keeper was powerless as Sonny Shilling wrapped up the scoring with a shot from close range in the first minute of added time after Mendes had won possession deep in Saffron Walden territory and found Harrison Georgiou, who in turn fed Shilling.

The win puts Boro top of the table, but after just one game that means nothing, especially when the rest of the league haven’t even played a game yet, but against a side fancied by many to do well this season, Romford have made the perfect start.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Jamie Hursit (Henry Hart, 54m), Junior Luke, Kris Newby (Harrison Georgiou, 63m), Scott Doe, Michael Turner, Jayden Silcott-Brown, Jacob Wiggins, Bruno Gomes (Seedorf Mendes, 63m), Charlie Morris (Sonny Shilling, 46m), Finlay Dorrell (Jordan Sarfo, 73m).

Video highlights are available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J1RVfHarI0