Finlay Dorrell became the first Romford player to score four in a game since Des Gallen against Barking in 2007, and in doing so set three records: Fastest hat-trick, fastest four goals, and first player to score four by half-time. Dorrell netted his four goals in just 30 minutes and three of them came in a six minute spell as Boro romped to a 5-0 half time lead. Just as rewarding as Dorrell’s strikes however, were Charlie Morris’s first league goals of the season, and only a post came between him and a second half hat-trick.

A major talking point of the first half was the somewhat random nature of some of the offside decisions, at least one of which saw Finlay Dorrell flagged offside when clearly not, while Boro’s fourth goal stemmed from a header by a suspiciously offside looking Henry Hart. Hart was also the recipient of a rather harsh yellow card when, unaware that he had been flagged offside, he lofted a cross into the Coggeshall penalty area and was cautioned.

Coggeshall had the game’s first on target shot when Jake Anderson saved a low shot from Jack Zielinski after seven minutes, and in the second half Anderson was called into action to make a number of saves from Zielinski and his strike partner Nathan Dennis.

Having been set up by Charlie Morris, Finlay Dorrell’s first shy at goal after 8 minutes was saved by Aaron Cassie, but after 13 minutes he had the ball in the net with a low shot from the corner of the penalty area as he latched on to Kris Newby’s pass.

Coggeshall had a chance to level when Nathan Dennis shot wide, but Boro really should have doubled their lead after 19 minutes; no one could get a decisive touch on Junior Luke’s low cross from the left. It was 2-0 after 25 minutes however, as George Cox controlled Charlie Morris’s cross from the left, turned and shot past Cassie.

Dorrell claimed his second after 37 minutes, taking Newby’s pass and shooting across Cassie and into the corner to make it 3-0. Sixty seconds later he ought to have had his third as he ran on to a bad back pass but struck his shot straight at the keeper. He made amends after 39 minutes though, taking Henry Hart’s header in his stride and firing home.

Finlay Dorrell completes his hat-trick…

and celebrates with Henry Hart.

Pictures by Bob Knightley.

Coggeshall had two decent opportunities to reduce the arrears before the end of the half as Nathan Dennis had a curling shot pawed away by Anderson for a corner, from which Junior Luke had to clear off the line. Boro promptly went up the other end and scored a fifth after 43 minutes, again through Dorrell, before the Boro forward was on the end of another dubious offside flag as he ran onto a through pass.

Just sixty seconds had elapsed in the second half and Charlie Morris had his first goal of the season when Kris Newby’s quick throw found the Boro forward and his low shot eluded Cassie. After 50 minutes Coggeshall had one back however, Zielinski’s header from a left wing cross looping into the top corner.

Morris made it 7-1 after 53 minutes when he controlled Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky’s ball in from the right and struck his shot across Cassie but the home side responded by pulling another back after 57 minutes, Nathan Dennis scoring after dispossessing Junior Luke. Remarkably, the remaining 33 minutes passed without a further goal, although both sides had chances. Coggeshall went close on a number of occasions, hitting a post and forcing three good saves from Anderson, the pick of which was when he turned Zielinski’s header over the bar in the penultimate minute.

A flurry of second half substitutions disrupted Boro’s rhythm, but there were chances to add to the goal tally as Morris hit a post after 80 minutes when Seedorf Mendes flicked on Newby’s cross, and after 87 minutes Morris was only denied by Cassie diving at his feet.

A satisfactory return to form for Boro, with other results meaning a move up to fourth place ahead of next Saturday’s game against Ilford, who appear rudderless after losing at West Essex, their fifth defeat on the trot, in each of which they have conceded five goals.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Henry Hart (Seedorf Mendes, 75m), Junior Luke, Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky, Michael Turner, Scott Doe (Amaree Robinson-Jones, 54m), Kris Newby, George Cox, Finlay Dorrell (Toheeb Elegushi, 63m), Ashaan Siddik (Lee Hursit, 76m), Charlie Morris.