From three goals to the good and apparently cruising to a comfortable victory just after the hour mark, Boro were relieved to make it six league wins on the trot after the home side pulled two back inside four minutes in the second half. Substitutions for both sides changed the second half dynamic with Ilford’s goals scored by Joel Appiah and Daniel Izekor, players they have recently recruited from Athletic Newham.

The first forty-five minutes was as one sided a half of football as it is possible to imagine, and it was remarkable that Romford were unable to add to Toheeb Elegushi’s fifth minute goal. Ash Siddik had already shot just wide after Hasan Nalbant and Sam Deering had combined to move on Remi Sutton’s pass after four minutes when Boro went ahead a minute later. Sam Deering found Elegushi inside the Ilford penalty area and he casually rolled the ball past Wilkinson Boateng with the Ilford keeper clearly expecting a less subtle finish.

Kris Newby had a shot turned over the bar by Boateng after Nalbant had laid Deering’s pass back to him after nine minutes and after twenty-one minutes another Deering pass found Elegushi in space but this time he was denied by a good challenge.

It wasn’t until half way through the first period that Ilford had a chance of note when Joel Appiah scooped a shot over from the edge of the box, but Boro then seemed to have a sight of goal when Nalbant was put through but in a 50/50 challenge with an Ilford defender he was adjudged to have fouled his opponent and was yellow carded.

Both sides hit the woodwork as the half drew to a close. Ash Siddik was unfortunate with a 36th minute shot that came back off a post and rebounded into Boateng’s hands, but after 41 minutes Jake Anderson was relieved to see a snap shot from the edge of the box by Daniel Izekor rebound to safety off his right hand post.

Having taken just five minutes to go ahead in the first half, Boro were even quicker off the mark after the break, doubling their lead after 47 minutes. Toheeb Elegushi was again the scorer, delicately lifting the ball over Boateng after Hassan Nalbant had put him through.

Romford continued to dominate: Nalbant had a shot beaten away by Boateng and Elegushi shot over after being well found by Deering, but after 61 minutes it was a deserved three for Boro. Substitute Finlay Dorrell found space on the right and sent over a low cross that Sam Deering converted from six yards.

A flurry of substitutions on both sides gave Ilford a foothold into the game and they served a warning when Appiah’s shot had to be beaten away by Anderson after 69 minutes, but Deering ought to have made it four for Boro went he shot wide after being well found by Danny Hurford on 71 minutes.

With 73 minutes gone, Ilford pulled one back when Daniel Izekor found the space to capitalise on a pass played in from the left and lifted the ball over Anderson. Romford then had a decent chance when Charlie Morris was well found by Deering, but his shot drifted wide and Ilford promptly got a second when Appiah fired a 77th minute shot into the top corner.

With time running out, Boro had a good chance to put the game beyond Ilford’s reach when Deering shot over from Morris’s pass after 87 minutes, and sixty seconds later Ilford were reduced to ten men when Michael Okafor saw red after a handball offense that broke up a promising Romford attack.

Although Ilford had late possession as they chased an unlikely equaliser, Boro held on for three more vital points in pursuit of a play-off place, but it ended a lot closer than it should have.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Danny Hurford, Remi Sutton (Jamie Hursit, 60m), Kris Newby, Darren Phillips (Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky, 65m), Scott Doe, Lee Hursit, Sam Deering, Hassan Nalbant (Charlie Morris, 60m), Ash Siddik (Jaiden Babalola, 72m), Toheeb Elegushi (Finlay Dorrell, 60m)

Report: Mike Woods