Although it was goal-less at the break, Jersey Bulls had served notice of their intentions in the first half with Matt Cafer having to make two excellent stops. At the other end, Romford failed to get a shot on target, and it got no better in the second half.

The first half was quite ill tempered, with players from both sides spoken to by referee Jordan Mcritchie, whose patience ran out after 13 minutes when he yellow carded Jersey’s James Queree for a foul on Tambeson Eyong. And the Jersey skipper was joined in the book by Jonny Le Quesne for a late challenge on Scott Doe, Luke Campbell for a bad tackle from behind on Tom Richardson, and Jay Giles for tripping Camilo Restrepo, all inside the first forty minutes.

Romford’s early play looked promising, and after just six minutes, Kris Newby intercepted in midfield and set up Tom Richardson, but his shot was blocked, and generally Boro had plenty of possession. Ominously however, Jersey always looked more dangerous in attack and after seventeen minutes, Francis Lekimamati burst into the box and went to ground amongst loud appeals for a penalty, but nothing was given.

Matt Cafer parried a long, low shot that fortunately saw the follow up struck wide, and Cafer was in action again shortly afterwards, coming off his line to collect an overhit through ball and being upended by Lekimamati, who really ought to have seen a card, but didn’t. Cafer then saved at point blank range from the same player when it looked as though the home side would go ahead.

Adalberto Pinto then headed a Jersey corner clear to set up Restrepo for a run at goal from deep inside his own half, a run that was only ended by the foul that earned Giles his yellow card.

The second half opened with a yellow card for Tambeson Eyong for a routine foul, and it was almost inevitable that when a card of a different hue emerged from the referee’s pocket, it would be waved in the direction of a Boro player. Eyong apparently made a remark that did not meet with the referee’s approval, and he was sent off, by which time, Boro trailed 2-0 and four minutes after the dismissal, it was three.

Jersey’s first goal, scored by Lorne Bickley, stemmed from Eyong being dispossessed by what looked like a foul, allowing the Bulls’ leading scorer a clear run at goal after 49 minutes. After 53 minutes Sammy Henia-Kamau netted what would prove to be the first goal of his hat-trick as his side broke quickly after a good exchange between Restrepo and Richardson had ended with the former’s shot being blocked.

Lekimamati made it three after 65 minutes with a low shot from the edge of the box, by which time the game was clearly over as a contest. Henia-Kamau made it four after 70 minutes, and was only denied a hat-trick by Cafer’s block after 80 minutes, which only delayed matters by four minutes as Jersey stole possession from Boro’s kick off after conceding the fifth (scored by Luke Watson, with what was apparently not just the substitute’s first touch of the game, but his first touch in a Jersey shirt after signing two days before the game) and Henia-Kamau scored again.

So, Romford’s FA Vase adventure ends, less with a bang and more with a whimper, against a side whose performance was rated as their best of the season by some of the local fans. Whether Jersey go on to win the Vase remains to be seen, but it will take a good team to beat them.

Romford return to league action on Wednesday evening when Little Oakley come to Mayesbrook Park.

Romford: Matt Cafer, Bleron Ademi, Danny Hurford, Kris Newby (Alex Balisani, 61m), Tambeson Eyong, Scott Doe, Lewis Smith (Jake Gordon, 61m), Adalberto Pinto, Tom Richardson, George Cox, Camilo Restrepo (Warren Beattie, 73m). Unused subs: Jacob Wiggins, Jack Glenister, Jake Anderson.