Finlay Dorrell marked his first start for the club with a brace of goals as Boro swept past Buckhurst Hill to earn a Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy Semi-Final tie against FC Clacton.

Scott Doe set Boro on their way with a fourth minute goal, glancing a header in at the far post from Kris Newby’s right wing corner. Playing a noticeably higher tempo game than of late, and pressing the visitors’ defence, Romford created two chances for Dorrell in the space of a minute. In the eleventh minute the young forward beat Buckhurst Hill goalkeeper Emmanuel Olajide to the ball, but was forced wide and the chance was lost, but sixty seconds later he cut in from the left hand side of the penalty area after a corner had been half cleared and steered a well placed shot wide of Olajide to make it 2-0.

Boro were dealt a blow after 16 minutes when Danny Hurford was forced off with an injury, and Buckhurst Hill created their first opportunity after 22 minutes when Sam Sollosi took a pot-shot, but his effort went well wide of Jake Anderson’s goal, although after 27 minutes the Boro keeper was called into action to save a shot low at his right hand post.

A speculative shot from Boro’s George Cox was only just off target after 32 minutes, and then a partially blocked shot from Buckhurst Hill’s Sam Sollosi ran harmlessly through to Anderson, who also made a comfortable save from Sonny Shilling’s shot after Nathan Sollosi’s free-kick had been blocked.

Finlay Dorrell bagged his second just two minutes before the interval, reacting first to reach a long ball out of the Boro defence and delicately lifting it over the advancing Olajide from the edge of the penalty area.

The visitors asserted themselves more after the break and pulled one back after 49 minutes. Sam Sollosi chased a lost cause on the right, beat Bleron Ademi and pulled the ball back from the goal line for Nathan Sollosi to score with a low shot from eight yards.

A minute later and Boro’s Liam Boxall was just off target with a shot after Kris Newby’s free-kick had been half cleared, but Buckhurst Hill were looking the more likely team to score as first a shot from Jonah Gregory landed on the roof of the Boro net after 55 minutes, and then after 57 minutes Ezekiel Bademosi’s effort was deflected wide. Bleron Ademi and Jake Anderson then combined to block Nathan Sollosi’s shot at close range, but after weathering the storm, Romford struck again with a quite extraordinary goal.

Charlie Morris chased down a throw-in destined for The Stags’ keeper Olajide after 76 minutes, beating him to the ball, but apparently now too wide of goal to have a scoring opportunity, but the Boro forward – whose last goal in the Blue & Gold was at Redbridge back in October – fired in an audacious shot from the acutest of angles for Boro’s fourth. Two minutes later Scott Doe bagged his second of the evening. Given the freedom of the Buckhurst Hill six-yard box, the Boro defender had all the time and space he needed to head Kris Newby’s corner past Olajide.

After recent poor league results, this victory was a welcome treat for Boro fans, the first home win in any competition since November, and the first five goal haul since October. Including penalty shoot-out wins, Boro have won a remarkable 15 of the 20 cup ties played this season.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Jamie Hursit (Henry Hart, 80m), Danny Hurford (Bleron Ademi, 16m), Jacob Wiggins (Jack Glenister, 63m), Scott Doe, Liam Boxall, Camilo Restrepo (Tyrese Sibanda, 80m), Kris Newby, Finlay Dorrell (Praise Ogbebor, 73), George Cox, Charlie Morris