There are some games that are so action packed that writing a report requires skill in order to edit them yet include every relevant incident: This – Boro’s third 1-0 away defeat on the bounce - was not one such.

So lacking in incident was this game that it can be summed up by three moments; Ilford’s goal, a save by Jake Anderson, and a narrowly off-target header by Henry Hart. That the second of those occurred after 86 minutes and the last came in the fourth minute of second half stoppage time will indicate how drab this game was.

Reviewing my notes, I find only three things worthy of recording happened in the whole of the first 45 minutes. After six minutes, Jamie Hursit’s cross from the right found Camilo Restrepo whose shot was parried by Ilford keeper Tim Pitman, and from the loose ball, Pitman blocked Hassan Nalbant’s follow up. After 17 minutes Ilford scored what proved to be the only goal of the game. Romford conceded a free-kick 25 yards from their own goal (one of a number of inexplicable fouls for which Boro were penalised over the course of the 90 minutes) and Ilford’s Brandon Wood curled the dead ball into the top right hand corner of Jake Anderson’s net.

It was not until the 50th minute that anything noteworthy happened after that, and then it was only a header by Henry Hart from Jamie Hursit’s cross that was well off target. Shortly afterwards, a free-kick from George Cox – awarded for a foul on Nalbant – was deflected off the Ilford wall and required a save from Pitman; the loose ball was cleared.

Hassan Nalbant was booked for Boro, as was the debut making Junior Luke, and – incredibly harshly – Liam Boxall, who seemed to be penalised for his ability to out-jump his opponent more than for anything else, while Ilford’s George Haynes also saw yellow for a foul on Nalbant.

Ilford had the ball in the net after 73 minutes but the strike was ruled out for offside, however, after 86 minutes they looked nailed on to double their lead but were thwarted by a wonderful point blank save by Jake Anderson. Finally, in the fourth minute of added time, Praise Ogbebor delivered a marvellous cross from the right that was met on the full with his head by Henry Hart, but sadly for Boro, the ball narrowly cleared the crossbar.

There were first starts today for Ryan Hervel in midfield and Junior Luke at centre-back, both formerly with New Salamis of Isthmian League North. Hervel had to spend most of the afternoon watching the ball fly backwards and forwards over his head as neither side seemed inclined to play through midfield when a long ball from the back was an option, but Junior Luke produced an excellent performance alongside Liam Boxall at the back, and scarcely deserved to be on the losing side.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Jamie Hursit, Toby Barlow, Kris Newby, Liam Boxall, Junior Luke, Henry Hart, Ryan Hervel (Tyrese Sibanda, 82m), Hassan Nalbant, George Cox (Praise Ogbebor, 59m). Unused sub: Jack Glenister.