Boro are now without a win in five league games after this latest defeat at the hands of a White Ensign side who have not been in the best of form themselves of late.

The difference between the sides was in the taking of chances. Romford – who gave first starts to Adalberto Pinto, who is with Boro temporarily, and Bill Harris, who joins from Tilbury - spurned all that came their way in the first half, White Ensign took those that came theirs after the break.

The result might have been different had two decisions gone Romford’s way, however. In the first half, Tambeson Eyong was quite clearly pulled back as he burst into the White Ensign penalty area, but nothing was given, and within two minutes of the start of the second half, Scott Doe was harshly shown a straight red for a foul on the edge of the Romford penalty area. Doe’s central defensive partner George Allen failed to stay the course either, having to hobble off in the aftermath of what proved to be a mere consolation goal for Boro, who ended the game with nine men.

In what is becoming a familiar story of late, Boro created and missed a number of first half chances. Lewis Smith had a shot parried by White Ensign keeper Charlie Martin in just the third minute; two minutes later Joshua Osude cut in from the left but shot over the bar, and another two minutes after that Jesse Olukolu – in the side as his new club, Brightlingsea Regent were in Essex Senior Cup action and he was cup tied – had a low cross cut out by the keeper.

After twelve minutes Smith shot over, and after twenty Emmanuel Robe really ought to have put Boro ahead as he raced onto Scott Doe’s pass but shot wide when he seemed odds on to score.

The visitors had to wait till the 29th minute for their first sight of goal, Mitch Stuart-Evans’s low cross being hooked over the bar by Ben Allen, and then Harry Kateley might have done better than shoot wide after Tambeson Eyong had been unable to clear a dangerous high ball into the Romford box.

Romford went close to the night’s first goal when Olukolu hit the bar from Robe’s cross in the 42nd minute, and almost immediately afterwards, the pace of Joshua Osude put him clear of the White Ensign defence, but his rising shot cleared the crossbar.

First half bookings for Romford’s Olukolu and Ensign’s Stuart-Evans were the appetisers for the main course that opened the second half when Doe was sent off and almost immediately afterwards, the visitors went ahead through Ethan Evison’s 48th minute shot from just outside the box that found the bottom corner of the net.

Worse followed for Boro, and it was 2-0 after 52 minutes when Eyong brought down Kateley in the box and former Boro striker Charlie Portway converted the penalty.

Osude had a glorious opportunity to put Boro back in the game after 55 minutes when he latched onto Lewis Smith’s through pass but missed the target, and White Ensign showed Boro how it should be done after 59 minutes when another low shot from outside the box, by Mitch Stuart-Evans this time, found the bottom corner.

George Cox, one of a trio of Boro substitutions, was defied by a good block by Martin after 70 minutes, and then four minutes later a hard, low cross by Osude just eluded the outstretched boot of Jake Gordon. A minute later, Boro finally hit the target, Camilo Restrepo firing home from eight yards after White Ensign had failed to clear a corner. George Allen was forced to leave the field before play could restart, and with 83 minutes on the clock, White Ensign took advantage of Boro’s undermanned and overstretched back-line as Ben Allen ran through to score to round off a miserable evening form Romford.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Tambeson Eyong (Bleron Ademi, 55m), Danny Hurford, Adalberto Pinto, Scott Doe, George Allen, Jesse Olukolu (Jake Gordon, 72m), Bill Harris (Jacob Wiggins, 55m), Emmanuel Robe (Camilo Restrepo, 72m), Lewis Smith (George Cox, 55m), Joshua Osude.