Debut making defenders Jason Ring and Ryan Scott impressed as local bragging rights went Boro’s way at Mayesbrook Park. Barking’s cause was not helped when striker George Fairhead was stretchered off towards the end of the first half, but in truth they created little of note other than forcing Danny Hurford to clear off the line shortly after Camilo Restrepo had given Romford the lead.

The early stages were played at 100 mph, and the highlight of the opening twenty minutes was Kris Newby wiping out referee George Younger in an accidental collision. That Newby was the first name in the referee’s notebook was no act of petty revenge, the Boro captain can have no complaints about the yellow card he picked up a minute after Restrepo’s goal for scything down an opponent thirty yards from the Boro goal. Fortunately, Boro protected their lead with the defensive wall blocking Eljay Worrell’s shot.

Boro’s lead came through Camilo Restrepo with his fifth goal of the season after 25 minutes. Picked out by an excellent crossfield ball by Jake Gordon, Restrepo cut inside and fired a low shot inside Dev Bhambra’s right hand post.

After Newby’s booking, the Boro captain had two shots from outside the box blocked in quick succession, from the second of which Barking broke quickly and Jake Anderson had to come off his line to block Barking’s leading scorer Charlie Heatley’s effort from close range after 31 minutes. From the ensuing corner, a Barking equaliser looked a certainty, but Danny Hurford cleared off the line.

In the seventh minute of time added on at the end of the first half resulting from Fairhead’s injury, Boro doubled their lead. Kris Newby’s free-kick from midfield was floated to the far post where Ryan Scott’s downward header found the net off the unfortunate Barking defender, Ergis Kastrati.

Barking’s second half response to their two goal deficit was surprisingly muted, and Jake Anderson’s work was largely confined to tidying up behind his back four, whose performance efficiently blunted the home side’s attack.

There were more yellow cards for Boro in the second half, with Ryan Scott booked for a foul and Warren Beattie for time wasting, while Barking’s Jess Norey was cautioned for a foul on Jake Gordon, and in stoppage time Heatley was booked for his part in a slight fracas that fortunately went no further than a few shoves and pushes.

Chances were few in the second period, with Kris Newby’s shot that rose over the bar after he had been well found by Lewis Smith, and an excellent low cross by Jake Gordon – after he too had been the recipient of a good pass by Smith – touched wide by Emmanuel Robe being Boro’s principle ones.

After a couple of indifferent results in recent weeks, this was an excellent team performance from Boro to round off 2022 with three valuable points.

Romford: Jake Anderson, Jason Ring, Danny Hurford (Warren Beattie, 85m), Kris Newby, Bleron Ademi, Ryan Scott, Jake Gordon, George Cox, Lewis Smith (Jack Glenister, 74m), Alex Balisani (Jacob Wiggins, 64m), Camilo Restrepo (Emmanuel Robe, 62m)