During their recent poor run of league results Boro have none the less rarely looked second best and with a bit more sharpness and luck in front of goal could have taken chances created and got a few more points on the board. However it was not to be the case in this match with the hosts controlling the vast majority of the game and gaining some revenge for their three defeats against Romford last season.
Along with the ground improvements at Park Drive, the playing surface now looks a lot better and did not seem to be affected by the heavy rain earlier in the day. Romford fell behind in the twelfth minute when Rhys Hughes got down well, but could not hold a long shot with Dsane running in to easily knock home the rebound. Four minutes later Boro fashioned a good move which ended with a fierce shot by Max Bolton bringing a save from the home keeper but that was to prove their best effort in a first half where the defence, missing inspirational skipper Danny Cossington who was still carrying an injury, came under a lot of pressure. Dsane bagged his second after twenty seven minutes, turning in a cross from the right and as the interval approached Hughes had to pull off an excellent save, tipping over a rasping drive that was heading under the crossbar.
Paul Martin brought on all three substitutes shortly after the second half got underway but when Hughes was beaten by a shot from Briggs after fifty seven minutes there did not seem any way back for the visitors. They did get some attacks going to briefly put Maldon on the back foot and were rewarded after winning a free kick out on the left on sixty six minutes. Connor Hammond swung his kick across a crowded goalmouth and it was headed home by George Forrest at the far post. However the promotion chasers finished the game strongly, twice being denied by the crossbar, and in the last minute of normal time scored number four with Dsane completing his hat trick.
MALDON & TIPTREE (2) 4 Dsane 12, 27, 90 Briggs 57
ROMFORD (0) 1 George Forrest 66
Team: Rhys Hughes, George Forrest, Nathan Joseph, Danny Nesbitt, Ayo Olukoga, Danny Jones (Greg Apele 47), Malaki Toussaint, Max Bradford (Tom Potter 47), Max Bolton, Harry Daly (Chris Taylor 47), Connor Hammond
Unused Subs: Nick Reynolds, Danny Cossington
Yellow Card Danny Nesbitt 39