There is no doubt that Dereham deserved this win over a Romford side still in a state of transition. As one might expect from a team nicknamed The Magpies, Dereham used the wings to good effect and you could say that Romford were outflanked, as they were in the very first minute. Boro keeper Josh Strizovic - making his debut following his loan move from Dagenham & Redbridge -could only parry a low cross from the right by Rhys Logan, and the loose ball was tapped home by Ryan Crisp.

Logan netted Dereham's second on the half-hour when he flighted a free-kick into the top corner and beyond the grasp of Strizovic.

Between the goals Romford pushed the ball around well enough, but with little end product. Boro's best efforts came from Dominic McHale, whose shot after Dereham had only partially cleared a free-kick, was only narrowly over the bar, and Adam Morgan, whose low shot was parried away by Elliot Pride in the Dereham goal. Freddy Moncur was only denied by a good challenge by Pride as the Romford midfielder ran onto a through ball, while Adam Morgan headed just over.

Having seen one free-kick find the net, Logan tried his luck in the opposite corner as the half drew to a conclusion, but on this occasion Stizovic was able to make a comfortable save at the expense of a corner.

Two minutes after the break, Romford reduced the arrears as Adam Cunnington's strong run down the right ended with his low cross being converted by Adam Morgan, but Boro were then dealt an injury blow when defender Adam Cresswell appeared to pull a muscle and had to be replaced by David Agboola.

Just after the hour mark, there was a yellow card for Jake Hall, who had replaced Phil Roberts at the start of the second half, as the Boro midfielder met with Dereham's Castellan in an aerial collision, and less than ten minutes later the unfortunate Hall was sent off when he picked up a second yellow in what seemed a fairly innocuous fifty-fifty challenge in midfield.

Cunnington headed Moncur's free-kick over the bar and Theo Ola had a shot pushed wide by Pride as Romford sought an equaliser, but Dereham continued to create chances too, and Strizovic made more than one save to keep them at bay.

The home side sealed their win in the final minute as Adam Hipperson - so often a thorn in Boro's side in the past- cut in from the left touchline he had been hugging all afternoon, and drove his shot inside Strizovic's near post.

The celebrations from the home team and their coaching staff suggested that this was a game they were delighted to have won, perhaps because whereas Romford were previously a team that they would have expected to beat, Boro are now a side that they desperately want to beat.

Romford: Josh Strizovic, Tambeson Eyong, Briggs Ojemen, Theo Ola, Ryan Cresswell ( David Agboola, 51m), Michael Aziaya, Dominic McHale ( Paulious Ditkevicius, 61m), Freddy Moncur, Adam Cunnington, Phil Roberts (Jake Hall, 46m), Adam Morgan. Unused subs: Malaki Toussaint, Manny Agboola