Great Wakering Rovers 3, Romford 0

Even using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope - the most powerful telescope ever built – it would be difficult to pick out any redeeming features from this game in which Romford’s seemingly inexorable slide down the table continued.

The first forty-five minutes was, to be polite, abject. Rovers tore into Boro and were well worth their 3-0 half-time lead that made the second period almost meaningless. Romford’s passing was truly awful in the opening exchanges, aimless and rarely reaching its intended target.

Notice was served of Rovers’ intent as early as the 15th minute when Ashley Nzala headed Ben Brookes’s cross just over, and immediately afterwards, Carlos Simeon had to be alert to save from a well worked Rovers free-kick. Simeon was in action again after 21 minutes, saving at his near post from Nzala, who had fashioned a chance for himself following a mazy run.

Rovers’ domination of the opening passage of play was rewarded after 27 minutes when Sam Dickens executed one of the innumerable misplaced passes that Boro were guilty of and Billy Harris took charge, driving home a shot from the edge of the box.

A minute later, Rovers had the ball in the net again, but Nzala’s header was ruled out for offside. Nzala – who was a constant threat – then hit the crossbar after beating two defenders, but Boro might have equalised after 33 minutes with a rare foray into Rovers territory. Mohammed Raza made a strong run down the left and his low cross was met well by David Luzolo, but his low shot was well saved by Tim Brown.

Romford were soon made to pay for that miss when Rovers broke with pace and the ball was fed to Nzala who beat Simeon with a well placed shot that gave the home side their second goal after 35 minutes. After 38 minutes it was 3-0 and effectively game over when Martin Tuohy lifted the ball over Simeon as the ball was played in from the right. And it might have been four just a minute later when Rovers missed a good chance from another ball in from the right that was swept wide of a post.

The only light relief in a miserable first half was watching a man using a broom in an attempt to dislodge a ball that had become wedged in the fence behind the Rovers goal, having ended up there from Raza’s off target shot after five minutes. As far as I know, he’s still there, still trying.

It’s difficult to know whether the fact that the second half was goal-less can be attributed to an improved defensive performance from Romford or Rovers taking their foot off the gas, but there was certainly little evidence that Boro were going to be able to get anything out of the game as they fashioned very few goalscoring opportunities.

Rovers had a decent chance when Carlos Simeon had to be alert to turn a free-kick round the post after 51 minutes, but in a rare Romford attack after 54 minutes Raza found himself with a shooting opportunity, however his effort sailed harmlessly over the bar.

Romford’s only other attack of note came after 70 minutes when Luzolo burst through but was tackled to earn Boro a corner, which was squandered.

Nzala had a good chance to make it four for Rovers ten minutes from the end but skied his shot well over the bar, and then after 84 minutes Jake Gordon shot narrowly wide of Simeon’s goal.

Perhaps the only bright spot for Boro was the assured display from Chaka Barnett at right-back (pictured in action by Alan Blackholly), but Boro need more than one player performing at his level if upward movement in the league table is to be achieved.

Romford: Carlos Simeon, Chaka Barnett, Aundre Wholas-Spencer, Sam Dickens, Germaine Dua (Patrick Campbell, 46m), Luke Edcor, Jesse Olukolu, Billy Hayes, David Luzolo, Steve Carvell (Armond Grosha, 66m), Mohammed Raza (Jacopo Gatti, 73m). Unused subs: Brandon Bullman, Abdulmojeed Shogbeni