Only some over elaboration in front of goal and a number good saves from Clacton keeper Josh Fowler stopped Boro – wearing their Pink change kit as both Clacton’s strips clashed with Boro’s first choice Yellow and Blue – prevented a cricket score. As it was, Boro netted five for the second time in three home games and remain the Essex Senior League’s top scoring side.

It took only six minutes for Boro to go in front with a goal of stunning simplicity. Scott Doe – returning to the side and looking as authoritative as ever – casually found Chris Millar on the right and his unhurried pass bisected the Clacton defenders and ran invitingly for Kennedy Feyi to stroke the ball beyond Fowler and into the net.

Even before Boro scored a second there were chances. Jaiden Babalola exploited the time and space ahead of him to fire a shot that Fowler saved and then Millar’s pass put Toheeb Elegushi through but he placed his shot wide of both Fowler and the Clacton goal. After 22 minutes it was 2-0 however, as Praise Ogbebor’s cross from the right went low across goal and was retrieved by Elegushi, who laid it back for Sam Elwood to drive a shot into the roof of the net for his first Romford goal.

A rare Clacton attack was thwarted at the expense of a free-kick which Robert Adams curled over the wall and onto the top of Qamil Dervishaj’s crossbar on 27 minutes, but Boro almost increased their lead after 28 minutes when Sam Elwood put Jaiden Babalola through and although the midfielder’s chip beat Fowler, it drifted wide of the post. It took less a minute for Boro to net again after that however, as Andy Morris broke up a Clacton attack and found Babalola, whose pass put Ogbebor though, and when Clacton failed to clear, Chris Millar was following up to crash the ball home.

Millar then twice went close to adding to his goal tally, hitting the bar with a side foot effort from Ogbebor’s pass and then chipping over keeper and bar after being set up by Feyi.

Clacton keeper Fowler was in action shortly after the restart, making a good low save to keep the score at three, but he was powerless to stop Sam Elwood making it 4-0 after 56 minutes as the Boro full-back cracked home a 25 yard drive after a crisp exchange of passes. Clacton’s Harry Harvey was the unfortunate scorer of Boro’s fifth, deflecting a corner from the right into his own net at the far post with half an hour left.

It wasn’t for the want of trying that Romford failed to add to their tally in the remaining thirty minutes. Fowler parried a shot from Millar and then blocked Feyi’s attempt from the rebound. He then saved a curling shot from David Oweridu and came quickly off his line to thwart Oweridu again, while Brendan Ocran went close with a free-kick from half-way after he spotted Fowler off his line.

Shortly after Boro’s fifth, Clacton did go close when James Letts got clear on the left but dragged his shot across goal and wide, while in the penultimate minute, Boro’s defence had to be alert to block a well-constructed chance that had Dervishaj beaten. Romford might have had a sixth in stoppage time when Oweridu volleyed over from Feyi’s cross, but had to settle for five.

With wins for all the tops sides this weekend, Boro remain fourth, but just three points behind leaders Stanway Rovers and with a game in hand.

Romford; Qamil Dervishaj, Isioma Richard, Sam Elwood (Amaree Robinson-Jones, 64'), Jaiden Babalola (Eli Benoit 46'), Andy Morris (Brendan Ocran 63'), Scott Doe, Toheeb Elegushi (David Owiredu 46'), Arnold Mengi (Leandro Alva 56'), Kennedy Feyi, Chris Millar, Praise Ogbebor