Romford debutant Aime Blessing competes for the ball with Bai Mass Lette Jallow of Heybridge (Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO)

Ryman Division 1N: Heybridge 3 Romford 0

Matt Toms of Romford enjoys a pint on the terraces at Heybridge (Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO)

Boro conceded three first-half goals on their way to Ryman Division One North defeat at Scraley Road.

Paul Martin’s men had lost 5-0 when the two sides met at Ship Lane before Christmas and gone down by a solitary goal to Witham a week ago.

Martin made a host of changes to his side, bringing Dave Ottley, Tom Richardson, Lewis Francis and newcomer Aime Blessing into his starting line-up.

And the visitors withstood some early pressure from Swifts, before Kurt Smith’s overhead effort from a James Ishmail free-kick.

Heybridge took the lead on 19 minutes, though, when Matt Toms was adjudged to have fouled a home player inside the box.

Toms received a yellow card and Michael Cheek fired home from the penalty spot to break the deadlock, before limping off.

The home side received the first of their four yellow cards just past the half-hour mark and Michael Sammut forced a fingertip save from Nick Eyre from long range.

But Boro were left with a mountain to climb as Swifts struck twice in the last five minutes of the first half to move 3-0 up.

Russell Malton pounced on a loose ball to beat Atu Ngoy for Heybridge’s second goal of the afternoon, before leading scorer Luke Callander produced a clever shot on the turn.

Boro showed plenty of spirit in the second half, with captain Jack Barry replacing Toms and Nick Reynolds and Billy Hunt bolstering the attack in place of Francis and Blessing.

Ishmail and Paul Clayton went close to replying before Sammut forced Eyre to make another good save two minutes from time.

But defeat saw Boro drop to 13th place in the table, as Cheshunt shocked leaders Maldon 2-0 and Sudbury beat Waltham Abbey.

And Martin’s men must wait until next Saturday to try and bounce back, when they welcome Cheshunt to Ship Lane.

Romford: Ngoy, Ottley, Dicks, Ishmail, Toms (Barry 46), Clayton, Sammut, Richardson, Smith, Francis (Reynolds 46), Blessing (Hunt 46).