Bostik North: Romford 1 Bowers & Pitsea 4

Romford fail to take advantage of their game in hand on relegation rivals Mildenhall Town as they fell to a heavy 4-1 defeat to league leaders Bowers & Pitsea.

Boro remain at the foot of the Bostik North table while their opponents moved 11 points clear at the summit as a brace from David Knight, a solo effort from from Bradley Warner as well an own goal sealed the three points for the visitors at Rookery Hill - despite a late consolation from substitute Calvin Poku.

The first chance of the match fell to Bowers striker David Knight but he fired wide of the target after capitalizing on a loose ball from a misplaced pass from midfielder Philipp Brown-Bampoe in the second minute.

Seven minutes later the visitors broke the deadlock as winger Quenton Monville raced down the right and put a ball across the front of goal, and it was accidentally poked in by Boro defender Ayo Olukoga.

Rob Small’s continued to pile the pressure on and soon doubled their lead in the 17th minute as striker David Knight turned on Danny Cossington and lobbed an effort over the top of goalkeeper Harry Aldridge.

Winger Bradley Warner almost added a third when he curled an effort just wide of the post from the edge of the box in the 28th minute.

Boro finally thought they had a bit of luck on their side with six minutes left in the first-half as club’s all-time top goal scorer Nick Reynolds flicked the ball on for Khadean Campbell.

The former Clapton attacker looked to race clear but was stopped dead in his tracks when he was brought down.

After their brief spell of attack Bowers went back the other way and stretched their lead to 3-0 thanks to Warner.

The former AFC Hornchurch man fired an absolute rocket of a shot into the bottom corner with two minutes left in the half.

New signing Calvin Poku came off the bench and almost found the net straight away as he connected with an incoming corner after a penalty appeal was waved off by the referee.

Moment’s later Boro captain Danny Cossington headed an effort towards goal after a scramble in the box but has his effort was cleared off the line.

Knight then grabbed his second of the match after pouncing on a defensive error from Cossington to make it 4-0 in the 52nd minute.

Four minutes later Romford reduced the deficit to 4-1 as striker Poku bundled the ball home from inside the box.

But Bowers held firm despite Boro’s best efforts to nab another goal in the dying stages of the match.

Romford: Aldridge, Yasar (Joseph 46), Fisher, Brown-Bampoe, Olukoga, Cossington, Nzengo Toussaint, Campbell, Reynolds (Barbaoso Bent De Carvalho 83), Hewitt (Poku 46),

Unused subs: Barlow and Nesbitt.

Bowers & Pitsea: Wilton, Sammons, Stephen, Stokes, Clark, Leary, Monville (Nyanja 88), Sartain (Cornhill 82), Warner (Dicks 73), Manor, Knight.

Unused subs: Hine and Thomas.