Ryman 1N: Romford 1 Thamesmead 4

Romford could not prevent in-form Thamesmead from registering a tenth straight win at Ship Lane last night.

But the clash was overshadowed by an incident at half-time, which saw some visiting supporters ejected for alleged racial abuse of Boro keeper Atu Ngoy, who was booked.

The home side had the first chance of note as Kurt Smith forced a good low save from Rob Budd.

The former Ilford goalie picked up an injury while making the stop, but without a substitute keeper on the bench, was forced to play through the pain barrier.

The visitors broke the deadlock on 26 minutes when Stuart Zanone picked up the ball on the left, cut inside and fired a low shot past Ngoy.

And Zanone doubled Thamesmead’s lead six minutes later, converting a cross from close range as Boro looked for an offside flag.

Budd denied newcomer Tyler Christian-Law and Kurt Smith before the break, then thwarted Michael Sammut in the second half.

Zanone completed his hat-trick on the hour when a long free-kick evaded the home defence, but Boro hit back on 63 minutes when Nick Reynolds flicked the ball onto Lewis Francis, whose near-post cross was poked home by Smith.

It proved only a consolation for Paul Martin’s men, though, as Thamesmead netted a fourth in injury time when substitute Baff Addae beat Ngoy at his near post.

Romford: Ngoy, Ottley, Oates, Ishmail, Dicks (Richardson 73), Clayton, Sammut, Christian-Law, Reynolds (Hunt 78), Francis (Blessing 73), Smith.