Ryman Div 1N: Romford 5 Sudbury 2

Romford cruised to victory over Sudbury last night, with Tom Richardson scoring a hat-trick inside the first 22 minutes.

Boro took the lead in the sixth minute at Ship Lane, with the first notable attack of the match.

A Nick Reynolds cross was cleared to Richardson on the edge of the area, and he took one touch before firing the ball into the top corner with the outside of his foot.

The 19-year-old then grabbed his second of the game in the 17th minute and Reynolds was again involved, playing a lovely reverse ball into Richardson’s path before he cut inside and slotted past Alex Archer with his left foot.

Just five minutes later and Richardson completed his hat-trick, taking his tally to seven for the season.

The lively Kurt Smith dribbled at Sudbury’s defence before exquisitely chipping the ball towards Richardson, and he smashed the ball into the top corner.

Romford were dominant and well worth their lead at the break, Sudbury hit back just 40 seconds into the second half through Luke Ingram, who fired home an unstoppable half volley from 25 yards to give the Suffolk side hope.

There were a few nervy moments for Romford after that strike, but they grabbed their fourth goal of the night with 20 minutes remaining.

Again Richardson was involved, as he ran onto a through ball from the returning Abs Seymour and delicately lobbed Archer, before the ball came back off the crossbar for Reynolds to head home his 12th of the season from close range.

Sudbury scored their second just six minutes later through Dave Cowley, their best player on the night.

Cowley was fouled on the edge of the area by Boro captain Jack Barry but picked himself up to fire his free-kick low and hard into the bottom corner of Atu Ngoy’s net.

Romford had the final say, though, as Jamie Dicks added some justified gloss to the scoreline, with only his second goal for the club eight minutes from time.

David Ottley played a lovely one-two with Seymour before Dicks, whose first goal for Boro had been in their 1-0 home win over Sudbury almost a year ago, coolly slotted home.

And their fine victory moved Romford up to 12th in the Ryman Division One North table, giving them a notable boost ahead of Saturday’s visit from table-topping Grays.

Romford: Ngoy, Ottley, Oates, Barry, Dicks (Christian-Law 81), Clayton, Sammut, Seymour, Reynolds (Duru 78), Richardson (Blessing 81), Smith.