Romford will not take foot off in Essex Senior League

Boro are set to welcome Sporting Bengal United to Barking’s Lawtech Stadium on Saturday, sitting level on points at the top with Woodford Town.

But this weekend’s opponents are not far behind them in fourth, having taken 10 points from a possible 15 since promotion from Thurlow Nunn League Division One South last term.

“I’ve heard good things about them,” said Spinks, after Bengal’s 3-1 win over landlords Barking on Bank Holiday Monday.

“But we’ve beaten the three sides who came down [Great Wakering, Hullbridge, Tilbury] and the league is so competitive, from top to bottom.

“They came up, but we will be revved up. We won’t take our foot off because of that, every game is competitive.”

Boro battled to a 2-1 win at Tilbury on Monday, having been exempt from FA Vase action at the weekend.

The Dockers had won on penalties at FC Clacton and saw Anthony Page save comfortably from Seedorf Mendes and Harrison Georgiou early on.

Page was beaten on 32 minutes, though, when Lee Hursit’s free-kick was half-cleared to Michael Turner, who fired it back with interest.

And Turner headed home from a Kris Newby corner at the start of the second half to double the advantage.

Jake Anderson denied Macauley Joynes and Harry Hope with good saves, before he was beaten by a late Ollie Myles penalty.

But Boro held on for their first win at Chadfields since 2013 to make it six unbeaten in the league this season.

“We were really pleased with the performance,” added Spinks.

“We sat back a bit in the last 15 minutes and invited a bit of pressure onto ourselves but they’re a good, experienced side.

“Mike has been excellent for us the last few weeks, in both boxes. I think he’s our top scorer now and he’s having some banter with the centre forwards!

“He’s six foot five I think and we use him in both boxes but he’s better than that, he’s good on the floor and he scored with a sweet strike with his left foot.”

The win leaves Boro behind Woodford on goal difference, but Spinks would not be drawn into talk of a title race at this early stage.

“We’re not out of August yet and we’re both doing really well. But we’re not looking at it,” he said.

“We’re taking each game as it comes, getting fired up for each game and trying to knock them off one at a time.

“We’ll give it a good go to get out of this league.”

Boro are missing some key players this weekend, but Spinks said: “We’ve got a decent squad. These things happen. The boys have all got minutes in them now.”