In-form striker Ryan Crisp was on target again as Dereham came from behind to take the points at Ship Lane and move up to eighth in the Ryman North table, writes Rene Kendal.

The Magpies had to overcome a sloppy start, conceding after just six minutes when Jamie Dicks exchanged passes with Danny Cossington before beating keeper Will Viner from distance.

As the home side continued to press, Dicks fired over the top before defender James Ishmail powerfully headed George Woodward's corner onto Viner's crossbar with 16 minutes on the clock.

But Dereham brightened up, and Rhys Logan sped down the right but after reaching the byline home keeper Michael Gooch claimed his attempted pull-back with Luke Tuttle looking to pounce. The keeper was then forced to save Sam Borrer's 20-yard drive following a promising four-man move.

The Magpies came close when Logan fed Crisp, who struck a firm drive that Gooch was happy to turn over the top.

But Dereham's pressure paid off when Frazer Blake-Tracy passed back to Matt Cooke and his attempted cross from the left sailed over keeper Gooch and into the net in the 33rd minute. Dereham were now on top and they went ahead three minutes before the interval. Skipper Borrer found Tuttle, who chipped a delightful ball over the defence to Crisp, who scored with a precise left-foot drive from the edge of the box. It was his 13th goal of the season, and fifth in the last five games.

Early in the second half Dereham twice came close to increasing their lead. Cooke and Crisp combined well to set up Tuttle who looked set to score but was denied by keeper Gooch from close range. From the resultant corner Borrer's near-post header was cleared off the line by home defender Ryan Boswell.

Dereham continued to look the most likely and Gooch did well to palm aside Tuttle's fierce diagonal drive after Crisp's initial effort had been blocked. Within minutes the unlucky Tuttle twice struck the Romford woodwork – after heading Blake-Tracy's centre onto the bar, he drove against a post.

Romford: Gooch, Boswell, Barry (Akpele 70), Ishmail, Potter, Dicks, Woodward, Cossington (Sadiku 63), Reynolds, Taylor (Marfo 70), Anderson. Subs not used: Wray, Frew,

Dereham: Viner, Anema, Blake-Tracy, Linford, Howard, Frary, Logan (Butcher 71), Borrer, Crisp, Tuttle (Green 81), Cook (Sainsbury-Logan 90). Sub not used: Smith.