ROMFORD 1 (0) - (0) 1 Billericay Towb (Romford lose 3-1 on pens) Attendance 116 - Ship Lane

For this Essex Senior Cup tie Paul Martin made five changes to the team that started against Dereham, with striker Nick Reynolds moving to centre back and a first start of the season for Sam Coe, who picked up a bad injury last term. Danny Cossington was also back after dislocating his shoulder, whilst Ashley Bankole, Asher Modeste and Chris Taylor all returned to the starting line up.

In a fast paced first half the visitors had the game's first chance but Callum Chafer was on hand to make a save from a low drive in the eighth minute, and the Romford stopper kept out another effort after a low corner routine produced a strike on goal. In the twenty-eighth minute Asher Modeste broke for Romford down the left and rode a tackle before being fouled by Town keeper Jack Giddens leaving the referee no option but to point to the spot. However, the number one made amends saving Jamie Dicks' penalty low down to his left. Romford again nearly broke the deadlock two minutes later when Ayo Olukoga got in behind the defence and his right wing cross found Modeste, but Giddens once again made a good save.

Billericay's striker should have grabbed the game's first goal in the forty-ninth minute when he found himself with an open goal but could only volley wide from three yards out. Olukoga had a drive tipped over before Goldy Capela finally opened the scoring, heading in a left wing cross in the fifty-eighth minute. Romford introduced Will Green, Charlie Portway and Chinedu McKenzie and it was the latter who grabbed the equaliser in the eighty-fourth minute. Green won the ball in midfield and found the inform striker down the right wing and he hit a cross that looped over the keeper and just under the bar into the back of the net. Chafer preserved Boro's unbeaten home record in the last seconds, saving low when the ball was hit through a crowd and with no more extra time in this competition the game went straight to penalties.

In a rather unorthodox start to the penalty shoot out Billericay keeper Giddens stepped up for their first attempt but it was saved by Chafer. However Reynolds could not give Romford the advantage as his kick was also saved. Alex Stephenson and Dicks both scored before Capela and Portway had their shots saved. Sam Cross made it two-one to the visitors and after Olukoga's effort was beaten away it was left to Luke Nilson to settle the tie.

ROMFORD (0) 1 CHINEDU MCKENZIE 84 (PENS NICK REYNOLDS (X), JAMIE DICKS (/), CHARLIE PORTWAY (X), AYO OLUKOGA (X)

BILLERICAY TOWN (0) 1 CAPELA 58 (PENS, GIDDINS (X), STEPHENSON (/), CAPELA (X), CROSS (/), NILSON (/)

ROMFORD: CALLUM CHAFER, ASHLEY BANKOLE, JAME DICKS, RYAN BOSWELL, NICK REYNOLDS, DANNY COSSINGTON (WILL GREEN 70), AYO OLUKOGA, CHRIS TAYLOR, SAM COE (CHARLIE PORTWAY 57), JAMES AGE, ASHER MODESTE (CHINEDU MCKENZIE 74) SUBS NOT USED MATT TOMS, RICHARD WRAY

YELLOW CARDS: AYO OLUKOGA 35, JAMIE DICKS 49,