Brightlingsea Regent (2) 4, Romford (0) 0 - Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round – Saturday 17th August 2024

The FA Cup is renowned for dramatic, competitive – even feisty - ties. This low key game had none of these attributes and the only real moment of passion came with twelve minutes remaining when Boro were reduced to ten men for the second consecutive game as Shermandin Artmeladze was dismissed for retaliating to a challenge.

This game was at times so insipid you could have mistaken it for a pre-season friendly, but at the end Boro could have no complaints about their exit at the Preliminary Round stage of the competition for the second consecutive season.

Debut making striker Kennedy Feyi was denied by a good tackle when put through by Chris Millar after seven minutes, but after ten minutes the hosts took the lead. Boro really ought to have dealt with a cross from the left that was controlled and delivered back into the middle for Jake Clowsley to head home. That goal set the tone for an opening 45 minutes in which the home side were very much on top.

A rare Boro attacking move involving Praise Ogbebor and Toheeb Elegushi ended with the latter putting the ball in the Regent net only for an offside flag to cut short celebrations of an equaliser.

It was unfortunate that the same attention to detail was not applied by the assistant on the other side of the pitch when Regent scored their second goal in first half stoppage time. Scorer Louie Kudiabor was not offside but the ball to him was delivered in low from the right by a Regent player who had clear daylight between himself and the last Boro defender when the ball was played to him.

Between the goals there were chances for both sides as Sheri Artmeladze dragged a shot wide after being set up by Elegushi, but Regent went close with a shot from Robinson that went across goal as they quickly broke after a Romford free-kick had been cleared.

The home side held Boro at bay relatively comfortably after the interval and chances were few and there was no indication that there would be a repeat of the Extra-Preliminary Round replay comeback at Eynesbury Rovers

Kennedy Feyi found Artmeladze but the FA Cup’s leading scorer at the start of the day had strayed offside and then Artmeladze forced a rare save from Regent keeper Lawlor before the home side capitalised on a poor header back to Boro’s new keeper Harry Girling and Jayden Robinson converted with ease.

Regent made Boro’s bad day complete with a fourth goal in the 85th minute. Elliott Howson was unable to cut out a high ball that went beyond the far post to Ewan Gordon Clement who cut back from the line and fired a shot into the far corner.

Romford: Harry Girling, Jacob Adeyemi, Kojo Feyi, Daniel Nakipov-Getmansky (Elliott Howson 45'), Jake Giddings (Kalum Bama 40'), Chris Millar, Shermandin Artmeladze, Arnold Mengi (Aundre Spencer 45'), Toheeb Elegushi (Prince Manuel Commodore 72'), Praise Ogbebor, Kennedy Feyi (David Owiredu 72'). Unused subs: Andy Morris, Qamil Dervishaj