With 61 minutes played and Boro leading 1-0, Blaise Uwandji burst through the Hullbridge defence, drew visiting keeper Dom Alexandru and rolled a square pass to Emmanuel Balogun. A second – and probably match winning – Romford goal seemed inevitable, but somehow Balogun’s side foot effort went wide by a whisker. Seven minutes later, Hullbridge equalised to take the game to a penalty shoot-out which the visitors won.

This was a low key affair as befits the low profile Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy, although both sides had chances to win over the 90 minutes. Each side had a headed chance inside the first ten minutes; Charlie Hare nodded Jake Gordon’s cross over the bar after three minutes and Hullbridge’s Billy Boag glanced the ball wide after ten. The visitors had the next chance of note when after 21 minutes they contrived to screw the ball wide from close range. A minute later and Jake Gordon managed to get his head to a cross but his header lacked power and was cleared.

Fabio Co’s close control enabled him to fashion a chance for himself after 23 minutes, but Alexandru came out to deny him a goal before Brad Davison had to rush from his line to block, injuring himself in the process, and then the Boro keeper made two good saves match, turning one effort over the bar and then saving well from Boag’s header.

At this point Boro were having to defend as Hullbridge asserted themselves, while at the other end all too often, passes were overhit and running through to Alexandru instead of finding their intended target.

Jake Gordon had a shot parried by Alexandru in the first minute of the second period, but five minutes into the half, Boro went ahead (the first time we have been able to say that since the Buckhurst Hill game on the first of the month). Ezra Agyiri’s low cross from the right was parried by Alexandru and Blaise Uwandji followed up to score cover picture, by Bob Knightley).

Chances were thin on the ground for both sides in the second forty-five minutes. After Balogun had missed the opportunity to put Romford further ahead, former Boro striker Kennedy Feyi (whose brother Derek was in the visitors’ defence) equalised with a low shot. Other than that, the only notable efforts were a shot from Hullbridge’s Jones that went well wide, Fabio Co’s 69th minute effort that was deflected wide for a corner, and Kris Newby’s shot that Alexandru turned round a post after 74 minutes. Otherwise, all too often Boro’s attacks were curtailed by an offside flag with Agyiri the most frequent offender.

In the penalty shoot-out, Fabio Co’s shot was saved by Alexandru, while Nick Reynolds missed the target and although Kris Newby and Blaise Uwandji converted theirs, it wasn’t enough as Hullbridge converted the four they were required to take to win.

Romford: Bradley Davison, Ryan Sammons, Teddy Desmond, Fabio Co, Charlie Hare (Nick Reynolds 75'), Harry Elsey, Blaise Uwandji, Makhi Johnson (Lewis Browne 74'), Kevin Musimami (Ezra Agyiri 46'), Flynn Hamilton (Kris Newby 46'), Jake Gordon (Emmanuel Balogun 56')

Penalty shoot-out:

Romford first:
Fabio Co (saved), Kris Newby (scored), Nick Reynolds (missed), Blaise Uwandji (scored)

Hullbridge Sports:
Connor Hart, Billy Willis, Oscar Jones, Kennedy Feyi (all scored)