The Velocity Trophy may be low priority, but this tie at Basildon provided Boro with a morale boosting first win in seven games, and their first goals in five.

Conditions were much more benign than they had been in the league game at the same venue a few days earlier and made for a much better game as a result – and a much better result for Boro

Both sides had chances before Boro went ahead. A mazy run by Basildon’s Balisani ended with a low shot that Carlos Simeon dealt with easily, and then Boro went close when Jacopo Gatti’s free-kick was headed just wide by Darnell Kithambo.

It was Kithambo who made the goal that put Romford ahead after 32 minutes, showing good control on the left to work the ball into the middle where Amadu Kanu fired into the roof of the net. Four minutes later and Romford scored again. Kithambo combined well with Billy Hayes before unleashing a 25-yard shot that flashed past Grundy in the Basildon goal for 2-0.

Basildon’s best responses saw Simeon make a good save at his near post immediately after Kithambo’s goal, and then in the last minute of the half, the Boro goalkeeper was grateful to see Carvalho’s long range shot drift wide of his right hand post.

Basildon were the more dominant side in the opening exchanges of the second half and drew level with two goals in the space of four minutes. After 59 minutes Declan Nche pulled one back for the home side as he found himself unmarked on the left after the ball had been worked across goal and he found the back of the net. Worse followed for Romford after 63 minutes when a good passing move on the right ended with the ball being crossed low and converted by former Boro player Robbie Farrell for the equaliser.

Basildon came close to going ahead when a free-kick driven in from the right was diverted onto the crossbar before being cleared, and then Simeon had to make a smart save to deny Carvalho at the expense of a corner. Boro dealt well with the corner and broke quickly, before L’heureux Menga’s header found Billy Hayes, whose shot was blocked.

With a penalty shoot-out looking a real possibility, Boro got their noses in front again with six minutes left. Gatti’s corner from the left was not cleared by the home defence and Abdul Shogbeni pounced to score from six yards.

Romford: Carlos Simeon, Josh Exley-Banks, Josh George (Mohammed Raza, 72m), Darius Izukanne, Sam Dickens, Abdul Shogbeni, Jacopo Gatti, Billy Hayes, Christian Adu Gyamfi (L’heureux Menga, 67m), Darnell Kithambo, Amadu Kanu (Bleron Ademi, 72m). Unused subs: Razmi Mahmoudi, Armand Grosha.