As expected there were changes to the starting line up for this cup tie on Ware's new artificial surface to give game time to other squad members. Boro fell behind early, when Ross Elsom's excellent third minute free kick curved into the top corner but they were creating chances in this fast open game and were rewarded in the seventeenth minute when Jonathan Nzengo scored with a superb straight drive from around thirty yards which did not really give the home keeper much chance.
For the second half Romford kicked up the slope, which is now nowhere near as pronounced but took the lead after fifty seven minutes when Ernest Okoh made a powerful run close in down the left and cleverly squared the ball back for Taylor Tombides to knock in. Danny Cossington then went close from a corner, but almost immediately Ware went down the other end for Jordon Watson to head in the equaliser.
In the later stages if anything, the pace became more frenetic and was great entertainment for the spectators. Nzengo again put Boro ahead after seventy five minutes with another long range shot that was even more spectacular than his first and the visitors should have then put the game to bed when they had further efforts cleared off the line and from close in. However, just as the match was entering added time Romford lost possession from a short corner allowing a swift Ware breakaway. Stephen Reynolds did well to save but he was then grounded and could not prevent David Cowley scoring from the rebound.
No extra time in the League Cup so straight to the penalty shoot out, and Romford went first. Tombides scored as did Okoh, Golden Igbineweka and Max Bolton but Greg Akpele had their fifth kick saved. Ware scored four as well but Reynolds managed to save their second effort which took it to sudden death. Goal hero Nzengo had his effort saved and then Reynolds got both hands to Ware's next but the ball dropped agonisingly over the line to send the hosts through with a trip to Chalfont St Peter in the next round.
WARE (1) 3 ELSOM 3, WATSON 63, COWLEY 90
ROMFORD (1) 3 JONATHAN NZENGO 17, 75 TAYLOR TOMBIDES 57
PENS: TAYLOR TOMBIDES (SCORED), ERNEST OKOH (SCORED), GOLDEN IGBINEWEKA (SCORED), MAX BOLTON (SCORED), GREG AKPELE (MISSED), JONATHAN NZENGO (MISSED)
ROMFORD: STEPHEN REYNOLDS, NATHAN JOSEPH, JONATHAN NZENGO, HARRY PRINCE, GEORGE FORREST, DANNY COSSINGTON, GOLDEN IGBINEWEKA, ERNEST OKOH, MAX BOLTON, TAYLOR TOMBIDES, GREG AKPELE SUBS NOT USED NICK REYNOLDS, CHRIS TAYLOR, RODNEY LEMBA & RHYS HUGHES
YELLOW CARDS: JONATHAN NZENGO 87