After two FA Cup games against Takeley, Romford will be in cup action for the third time in a week tomorrow as Potton United come to Mayesbrook Park for an Isuzu FA Vase First Qualifying Round tie.

This will be Romford’s first game in the FA Vase since the 2008-09 season, when Boro were last in the Essex Senior League. In that season, Romford began with a First Round tie at St Margaretsbury, where goals from Manzi Mbala and Ben Turner earned a 2-1 win and a trip to St Ives Town in the Second Round, which ended with Boro beaten 2-1.

We will be meeting tomorrow’s opponents for the fourth time having previously met them once in the FA Vase and twice in the FA Cup. Potton United were Boro’s very first opponents in the FA Vase, way back in September 1994.

That game, an Extra-Preliminary Round tie, was switched from Hornchurch Stadium to Ferndale, the home of East Ham United, as Hornchurch were also at home that day. Potton took a 2nd minute lead, and although Micky Ross equalised just before the break, Potton snatched a win in the 88th minute. Their win was all the more remarkable for the fact that they had to play the second 45 minutes with a stand-in goalkeeper. Potton then beat Hillingdon Borough in the Preliminary Round (in a replay), before losing to Ford United in a 2nd replay.

Since then, Romford and Potton United have met twice in FA Cup ties. In 1997 Romford travelled to Potton for a 2nd Qualifying Round tie, where Paul Evans gave Boro the lead after 5 minutes, and Dean Callcutt made it two on the stroke of half-time. There were no further goals until the 71st minute when Potton pulled one back, but Boro then stepped up a gear, scoring four in 18 minutes: Callcutt completed a hat-trick, Lee Fulling got one, and Hurracia Willock got the other as Boro won 6-1.

The most recent meeting between Boro and Potton United was another FA Cup tie. This one was an Extra-Preliminary Round tie played in August 2007, again at Potton. Boro took an early lead with a 2nd minute own goal, and that was how it stayed till the break. Potton scored twice in the second half, only for Des Gallen to equalise. Potton grabbed a winner eight minutes from time and earned a Preliminary Round tie against Stotfold, where they lost 7-2.

Formed in 1943, Potton United’s first foray into competitive football was in the South Midlands League in 1946, but after three seasons they moved to the United Counties League, where they remained until 2018. They were league champions in 1987 and 1989. In 2018 Potton transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League, but after three seasons, reverted to the United Counties League, where they finished 10th last season. In last season’s FA Vase competition, they beat Halsted Town 2-1 away from home in the 1st Qualifying Round, but lost on penalties at home to Baldock Town in the 2nd Qualifying Round.

This season Potton United are once again in the Spartan South Midlands League, and currently sit 15th with two points from three games, having lost their opening game at Dunstable Town, and subsequently drawn with Ardley United and Stotfold. In the FA Cup, they knocked out Norwich United 3-2 in the Extra-Preliminary Round, and then beat Soham Town Rangers 3-1 at home after a 1-1 draw at Soham.

Since the various competitions that Boro are involved in this season have different rules regarding the number of substitutions that are allowed, whether sin bins are to be used, and – in cup ties – how drawn games are to be settled, it’s worth setting out how they all work in FA Vase ties.

Substitutes: A maximum of seven substitutes may be named, of whom three can be used.
Sin Bins: Sin bins (temporary dismissals) are in use in the FA Vase.
Replays, extra-time and penalties: There are no replays in the FA Vase, nor is extra-time played if the scores are level after 90 minutes, in which case the game will be settled by a penalty shoot-out.

The winners of this tie will be at home to Harwich & Parkeston or West Essex in the next round and will receive £550 from the FA Vase prize fund, while the losers will receive £160.

Finally, a reminder that our Reserve side are in action tomorrow with a home game against Athletic Newham Reserves.