Having failed to build on the good start provided by Steve Carvell’s 28th minute goal, Romford eventually had to settle for a draw, and a replay, after Harpenden equalised fifteen minutes from the end.

Early Romford pressure saw Steve Carvell have a shot saved and Boro force a couple of corners before the home side had their first sight of goal with a free-kick that went well wide.

On the quarter hour a long free-kick from Boro keeper Carlos Simeon was headed on by L’heureux Menga for Kai Haysman, but the debut making forward was foiled by a Harpenden defender at the expense of a corner. Jesse Olukolu, who had started on the right before switching wings, cut in from the left and fired over the bar, and then a chipped cross by Carvell reached Menga, who headed over.

Between those chance, Harpenden’s Theo Costa – who made a couple of appearances for Romford during the 2019-20 season – had a header on target that was easily held by Simeon in the Boro goal.

Romford went ahead through Steve Carvell, who drilled a 28th minute free-kick low and hard to the right of Alex Desmond in the home goal. Harpenden thought that they had levelled after 35 minutes after a neat move but the strike was ruled out for offside. The home bench – and their keeper, from some seventy yards away – were not convinced.

Kai Haysman found his way into referee Thomas Burns’s notebook five minutes into the second half for not retreating far enough or quickly enough after Boro had conceded a free-kick, and his afternoon ended prematurely just after the home side equalised when he was replaced by Josh George.

Jesse Olukolu had Romford’s best opportunities of the second period, shooting wide after 50 minutes and again three minutes later after Menga had headed on Bradley Kauzeni’s long throw.

A neat short corner routine ended with Carvell shooting wide, and then Billy Hayes set up Haysman, but he too missed the target.

Harpenden upped their game in the last half hour and put the Romford defence under considerable pressure without carving out any really clear cut chances; their best effort was a shot from an acute angle that flew wide of Simeon’s right hand post. There was little denying that they were worth their equaliser however, as Mulik Rickman burst through and placed the ball beyond the reach of the advancing Simeon.

A free-kick offered Boro a chance to snatch a last minute winner, but Carvell’s shot – like so many over the ninety minutes – was wide, leaving the teams to do it all again on Wednesday at Mayesbrook Park.

Romford: Carlos Simeon, Bradley Kauzeni, Aundre Whorla-Spencer, Billy Hayes, Abdulmojeed Shogbeni, Remi Nelson, Kai Haysman (Josh George, 75m), Malaki Toussaint, L’heureux Menga, Jesse Olukolu.
Subs (not used): Patrick Campbell, Usoman Tunkara, Brandon Bullman

Picture shows Boro attacking from a free-kick.