Pre-season is over and the serious stuff starts tomorrow with Boro taking the A127 to play Basildon United in the opening Essex Senior League game of the season.

While pre-season is a notoriously poor indicator of league form, Basildon’s friendlies included 6-0 and 2-0 wins over Old Southendians and Sheppey Sports respectively, a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Wivenhoe Town, and a 2-2 draw with their neighbours Basildon Town. There are a few of names in the Basildon squad that will be familiar to Boro fans. Charlie Hare, who made seven starts, scoring once, and Chinedu Duru who started in two games, and Reece McGovern – most of whose Boro appearances came from the bench – joined them this week.

Last season saw Basildon spend some of the early stages in the lower reaches of the table, then settle into a comfortable mid-table slot before flirting with the bottom two and ultimately ending the campaign 15th, one point and one place below Boro. The two league game between the sides last season saw The Bees come out on top overall. At Mayesbrook Park a goal from Kevin Musimami salvaged a point for Romford in a 1-1 draw after Basildon had taken an early lead. In the return at Basildon, Romford levelled through Flynn Hamilton after Basildon had taken an early lead, but the home side led 2-1 by the interval and they extended their lead with a second half penalty. Flynn Hamilton scored a late penalty for Boro, but it ended 3-2 to Basildon.

Previous Meetings:

Tomorrow will be the 36th meeting between Romford and Basildon United since 1992 and the 17th at Gardiners Close. The previous 35 have seen Boro win 19, lose 8, with 8 drawn. The very first game between the sides was an Essex Senior League match played there in October 1992 which the home side won 3-1 and in fact, Romford failed to win any of the first five games against Basildon, three of which ended in draws. Having won 1-0 at Gardiners Close in another Essex Senior League game played in March 1995 in which Micky Ross scored Romford’s goal, Boro then won or drew each of the next ten encounters.

Romford’s best result at Basildon came in the Essex Senior League championship season of 2008-09 when goals from George Tubey, Ricki Makin, Paul Kavanagh and a brace from Martin Heed gave Boro a 5-1 win. In 2019 however, Boro were thumped 6-0 by Basildon in an Isthmian League fixture. That being the Covid blighted season, the return game at home was not played.

Home Ground and How To Get There:

The full address of the ground is The Hive, Gardiners Close, Basildon, Essex SS14 3AW. From Romford, take the A127 to the A176 turn off towards Basildon/Billericay, then left into Cranes Farm Road, left again into Gardiners Lane South, and finally left again into Gardiners Close.

By public transport, getting to Basildon’s ground requires a train to Basildon on the C2C line and then the B3 bus which runs from Asda in Eastgate to Matching Green, from where the ground is a short walk.

Admission Prices:

Adults: £10
Concessions: £5
U16s: £2

This weekend’s Essex Senior League fixtures:

Friday 31st July:
7.45pm West Essex v Heybridge Swifts

Saturday 1st August:
3pm Barking v Sporting Bengal United
3pm Basildon United v Romford
3pm Benfleet v Halstead Town
3pm Clapton Community v Soul Tower Hamlets
3pm Great Wakering Rovers v Frenford
3pm Hackney Wick v White Ensign
3pm Harwich & Parkeston v Hutton
3pm Hullbridge Sports v Ilford
3pm Saffron Walden Town v Woodford Town