Romford take a break from Essex Senior League action tomorrow as Crawley Green come to Rookery Hill for an Isuzu FA Vase 2nd Round tie. Last season saw Romford reach the 4th Round of the competition for the first time since 1997, with wins over Potton United, West Essex, Newmarket Town, Little Oakley, and Whittlesey Athletic before going out away from home to Jersey Bulls.

Tomorrow will be Romford’s 40th FA Vase tie in the club’s fourteenth season in the competition, with 20 games won and 14 lost, with 5 drawn. Boro have scored 76 goals in the process, with 72 conceded. Romford’s first FA Vase goal was scored by Micky Ross against Potton United and the 50th was Des Gallen’s extra-time penalty against Oxhey Jets in November 2006 in a game that ended 4-4, while Oxhey Jets’ second goal in the replay - which Boro lost 3-1 – was the 50th conceded.

Leading scorers for Romford in the FA Vase are Paul Evans and Des Gallen with five each, while Micky Ross and Ben Turner have scored four apiece. Of this season’s squad, Charlie Morris and Kris Newby have each scored twice and George Cox once.

While Boro were exempt until this stage, Crawley Green have played their way through three rounds, having beaten Moulton, Leverstock Green, and Shefford Town & Campton.

Brief History of Crawley Green:

Crawley Green were formed in 1989 by the merger of three Sunday league clubs, Ramridge Rangers, Stopsley Harriers and The Wyvern. In 1992, the club established a Saturday team and they joined Division One of the South Midlands League in 1995, but left for one season three years later. They have been members of the Spartan South Midlands League since 1999 and are currently in their eighth season in the Premier Division, in which their best finish was tenth in 2018-19.

Crawley Green play their home games at The Brache, Luton Town’s training ground.

The club have enjoyed little success in national cup competitions to date. The furthest they have progressed in the FA Cup was in 2010-11, when they reached the 1st Qualifying Round (more of that later), but they have been knocked out in the Extra-Preliminary Round in each of the last five seasons.

Their progress to the 2nd Round of the FA Vase this season equals their previous best performance in the competition. In 2017-18 they reached the same stage following wins over Tuffley Rovers, Langford, and Harpenden Town before losing at Biggleswade.

Previous Meetings:

Romford have played Crawley Green twice before. In 2010-11, after Crawley Green had beaten Royston Town, and Harefield United and Romford had beaten Beaconsfield SYCOB, the sides met in an FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round tie at Aveley. Paul Clayton gave Boro the lead but the visitors levelled with a penalty to take the game to a replay at Crawley Green, who were then groundsharing at Barton Rovers. The home side took the lead after 10 minutes, but goals from Paul Clayton and Abs Seymour in the final 15 minutes earned Boro a 2-1 win and a home tie against Hampton & Richmond Borough.

Action from the 2010 FA Cup tie against Crawley Green at Aveley. The Boro players are Abs Seymour and Andy Wands.

This Season:

Crawley Green have won as many FA Vase ties this season as they have league games, their three wins in the Vase being equalled by their league wins over Tring Athletic, Arlesey Town, and Harpenden Town. They are currently eighteenth in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division with eleven points from fifteen games. In the FA Cup they were beaten 3-2 at West Essex in the Extra-Preliminary Round.

Last Saturday they travelled to Cheshunt to play FC Romania, losing 3-1. Leading scorer for Crawley Green this season is Joe Hankins, who has seven goals to his name.

FA Vase Information:

There is no extra-time in FA Vase ties, nor are their replays, so if tomorrow’s game ends all square after 90 minutes, a penalty shoot-out will be used to determine the winner. Sin bins operate in FA Vase ties.

As well as a place in the 3rd Round, the winners of tomorrow’s tie will receive £900, while the losers will receive £275.

Season tickets are not valid for entry for tomorrow’s game, usual cash admission prices apply, namely: Adults £8, Concessions £5, Under 16s £2

Romford’s conquerors last season, Jersey Bulls, are away to the Maidenhead based Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League side Holyport tomorrow. Last season’s Vase winners were Ascot United, and they won promotion to Step 4 and therefore now play in the FA Trophy, while Newport Pagnell Town, whom Ascot beat in last year’s final, are away to Fakenham Town.

Other ties involving Essex Senior League sides being played tomorrow are:

Great Wakering Rovers v Downham Town
London Lions v Woodford Town
Romford v Crawley Green
Saffron Walden Town v Hullbridge Sports
Tilbury v Tring Athletic
Wembley v Athletic Newham

To mark Remembrance Day, there will be a period of silence prior to kick-off tomorrow.

Other Boro sides in action this weekend:

Romford Reserves were due to play Billericay Town Reserves last Saturday, but a waterlogged pitch put paid to that. They are without a game this weekend and are next due to play on 18th November when they are away to Sporting Bengal United Reserves.

Having played for the first time in four weeks when they beat Corinthians 2-0 last Sunday, Romford FC Women are away to Toby Ladies in the Preliminary Round of the League Cup this Sunday with a 2pm kick off at Nursery Playing Fields in Billericay. The teams have already met once this season, drawing 1-1 in a league at the same venue.

Tomorrow’s Essex Senior League fixtures:

FC Clacton v West Essex
Coggeshall Town v Stanway Rovers
Frenford v Barking
Little Oakley v Ilford
Sporting Bengal United v Halstead Town
Takeley v Buckhurst Hill