Saturday’s heavy home defeat against Hutton was not ideal preparation for what is arguably Romford’s toughest assignment so far this season, the trip to Heybridge Swifts tomorrow. Relegated from Isthmian League North at the end of last season, Swifts have made a blistering start to the Essex Senior League season as they look to regain their place at Step 4 at the first attempt.

Weekend Round-Up:

With Sporting Bengal United’s game against Hackney Wick postponed due to ongoing issues at the Mile End Stadium, and with four ESL sides in FA Vase action, there were just four league games on Saturday other than Boro’s. At The Old Spotted Dog, Clapton Community made it two consecutive wins by beating Ilford 3-1 in front of the day’s best crowd of 525. Two Play-Off contenders met at Lower Road, and it was Hullbridge Sports who came out on top, beating Barking 1-0 with a late goal. Harwich & Parkeston recovered a two goal deficit to draw 2-2 at home with Halstead Town, and in the day’s other game, Basildon United made it three wins on the trot when they were victorious at Woodford Town, 1-0. Woodford – who had former Boro player Greig Stewart in their line-up – have now lost six consecutive league games.

Four Essex Senior League sides were involved in FA Vase ties on Saturday. Heybridge Swifts beat Everett Rovers 3-0 and White Ensign thumped Wormley Rovers 5-0, but there were defeats for West Essex, beaten 3-2 at Harpenden Town, and Saffron Walden Town, who lost 5-0 at St Neots Town.

Previous Meetings:

In 26 previous meetings between Romford and Heybridge Swifts, it is Swifts who have the better record, having won 15 times to Romford’s 8 victories. The last eight competitive games between the sides have seen Swifts win seven of them with one match – the 2017 Isthmian League game at Ship Lane – ending in a 3-3 draw. In that drawn game, Boro were 3-1 down as the match entered stoppage time, but goals from Ryan Mallett and James Ishmail rescued a point. David Fallah scored Boro’s other goal.

Romford did manage a win at Heybridge last season, beating Swifts 5-3 in a friendly in early September 2025.

The last four games at Scraley Road have all gone the way of the home side with an aggregate score of 22-4, including Swifts’ 9-1 win in 2018. Romford have not beaten Heybridge since 2016, when an early Greg Akpele goal earned a 1-0 win at Scraley Road. Callum Chafer – who is now with Heybridge – was in goal for Boro that day and saved a penalty to preserve Boro’s clean sheet.

The 2019 Isthmian League game at Scraley Road will be remembered as Paul Martin’s last game in charge before Glenn Tamplin took over. It ended 5-1 to Swifts with 10 Boro players making their last appearances for the club. The return match was not played as Covid ended the season in March 2019.

You have to go back to 2009 for Romford’s biggest win over Swifts, a 4-1 Isthmian League North victory in Swifts’ first season after relegation from the Premier Division.

This Season:

Heybridge began the season with a 0-0 draw at West Essex, and after 10 league games, those remain the only points they have dropped. Among their nine league victories, they have beaten Frenford 6-1 and Basildon United 7-0; they have now netted 29 goals in 10 games and conceded just 4.

In the FA Cup, Heybridge were beaten 1-0 in the Extra-Preliminary Round by White Ensign, but have fared better in the FA Vase with wins over Enfield Borough, Clapton Community, Hoddesdon Town, and Everett Rovers earning them a place in today’s Third Round draw.

At home, Heybridge have played nine games, five in the Essex Senior League and four in various cup competitions, and have won eight of them, scoring 32 goals in the process while conceding just seven. The only team to leave Scraley Road without being beaten are Halstead Town who won there 3-2 in a BBC Essex Senior Cup tie.

Heybridge have three former Boro players on their books, goalkeepers Callum Chafer and Brad Davison, and Henry Hart, who seems to have been reinvented as a forward this season and has six goals to his name already, although former Great Wakering Rovers striker is Swifts leading scorer with 10 goals so far.

Home Ground and How To Get There:

Heybridge Swifts play their home games at Scraley Road, Heybridge, Maldon, Essex CM9 8FJ

By road the most straightforward route is to take the A12 to the A414 interchange at Sandon, then follow the A414 as far as Heybridge itself before taking the B1018 onto The Causeway, then at the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto The St/B1022. Follow this road till the road bears left, turning into Scraley Road (the ground is signposted).

By public transport, it’s a train to Witham from Romford, changing at Shenfield, then the number 90 bus from the station to Oak Road in Heybridge, then a short walk. The bus ride is about 25 minutes, and all in, the journey should take about 90 minutes. Whether it’s possible to do the journey in reverse at the final whistle is moot.

This week’s Essex Senior League fixtures:

Tuesday 3rd November:
7.45pm Great Wakering Rovers v White Ensign
7.45pm Heybridge Swifts v Romford

Wednesday 4th November:
7.45pm Soul Tower Hamlets v Hutton At Cricklefields