Boro’s opponents tomorrow are Frenford, who avoided relegation at the end of last season after winning six of their last seven games, culminating in a last day victory over West Essex that lifted them off the bottom of the table at Athletic Newham’s expense, although they would still have been relegated were it not for a reprieve.

Frenford have made a fantastic start to this season under the new management team of Steve Carvell and Imrul Gazi and are currently second in the table with 32 points from 14 games. That’s just one point fewer than they accumulated in 38 league games last season. They led the table in the early weeks of the season but the outstanding form of Heybridge Swifts has seen the Scraley Road club knock them off top spot.

Midweek Round-Up:

There was only one game in the Essex Senior League this week and that went entirely to form as Heybridge Swifts beat Sporting Bengal United 8-1 in what was an away game for Swifts, but which was played at Scraley Road. Among Swifts’ scorers was ex-Boro player Henry Hart, who scored a hat-trick. Swifts now lead the table by five points from Frenford while Sporting Bengal remain anchored to the bottom of the table with only three points from thirteen games.

The Errington Challenge Cup kicked off this week with games on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday Clapton Community beat Frenford 2-1 and on Wednesday, Barking won 1-0 at Benfleet while SOUL Tower Hamlets were 3-1 winners at Woodford Town.

In the Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy, Tuesday saw Harwich & Parkeston beat Basildon United 2-0, Halstead Town thumped Hackney Wick 6-1, and West Essex won 2-0 at Saffron Walden Town. On Wednesday, Ilford entertained White Ensign and scored a resounding 5-1 win.

There were also two games involving ESL sides in the BBC Essex Senior Cup with Hullbridge Sports winning 4-0 at Rayleigh Town and Hutton entertaining Isthmian League Premier Division side Aveley, who ran out 5-0 winners.

Previous Meetings:

Frenford have the edge in the six Essex Senior League games played between the teams so far with four wins to Boro’s two. The first meeting was on a wet night at The Drive in September 2023 with Frenford winning 3-2, but the return at Rookery Hill the following January ended 6-1 to Romford with Charlie Morris scoring a hat-trick. In 2024-25, Romford won 4-2 at Frenford thanks to goals from Brendan Ocran, Ken Feyi, Blaise Uwandji, and Amaree Robinson Jones, but Frenford won 3-1 in the return at Mayesbrook Park.

Both of last season’s games ended in Frenford victories, 2-0 at The Drive and 1-0 at Mayesbrook Park.

This Season:

Frenford kicked off the season with a 2-0 win at Great Wakering Rovers and went on to record six wins and a draw in their opening seven league games before suffering a 6-1 defeat at Heybridge Swifts. Since then, they have lost just once more in six games, 2-0 at Barking. Last Saturday they drew 2-2 at home with Harwich & Parkeston. Having taken a 2-0 lead by the 11th minute, they led 2-1 until the last minute when a Harwich penalty earned The Shrimpers a draw.

Although Frenford suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat at Wivenhoe Town in the FA Vase First Qualifying Round, they did rather better in the FA Cup. Having beaten Harlow Town 1-0 in the Extra-Preliminary Round, they accounted for Step 4 opposition in the Preliminary Round, beating Haringey Borough in a replay before exiting the competition at home to Enfield Town.

Leading scorer for Frenford is former Romford striker Christian Gyamfi, who has nine goals, while player-manager Steve Carvell has five, as does Rian Patel.

Tomorrow’s Essex Senior League fixtures:

Heybridge Swifts will be looking to consolidate their lead at the top of the table as they travel to Benfleet, who last Saturday were on the wrong end of 7-1 score at Great Wakering, whose improved form of late will be tested as they entertain Barking. Woodford Town, in 18th place, go to Clapton Community, who are one place above them and who have won four of their last six at home. Hackney Wick, whom Boro beat last Saturday, could finish the day bottom as they are without a game, while the side below them, Sporting Bengal United, entertain West Essex. That game kicks off at 5.45pm and is being played at Parsloes Park.

3pm Basildon United v Soul Tower Hamlets
3pm Benfleet v Heybridge Swifts
3pm Clapton Community v Woodford Town
3pm Great Wakering Rovers v Barking
3pm Halstead Town v Ilford
3pm Harwich & Parkeston v White Ensign
3pm Hullbridge Sports v Saffron Walden Town
3pm Romford v Frenford
5.45pm Sporting Bengal United v West Essex