The Essex Senior League programme has been decimated in recent weeks due to the incessant rain (it has rained on every day of 2026 in some parts of the country), but fortunately the 3G pitch at Mayesbrook Park means that there should be no doubt about Boro’s game against Great Wakering Rovers going ahead tomorrow.

The weather has forced some Essex Senior League clubs to find alternative venues for home games; on Wednesday evening SOUL Tower Hamlets played Ilford at Aveley, and tonight Buckhurst Hill – whose home ground has been flooded by the River Roding recently – entertain Basildon United at Redbridge.

Rovers come to Mayesbrook Park tomorrow having become the first Essex Senior League team to reach the Essex Senior Cup Final since 1976 after their Semi-Final win over Hashtag United, and we would like to offer our congratulations to Rovers for this achievement and wish them well in the Final in which they will play Billericay Town, who are coincidentally, the team who reached – and won – the Final fifty years ago.

Great Wakering’s game last Saturday was one of many that succumbed to the weather, and they were represented in the crowd for our game against Woodford Town. The 4-2 scoreline in favour of the visitors did not do justice to Boro as with the scores level at 89 minutes, it was very much anyone’s game.

Previous Meetings:

Following the recent meeting between the teams at Burroughs Park, Great Wakering have become the side that Boro have faced most often since 1992 as the teams have now met 45 times. Of those games, Romford have won 22, Rovers have won 18, and 5 have ended in draws, including the match just before Christmas. Romford were twice ahead through Flynn Hamilton and Henry Hart before it finished 2-2, but in a highly entertaining game, Boro might have won it at the death as two decent chances were missed.

That game was the first to end in a draw since the 1-1 tie at the same venue back in 2016 when Chinedu McKenzie was Romford’s scorer. Since then, both sides have had runs of victories with Rovers winning seven on the trot between 2018 and 2022 and then Boro winning four consecutive games up to and including the FA Vase Final in 2024. All of those were in the same season as in addition to the two league games and the Vase tie, Boro also won an Essex Senior Cup game. Last season’s games both ended in wins for Rovers, 1-0 at Mayesbrook Park and 2-0 at Burroughs Park.

Recent Form:

Rovers are currently second in the table after 25 games, having earned 51 points, five fewer than leaders Little Oakley. Since losing 1-0 at Little Oakley in November, Rovers have won 9 and drawn 2 of their 11 league games with Barking being the only side apart from Romford to take a point against them.

Although Rovers did not play last Saturday, the previous Saturday they were 5-0 winners at Basildon United, which was their fourth win on the road in the league this season; of the top ten in the league, only Benfleet have won fewer on their travels. That said, Rovers have lost just three times away from home, at Halstead Town, SOUL Tower Hamlets, and Little Oakley and have drawn at Athletic Newham, Hullbridge Sports, and Sporting Bengal United.

As well as their recent unbeaten league run, Rovers have beaten Heybridge Swifts and Hashtag United in the Essex Senior Cup and West Essex in the Errington Challenge Cup, in which they are away to either Buckhurst Hill or Ilford in the Quarter Finals.

This weekend’s Essex Senior League fixtures:

Friday 13th February:
7.45pm Buckhurst Hill v Basildon United (at Redbridge FC)
7.45pm Woodford Town v Barking

Saturday 14th February:
3pm Athletic Newham v Harwich & Parkeston
2pm Benfleet v Soul Tower Hamlets
3pm Hackney Wick v Ilford
3pm Halstead Town v Hullbridge Sports
3pm Romford v Great Wakering Rovers
3pm Saffron Walden Town v West Essex
2pm White Ensign v Frenford