They might sit in a lowly seventeenth place in the table and might have picked up just six points from a possible thirty in their last ten away games, but Hullbridge Sports, who come to Mayesbrook Park tomorrow, had an excellent 2-1 win at Great Wakering Rovers last Saturday so can by no means be underestimated.

The FA Vase will make a final appearance tomorrow before being reluctantly handed back to The FA, so there will be opportunities for anyone who wants a picture with the trophy that Boro famously won at Wembley last May!

There’s also a chance to win a Romford FC shirt signed by Kris Newby. Follow Romford FC on Facebook or X/Twitter for your chance to win!

Boro were without a game last weekend as a waterlogged pitch put paid to the fixture at FC Clacton. That game has been quickly rearranged for this coming Tuesday, 11th February.

There were thrills and controversy aplenty when Romford met Hullbridge Sports at Lower Road back in September. Boro raced into a 2-0 lead within 13 minutes through goals by Praise Ogbebor and Arnold Mengi, and when Kennedy Feyi made it 3-0 just after the hour mark, the points looked destined for Romford, especially when Hullbridge’s former Boro player Jake Wiggins was sent off. The home side got two back and then made it 3-3 with a controversial late penalty. To add to Boro’s woes, Derek Feyi was sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card.

Previous Meetings:
Romford have met Hullbridge Sports many times over the last 32 years, 34 times in fact. Overall Boro’s record is won 33, drawn 5 and lost 6. Twenty eight of those games have been league games in either the Essex Senior League or Isthmian League (one game in the 2019-20 season was not played due to Covid).

The first meeting between the sides was in the Essex Senior Trophy in September 1992. Hullbridge won that one 5-2 but the next 17 games ended with either a Boro win or a draw until Sports won an ESL game in 2006. Included in that 17 game run were some hefty Boro victories – 9-0 and 6-1 in ESL games during 1995-96 and a 6-3 win in 2004, again in the ESL.

Last season’s games both resulted in away wins. Boro won 2-0 at Hullbridge in August, a result that created club history, being the fifth straight win in competitive matches at the start of the season for the first time ever; Jayden Silcott-Brown and Bruno Gomes were the Boro scorers. In contrast, the return, at Rookery Hill in November 2023 ended with Hullbridge 1-0 winners thanks to a goal in just the sixth minute.

Current Form:
While Boro’s form has been mixed of late – 16 points from the last 10 games, including wins in all of the last three at home – Hullbridge have struggled and lost seven of their last ten. They began the season with wins over Stansted and Halstead Town (where Charlie Morris scored a hat-trick for them), but they the lost 6-1 at home to Athletic Newham. After losing 5-0 at home to Saffron Walden Town in early December, they won at FC Clacton and at home to Benfleet before losing five on the trot before last weekend’s win at Great Wakering.

Owen Bellamy and Freddie Moriarty are leading scorers for Sports this season with six apiece, while Charlie Morris – now back in the Boro fold, of course – netted four times before his departure for Saffron Walden Town, while Iziah Antoine (who began the season as a Romford player) has three goals to his name.

Our Match Sponsors:
Sponsors for tomorrow’s game are LMAC Group, a leading provider of fire safety, building services, mechanical & electrical solutions, and eco-friendly systems across London, Anglia, and the Southeast.

With a customer-focused approach, they build strong community relationships and uphold the highest industry standards and we are grateful for their continued support!

Learn more at www.lmacgroup.com

This weekend’s Essex Senior League fixtures:

Woodford Town’s home defeat at the hand of Halstead Town in midweek has handed the initiative to leaders Stanway Rovers who now lead The Woods by four points with both teams having played 25 games. Stanway entertain West Essex tomorrow, while Woodford have a big away at third placed Takeley.

Saturday 8th February:

Athletic Newham v Halstead Town
Buckhurst Hill v White Ensign
Frenford v FC Clacton
Great Wakering Rovers v Little Oakley
Ilford v Sawbridgeworth Town
Romford v Hullbridge Sports
Saffron Walden Town v Barking
Stansted v Benfleet
Stanway Rovers v West Essex
Takeley v Woodford Town 2pm