Essex Senior League newcomers Hutton come to Mayesbrook Park tomorrow for a first ever competitive fixture between the clubs, and with it being Halloween let’s hope that the result is a treat for Boro fans.

After Boro were late winners against Hullbridge Sports in the most recent home league game, last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Ilford was a disappointment and the opportunity to bounce back from that loss with a midweek trip to Saffron Walden Town fell by the wayside as plumbing problems at Walden’s Caton Lane ground caused the match to be called off.

Midweek Round-Up:

With Boro’s game postponed, there was just one game on Tuesday. In that game, Heybridge Swifts made it 10 games unbeaten with a 2-1 win over Woodford Town to leapfrog Frenford and go top of the table on goal difference, but only for Frenford to go above them again 24 hours later after winning 2-0 at White Ensign. Hutton drew 2-2 at home with Harwich & Parkeston while SOUL Tower Hamlets won 2-1 at Hackney Wick who remain 19th and are six points adrift of Clapton Community, the side immediately above them. Sporting Bengal United’s game against Ilford completed the midweek programme. The game was switched from Mile End due to problems at the stadium, to Cricklefields, but remained Bengal’s home game. Ilford moved up to third in the table with a thumping 7-1 win. Bengal stay bottom with just 3 points from 11 games.

Brief History:

Formed in 1928, Hutton joined the Essex Intermediate League Division Three in 1989 and in 2011 won Division One of the now renamed Essex Olympian League, gaining promotion to the Premier Division. Following relegation in 2013, the club were promoted back to the Premier Division in 2018 and in 2023, they won the Essex Olympian League to earn promotion to the Eastern Counties League Division One South.

In 2023-24 Hutton finished fourth in the table to qualify for a Play-Off place, but they were beaten by Dunmow Town in the Semi-Final. They lost 4-1 to Hackney Wick at the same stage in 2024-25 after ending the regular season fifth in the league.

Last season Hutton were beaten just three times in league games, scoring an impressive 107 goals as the won the Eastern Counties League Division One South, finishing three points ahead of Clapton Community and being duly promoted to the Essex Senior League. Former Boro favourite Danny Cossington was part of the Hutton squad last season and he has appeared in three of the team’s games this season.

Previous Meetings:

There have been no previous meetings between Romford and Hutton apart from one friendly in 2018, played at Newbury Park, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Khadean Campbell, now with West Essex, was one of the Boro scorers.

This Season:

Currently 13th in the table with 13 points from 11 games, Hutton began their debut season at Step 5 with a 1-0 defeat at Harwich & Parkeston before picking up a point from a 0-0 draw at Clapton Community, whom they beat 4-2 in the return to claim their first Essex Senior League win. They followed that victory with wins over Woodford Town and Halstead Town before losing narrowly at home to Heybridge Swifts.

Away from home, Hutton are unbeaten since the opening day of the season with three of their games ending in draws, including a very creditable 2-2 result at Frenford.

In their first ever FA Cup campaign, Hutton beat Combined Counties League outfit Northwood in an Extra-Preliminary Round replay before losing narrowly at home to Grays Athletic, however, in the FA Vase they fell at the first, beaten 4-1 at West Essex.

Three former Boro players have featured for Hutton this season, Danny Cossington, Elliott Howson, and Kevin Musimami, and the last of these has three ESL goals to his name, including the third goal in his side’s 3-2 win at Woodford. A name that many Boro supporters will remember from his time with such clubs as Witham Town, Basildon United, and Tilbury, is striker Adam Vyse, who has netted four times in all competitions this season.

This weekend’s fixtures involving Essex Senior League clubs:

The FA Vase reaches the Second Round Proper stage this weekend and four Essex Senior League clubs are involved. West Essex travel to Spartan South Midlands League side Harpenden Town while Heybridge Swifts and White Ensign also face SSML sides, being at home against Everett Rovers and Wormley Rovers respectively. The fourth ESL club in Vase action are Saffron Walden Town who are away to United Counties League outfit St Neots Town.

There are six league games scheduled for Saturday, although the ongoing problems at the Mile End Stadium mean Sporting Bengal United’s bottom of the table clash against Hackney Wick must be in doubt.

Two Play-Off chasing sides meet with Hullbridge Sports entertaining Barking, while the outcome of the game between Woodford Town and Basildon United will be interesting as Woodford’s form of late has seen them lose their last four while Basildon have won their most recent two games, scoring eight goals in the process. Woodford have been busy overhauling their squad in the last week as they look to arrest a slide that has seen them drop from top in early August, to 16th this week.

Saturday 31st October:

FA Vase:
Harpenden Town v West Essex
Heybridge Swifts v Everett Rovers
St Neots Town v Saffron Walden Town
White Ensign v Wormley Rovers

Essex Senior League:
Clapton Community v Ilford
Harwich & Parkeston v Halstead Town
Hullbridge Sports v Barking
Romford v Hutton
Sporting Bengal United v Hackney Wick
Woodford Town v Basildon United