The curtain comes down on Boro’s home programme tomorrow with the visit of Sawbridgeworth Town in a game that was scheduled to take place before Christmas but which ended up being postponed due to a snowbound pitch at Mayesbrook Park.

While Boro were in action against Stansted at the weekend, Sawbridgeworth were without a game as their match at home to Barking was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Brief History:
Sawbridgeworth Town Football Club was formed in 1897 and played initially in the Stortford League with its headquarters at the White Lion Hotel in the centre of town. The club moved to its present ground at Crofters End in 1930, and after World War Two, they joined the Spartan League.

Sawbo joined the Essex Senior League in 1975, and have been members ever since. The club’s best season in the ESL came in 1992-93 when they finished runners-up to Canvey Island, and in 1994-95 they won the Essex Senior League Cup, beating Stansted 2-0 in the final. They have reached the Final on five occasions since, most recently in 2018, but have been beaten each time.

Since finishing eight in 2018, Sawbo have struggled in the last two completed seasons, finishing 18th and 19th.

Previous Meetings:

Romford have met Sawbridgeworth 32 times since 1992, with 23 of those games being Essex Senior League fixtures, of which Romford have won 11 to Sawbo’s 5. The first meeting between the clubs was in 1992 when a crowd of 207 at Hornchurch Stadium saw a 2-2 draw.

Romford met Sawbridgeworth in two Essex Senior League Cup Semi-Finals during the 1990s. In 1994 Boro were removed from the competition after the first leg, having fielded an ineligible player and in 1995 the two-legged Semi-Final ended all square on aggregate. Sawbo won the replay on penalties.

Prior to this season, Essex Senior League games between the teams were in Boro’s promotion season, 2008-09. Romford won 3-0 at home and drew 2-2 away. In the 2020 FA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round game at Crofters End Sawbridgeworth pulled off a surprise, but not undeserved 2-1 win.

In January this year, Romford won 2-1 at Sawbridgeworth after trailing to an early goal. Tom Richardson and Scott Doe (his first for the club) were Boro’s scorers.

Last Season:

Sawbridgeworth had a hard time of it last season and finished third from bottom, just two points ahead of St Margaretsbury, who were relegated along with bottom club Sporting Bengal United. Sawbo’s Step 5 status was only assured on the last day of the season when they beat West Essex 4-1 while St Margaretsbury were losing at Redbridge.

This Season:

Sawbridgeworth are currently 18th in the table, a position that they have held quite consistently through the season, with 28 points from 35 games. Their recent form has seen them win one but lose seven of their last eight, their solitary win coming at the start of March when they won 2-1 at Halstead Town. Their last three games have all resulted in home defeats, against Redbridge, Little Oakley, and Athletic Newham.

In the FA Cup they fell at the first hurdle, beaten 4-1 at Ilford, but were more successful in the FA Vase, beating St Margaretsbury (on penalties), and Halstead Town before losing in a penalty shoot-out at Woodford Town where they had recovered from a 3-0 deficit to draw 3-3 at the end of 90 minutes.

Goals have proven hard to come by for Sawbo, who have hit the net just 30 times in their 35 league games. Zachary Davidson is their leading scorer with seven.

This week’s Essex Senior League games:

Monday 17th April:
Athletic Newham 2, Redbridge 0

Tuesday 18th April:
Clapton v Stansted
Southend Manor v Enfield
Takeley v Ilford
Barking v Charlton Athletic U23 (London Senior Cup)

Wednesday 19th April:
Athletic Newham v Woodford Town
Romford v Sawbridgeworth Town
West Essex v FC Clacton

Thursday 20th April:
Clapton v Takeley
Enfield v Redbridge