With just one win from the opening five league games (albeit with only one defeat), Boro will be looking for a first home win and a first victory over SOUL Tower Hamlets as the Mile End based club come to Mayesbrook Park tomorrow.

Tuesday night saw Romford return from Halstead Town with a point from a 3-3 draw, but after establishing a 2-0 lead at half-time through goals from Jaxon Brown and Kian Cocking, Boro conceded three quick goals to trail until the 81st minute before Cocking got his second of the night to rescue a point. Boro have been pegged back after leading by two goals against Burnham Ramblers and Great Wakering Rovers and now against Halstead Town, which is a pattern that we don’t want to see repeated! Tuesday’s draw leaves Boro 14th in the table with six points from five games.

Brief History of SOUL Tower Hamlets:

SOUL Tower Hamlets were formed in 2000 as Bethnal Green United and played in several leagues, including the London Intermediate League before joining the Middlesex County League. They were granted Senior status after winning that league's Premier Division in 2009 and were promoted to the Essex Senior League.

In 2013 the club were renamed Tower Hamlets FC and continued playing in the Essex Senior League until 2020 when, having moved South of the Thames to play at Phoenix Sports' ground, they were transferred to the Premier Division of the Southern Counties East League.

After relegation to Step 6 and having moved to play at The Mile End Stadium, the club were placed in the Thurlow Nunn League Division One South in 2022 and in advance of the 2024-25 season, they merged with Soul FC and were transferred back to the Southern Counties East League.

In 2024-25 the newly named SOUL Tower Hamlets FC finish second in the table, pipped to the title on goal difference by Faversham Strike Force, but gained promotion to the Essex Senior League through the Play-Offs. In their first season in the ESL, SOUL Tower Hamlets finished second in the table, just two points behind champions Little Oakley, but missed out on the chance of a second successive promotion when they lost 2-1 to Barking in the Play-Off Semi-Final.

Previous Meetings:

Prior to last season, Romford had only ever met Tower Hamlets once, in a friendly played at Fords in Newbury Park in July 2013. Boro won that game 3-0 with Afful, Smith, and Richardson the scorers.

The first league meetings between the teams were last season and the game at Mayesbrook Park was one to forget as Boro meekly surrendered, conceding four in each half to lose 8-0. The return, played at Parsloes Park due to ongoing problems at SOUL’s Mile End Stadium home, ended in a 3-3 draw. SOUL were two up after 21 minutes, but Nick Reynolds pulled one back before the break. SOUL had re-established a two goal advantage by the 53rd minute, but two goals from Flynn Hamilton – including a 90th minute equaliser from the penalty spot – earned a draw.

This Season:

With 10 points from six games, SOUL Tower Hamlets are just outside the Play-Off places in seventh spot. They began their season with a 1-0 win at Clapton Community but lost 3-0 at Heybridge Swifts in their second game. A run of three consecutive home games saw them beat Sporting Bengal United and Saffron Walden Town, but they lost their third by the only goal of the game to Halstead Town. Their most recent league outing ended in a 2-2 draw at Harwich & Parkeston.

In the FA Cup, SOUL were beaten first time out, 4-1 at Hendon, while they have yet to play the FA Vase as last season’s performance (in which they reached the Third Round) exempted them until the First Round Proper in which they have been drawn away to Risborough Rangers.

Familiar names in the SOUL Tower Hamlets squad include Sheri Artmeladdze, Jordan Burnett, and Ash Siddik.

This weekend’s Essex Senior League fixtures:

Friday 2nd October:
7.45pm West Essex v Frenford

Saturday 3rd October:
3pm Benfleet v Woodford Town
3pm Clapton Community v Great Wakering Rovers
3pm Hackney Wick v Basildon United
3pm Halstead Town v Barking
3pm Harwich & Parkeston v Ilford
3pm Hutton v Saffron Walden Town
3pm Romford v SOUL Tower Hamlets
3pm Sporting Bengal United v Hullbridge Sports
3pm White Ensign v Heybridge Swifts