There’s a feast of football at The Lawtech Stadium tomorrow, with two Boro sides in action. At 12 noon, Romford’s Under 14 side take on Ware in a friendly before Romford’s First Team face West Essex in the Essex Senior League with a 3pm kick-off.

Neither of Boro’s sides played last weekend as the First Team were without a scheduled game while Storm Darragh put paid to the Under 14 side’s game against Brentwood Town. Boro’s Under 14 side have a busy weekend as after their friendly tomorrow they face Canvey Island FC in an Eastern Junior Alliance game that will be played at Westlands with a 12 noon kick-off.

Having not played since the 4-2 win at Frenford the Saturday before last, Boro slipped out of the play-off places and into seventh spot after midweek wins for Barking – who beat White Ensign 3-2 - and Saffron Walden Town, who won 3-1 against the side that Boro face tomorrow.

Earlier in the season, Romford won 3-1 at West Essex with two goals from Arnold Mengi and one from Brendan Ocran despite being reduced to ten men when Harry Girling was sent off, which gave Andy Morris the chance to shine between the posts as stand-in for the Boro goalkeeper.

Our Sponsors:

Tomorrow’s game is sponsored by the Romford Shopping Hall and the club are very grateful to them for their support.

Previous Meetings:

Romford’s win at Wadham Lodge in September was only the seventh competitive meeting between the sides and of those seven games, Boro have won five with one drawn. The sides met three times in the space of just over a month in 2022, Romford winning 2-1 in a Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy tie then winning an FA Vase game 3-2 before the first ever Essex Senior League meeting which finished 1-1. All those games were played at Barking; Boro won the return ESL fixture, 3-2 at West Essex.

Last season Romford fell to a 6-3 defeat at Wadham Lodge having been reduced to 10 men when Junior Luke was sent off just after the interval. With ten minutes remaining the scores were level at 3-3 when Kris Newby scored. The home side then netted three times in the time remaining to win 6-3. Boro’s other goals came from Ash Siddik and George Cox.

The return at Rookery Hill ended 4-3 to Boro. West Essex scored first, but Finlay Dorrell and Hassan Nalbant put Boro ahead only for West Essex to draw level however, Boro led at the interval when Nalbant grabbed his second. The visitors equalised again in the opening stages of the second half but Darren Phillips netted a winner for Boro ten minutes from the end.

This Season:

West Essex are currently 13th in the table with 19 points from 18 games. There recent form has seen them draw 2-2 at Athletic Newham and then beat Halstead Town and Sawbridgeworth Town 2-1 and 3-0 respectively, but their last three games have ended in defeats at Hullbridge Sports, Woodford Town, and Saffron Walden Town.

The FA Cup saw an early exit, 1-0 at home to Enfield in the Extra-Preliminary Round, but there were wins over Southend Manor, Shefford Town & Campton, and Brimsdown before they lost 2-0 in the Second Round to the Essex Senior League’s sole survivors in the competition, White Ensign.

In the Errington Challenge Cup, West Essex won 2-1 at Barking in the Preliminary Round but then went out by the same score at Halstead Town, while in the Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy, they lost on penalties against Little Oakley in the First Round.

This weekend’s Essex Senior League fixtures:

Friday 13th December:
Woodford Town v Frenford

Saturday 14th December:
Benfleet v Barking
FC Clacton v Hullbridge Sports
Halstead Town v Great Wakering Rovers
Romford v West Essex
Sawbridgeworth Town v Saffron Walden Town
Stansted v Athletic Newham
Stanway Rovers v Ilford
Takeley v Buckhurst Hill 2pm
White Ensign v Thetford Town FA Vase