It’s unusual to get this deep into August without an away league game, but tomorrow, on the last day of the month, Boro finally get to play an away Essex Senior League game. Takeley are the opponents so a trip up the M11 is required.

Takeley have a similar record to Romford’s so far this season with two wins and a draw from their opening three league games and are one of five teams on seven points, but while Boro are third, goal difference keeps Takeley in fifth spot. Takeley opened the season with a 1-0 win over Ilford and then drew 0-0 at Great Wakering Rovers. Their third game saw them 3-1 winners at home to Barking.

In the FA Cup Takeley were 2-1 winners at Colney Heath in the Extra-Preliminary Round but then lost 1-0 at Stotfold. Last Saturday they were at home to Step 6 side Hutton in the FA Vase and ran out 3-0 winners which gives them an away tie against Barking in the Second Qualifying Round on 21st September.

Brief History:

Formed in 1903, Takeley joined the Essex Olympian League in 1978. In 1988, Takeley were champions of the Essex Intermediate League (which the Essex Olympian League had become), a feat that they repeated in 2002. In their debut Essex Senior League season, they were for a while serious rivals to Romford as Boro won the title. Takeley eventually finished third, and did so again in 2012 and 2013.

Previous Meetings:

There have been ten previous meetings between Romford and Takeley with Boro winning five and Takeley winning three. Six of those games have been Essex Senior League encounters in which Boro have come out on top three times with one drawn.

The first meeting between the teams was at Station Road in 2008 when the sides drew 2-2. Paul Kavanagh and Paul Clayton were Boro’s scorers. The return game, played at Aveley, ended 4-0 to Romford with Kavanagh again on target along with Ricki Mackin, Ben Turner, and Chris Barry.

Last season saw away wins for both teams. In the game at Mayesbrook Park, Hassan Nalbant scored twice and Henry Hart got another as Boro ran up a 3-1 lead with less than 30 minutes remaining, but three goals in seven minutes gave Takeley a 4-3 victory. The return at Takeley went Boro’s way however, as Finlay Dorrell and Darren Phillips scored in a 2-0 win.

Darren Phillips scores Boro’s second in the game at Takeley last season.

Last Season:

A fifteenth place finish last season was Takeley’s lowest since 2015-16 when they finished 18th. They won just three times at home in the league, whereas they won six time on the road, gathering 40 points from their 38 games. No Takeley player managed to get into double figures in the goalscoring charts although Caoilan Mcgettigan and Jordan Wescott both scored 8 times. Wescott played one game for Romford back in 2019, the game against Coggeshall Town at Brentwood in which the starting eleven were all making their debuts, and in the case of six of them, their only appearance.

In last season’s FA Cup, Takeley were beaten first time out, 4-1 at Hullbridge Sports and in the FA Vase they also went out in their first game, 3-1 at Stanway Pegasus.

Home Ground and How to Get There:

Takeley’s home ground is the Sirona Medical Arena, Station Road, Takeley. The Post Code for your Sat Navs is CM22 6QA. By road, it’s about 32 miles from Romford (50 minutes or so). Take the M11 to junction 8, and then at the Birchanger Roundabout, take the 5th exit onto the B1256 (Dunmow Road). At the Four Ashes pub, turn right into Station Road, and the ground is on the right.

On their website, Takeley request that spectators do not park in residential streets around the club. Supporters who have driven to Takeley before will recall however, that car parking space at the ground is limited.

Tomorrow’s Essex Senior League fixtures:

There are eight Essex Senior League fixtures tomorrow and a win at Takeley would put Boro top of the pile if Woodford Town were to lose at Stanway Rovers.

Benfleet v Buckhurst Hill
Great Wakering Rovers v Ilford
Hullbridge Sports v Frenford
Saffron Walden Town v Halstead Town
Sawbridgeworth Town v FC Clacton
Stanway Rovers v Woodford Town
Takeley v Romford
West Essex v Stansted

Two Essex Senior League sides remain in the FA Cup. The ties involving these teams are:

Athletic Newham v Amersham Town
St Neots Town v Barking