When the Essex Senior League fixtures were published in July, this Saturday had no games scheduled. It is the date for the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup however, although of the league’s member clubs, only Barking remain in the competition.

There are a handful of Essex Senior League games today but Boro are not one of the teams in action, however, there’s not too long to wait till the next Romford fixture with the away game against Ilford arranged for Monday night. Due to the ongoing issues with Ilford returning to Cricklefield, Monday’s game will be played at The Techsoc.com Stadium, better known to most of us as Oakside, home of Redbridge FC.

This will be Ilford’s first ‘home’ fixture of the season, all of their five league games to date having been played away, the most recent of which was on 3rd September at Sawbridgeworth Town. Sawbo were Romford’s opponents last Saturday when a fine 5-1 win for Boro was the outcome, although Tuesday’ home game against Little Oakley was a dampener (in more ways than won) as it ended 2-1 to the visitors.

Ilford FC – Brief History:

The original Ilford Football Club was formed in 1881 and in 1905, were founder members of the Isthmian League, which they won in 1906–07, 1920–21, and 1921–22. The FA Amateur Cup was won in 1929 and 1930, but since then the club’s only significant honours have been the Isthmian League Second Division title in 2005, and the Essex Senior League championship in 2003.

Following the sale of their ground at Newbury Park, Ilford moved into Leytonstone’s Granleigh Road ground in 1977, merging with their landlords in 1979 to form Leytonstone/Ilford, who merged with Walthamstow Avenue to form Redbridge Forest, who in turn merged with Dagenham to form Dagenham & Redbridge. Ilford FC was revived in 1987, joining the Spartan League. In 1996, the club joined the Essex Senior League and earned promotion to the Isthmian League in 2004. They were relegated to the Essex Senior League in 2013, since when their best placing has been fifth in 2016.

Previous Meetings:

Romford have met Ilford on 18 occasions since 1992 and honours are fairly even with 8 wins for Boro and 7 for Ilford. All bar two of the games between the teams have been Isthmian or Essex Senior League games and the most recent were last season when Romford managed a double over The Foxes. The first game – Romford’s inaugural fixture at Rookery Hill – ended 2-1 in Boro’s favour with Charlie Morris and Junior Luke scoring while the return was played at Barking, where Ilford played the majority of their home games last season. It ended 3-2 to Boro; Toheeb Elegushi scored twice and Sam Deering got the other.

Last Season:

After playing Saffron Walden Town in early September 2023, Ilford did not play a further home game at Cricklefield last season following the withdrawal of their rights to play there, subsequently having to play home games at Barking. They accumulated 32 points from their 38 games and finished one off the bottom of the table, albeit a comfortable 15 points clear of the sole relegation place which was occupied by Coggeshall Town.

There was little success for Ilford in cup competitions last season. Ther went out of the FA Cup in the Extra-Preliminary Round, beaten by London Colney in a replay, and after beating Hackney Wick on penalties, went out of the FA Vase in the 2nd Qualifying Round when they lost 1-0 at Coggeshall Town.

In the Essex Senior League’s knock-out competitions, Ilford went out without winning a game as they were beaten by Stanway Rovers in the Errington Challenge Cup and by Great Wakering Rovers in the Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy.

This Season:

Currently, Ilford are one off the bottom of the table with 3 points from 5 games – one win and four defeats. Their solitary victory came at FC Clacton, the only side below them in the table, where they won 1-0. They have managed just one goal in their last six games in all competitions (that winner at Clacton) and most recently lost 1-0 at Sawbridgeworth Town, although in their previous outing it took an injury time penalty for league leaders Great Wakering Rovers to beat them.

Ilford exited both the FA Cup and the FA Vase in their opening fixtures, beaten 2-0 by Newport Pagnell Town in the FA Cup (in a second replay after their defeat in the first replay was annulled due to a technicality), and by the same score at Harlow Town in the FA Vase.

The venue and how to get there:

Monday’s game will be played at Redbridge FC, whose ground now goes by the name of The Techsoc.com Stadium, and where a 3G pitch has been installed during the summer. Since Romford have played there many times over the years, most supporters will be familiar with how to get there, but for those making their first visit, the ground is next to Barkingside Station on the Central Line. The address is Station Road, Barkingside, Essex, IG6 1NB

Today’s Essex Senior League fixtures:

There are just five Essex Senior League fixtures today, plus one game in the FA Cup involving an ESL side. These games are:

Athletic Newham v Buckhurst Hill
Benfleet v Halstead Town
Hullbridge Sports v Stanway Rovers
Stansted v FC Clacton
Takeley v West Essex Kick-off 2pm
Gorleston v Barking FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round

The game between Athletic Newham and Buckhurst Hill will be played at Newham’s new home venue, The Bobby Moore Sports Hub in Parlsoes Park, Dagenham.