SWIFT TEST AWAITS LILYWHITES IN FA VASE SHOWDOWN

• Heybridge Swifts v Hoddesdon Town
• FA Vase – First Round Proper
• Saturday 10 October 2026
• 3.00pm KO
• Scraley Road, Heybridge

Hoddesdon Town return to familiar surroundings on Saturday afternoon, but the circumstances could hardly be more different as the Lilywhites travel to Scraley Road to face Heybridge Swifts in the First Round Proper of the FA Vase.

Just seven days after Simon Riddle’s side left the same ground celebrating an impressive 4-1 league victory over Dunmow Town, who groundshare at Scraley Road, Hoddesdon head back to Essex for what promises to be one of their biggest tests of an outstanding season so far.

This time the opposition are the landlords rather than the tenants, and Heybridge represent another step up in class for Hoddesdon. The Swifts compete at Step Five in the Essex Senior League Premier Division, one level above the Lilywhites, and arrive in excellent form themselves. Hoddesdon have already shown in this competition that the difference in league status does not have to decide the outcome, however, having produced an excellent 2-0 away win against Step Five Woodford Town in the previous round. Another higher-ranked opponent now stands between Riddle’s men and a place in the Second Round Proper.

A COMPETITION WRITTEN INTO HODDESDON HISTORY

There are few competitions capable of stirring quite the same emotions at Hoddesdon Town as the FA Vase. The club’s relationship with the competition stretches all the way back to its very beginning, with Hoddesdon winning the inaugural tournament in 1975 and lifting the trophy at the old Wembley Stadium after facing Epsom & Ewell in the final.

Hoddesdon Won The Vase In 1975

Those images remain part of the fabric of the club more than half a century later. The photographs of the Lilywhites at Wembley, the old programme, the players celebrating with the trophy and the scenes surrounding that famous afternoon provide a reminder that Hoddesdon’s name will forever have a special place in the history of the FA Vase. Generations have come and gone since then, but whenever the competition returns to the fixture list there is inevitably an extra little sense of anticipation around Lowfield.

Saturday also carries additional significance because it has been five years since Hoddesdon last appeared in the First Round Proper. The Lilywhites had to earn their way back onto this stage, and the victory at Woodford Town last month was an excellent demonstration of the qualities that have characterised the opening months of the campaign.

The reward for victory this weekend is not simply another chapter in the club’s Vase story either. The FA’s 2026/27 prize fund sees the winner of a First Round Proper tie receive £825, while the losing club receives £250. For clubs operating at this level of the pyramid those figures matter, but nobody travelling to Heybridge on Saturday will need reminding that progression itself is the biggest prize.

HODDESDON ARRIVE IN OUTSTANDING FORM

Riddle’s side could scarcely travel in greater confidence. Hoddesdon sit proudly at the top of the Thurlow Nunn First Division South with 29 points from 11 league matches, having won nine and drawn two without suffering a single defeat. A goal difference of +22 demonstrates that this has not simply been a run built on narrow victories either, with the Lilywhites combining attacking threat with an increasingly reliable defensive structure. The recent run has been particularly impressive. Hoddesdon followed the 1-1 draw against May & Baker with a 3-0 League Challenge Cup victory over Hertford Heath, before winning 5-2 away against Brimsdown, 1-0 at FC Baresi and then 4-1 against Dunmow last weekend. Add the earlier FA Vase victory at Woodford and this is a side finding ways to win in a variety of circumstances.

The Season So Far

The 1-0 success at Baresi perhaps said as much about Hoddesdon as any of the bigger scorelines. Reduced to ten men inside the opening minutes following Freddie Wilkinson’s red card, the Lilywhites reorganised, remained disciplined and eventually won through Jack Gibbs’ goal. The 4-1 victory over Dunmow then demonstrated another side to the team, with Hoddesdon responding to being pegged back at 1-1 before dominating the second half. That Dunmow victory means Hoddesdon already know every blade of grass at Scraley Road. Ollie Babbage headed the Lilywhites ahead after eight minutes following excellent work from Hadley Richards, before Richard Boah equalised for Dunmow before the interval. Connor Bolton then took over after half-time, scoring twice, with substitute Brandon Oxley-Fricker adding a fourth to complete an emphatic result.

Oxley-Fricker And Babbage Grabbed A Goal Each At Scraley Road Last Saturday

Riddle knows, however, that familiarity with the venue does not mean familiarity with Saturday’s challenge.

“Going back to the same ground seven days later is unusual, but beyond knowing the surroundings there really isn’t much we can take from last weekend,” said the Hoddesdon manager. “Heybridge are a completely different team, they are playing a level above us and their form tells you exactly what sort of afternoon we are going to have. We will need to be right at it from the first whistle.”

Manager Simon Riddle

“What I do like is the way the players have dealt with different challenges this season. We’ve won games when we’ve played really well, we’ve won games when we’ve had to dig in and we showed at Woodford that we can go away to a Step Five side and compete. That gives us belief, but belief only counts if you back it up with another performance.”

SWIFTS FLYING HIGH AT STEP FIVE

Any suggestion that Heybridge’s relegation from the Isthmian League last season has left them vulnerable can quickly be dismissed by looking at their start to the current campaign. Swifts are second in the Essex Senior League Premier Division with 19 points from seven league matches, having won six and drawn one while remaining unbeaten in league competition.

The Hosts Are Undefeated In The League This Season

Only Frenford currently sit above them, and Heybridge have games in hand on the leaders. Their league record also carries an eye-catching +16 goal difference, while the wider statistics show eight victories, one draw and only one defeat from ten matches across competitions. In those games they have scored 25 times and conceded only eight.

Their recent results underline the scale of the challenge facing Hoddesdon.

Heybridge travelled to White Ensign last weekend and returned with a 2-0 victory, having previously thrashed Frenford 6-1 at Scraley Road. Before that came a 1-0 success away at Clapton Community, while earlier victories included 3-1 against Barking, 4-1 away at Ilford, 3-0 against SOUL Tower Hamlets and a 2-1 away win at Enfield Borough. The only blot on their recent record came in a 3-2 loss against Halstead Town. That result has done little to disrupt their momentum, with Heybridge responding strongly and establishing themselves firmly among the early promotion contenders at Step Five.

Their progress has been overseen by Luke Wilson, who took charge of the first team in April. Wilson succeeded Jason Maher and returned to a club he had previously represented as a player, having also gained managerial experience as co-manager at Bowers & Pitsea. His arrival coincided with a period of rebuilding following Heybridge’s relegation from the Isthmian League North Division, and the early evidence suggests the reset has been an effective one.

New Manager Luke Wilson Is Rebuilding The Side

A CLUB WITH PLENTY OF HISTORY

Heybridge themselves are no strangers to national competition or success further up the non-league pyramid. Founded in 1880, the Swifts have a long and distinguished history, with their honours including three consecutive Essex Senior League championships between 1981/82 and 1983/84 before moving into the Isthmian League.

They went on to win the Isthmian Division Two North title in 1989/90 and have reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup on four occasions. Their runs in 1994/95, 1997/98, 2002/03 and 2017/18 brought encounters with clubs including Gillingham, AFC Bournemouth, Bristol City and Exeter City, while Heybridge also reached the FA Trophy quarter-finals during the 1996/97 campaign.

Their best previous FA Vase run came in 1986/87 when they reached the fifth round, so this is a club with its own cup pedigree. Scraley Road has been their home since 1966, having remarkably been developed on what had previously been a carrot field, and the venue has grown into an established non-league ground with a capacity of around 3,000. Hoddesdon supporters making their second journey there in successive weekends should therefore expect a very different atmosphere from the Dunmow fixture. This is Heybridge’s home, and with their side flying near the top of the Essex Senior League, they will expect to make that advantage count.

HOW THE SWIFTS REACHED THIS STAGE

Heybridge booked their place in the First Round Proper with a 2-1 home victory over Clapton Community on September 12. They made a flying start that afternoon, with Luca Albon opening the scoring after 12 minutes before Harrison Topliss doubled the advantage on 32 minutes. Clapton pulled one back later in the contest but Heybridge held on to progress, and several names from that team sheet are likely to be involved again this weekend. Callum Reece Chafer, Alex Golder, Milo Grimes, Zack Zola Littlejohn, Lee Noble, Ben Search and Jack Adlington-Pile all started that tie, while Alexander Protsenko and Christopher Kaki Manangu were introduced from the bench.

The Side That Defeated Clapton Community In The Last Round

The Swifts’ strongest attacking threat this season has undoubtedly been Callum Boylan. Eight goals from only seven appearances is an outstanding return and immediately identifies him as the player Hoddesdon’s back line will need to keep particularly close attention on. Boylan did not score against Clapton in the previous round, but his wider record makes his threat obvious.

Callum Boylan Grabbed A Hat Trick In The 6-1 Win At Home To Frenford

There is depth around him too. Adlington-Pile, Henry Hart, Littlejohn and Topliss have all contributed two goals, giving Wilson attacking options from several areas rather than leaving Heybridge reliant upon one individual. Topliss already has an FA Vase goal to his name this season and was part of the side that defeated Clapton.

Zack Littlejohn

HODDESDON HAVE THREATS OF THEIR OWN

The Step Five hosts will have plenty to occupy them at the other end of the pitch.

Connor Bolton continues to enjoy an exceptional campaign and scored twice at Scraley Road last weekend, following on from recently reaching the landmark of 100 Hoddesdon goals. His movement, strength and ability to finish from a variety of positions will again make him one of the Lilywhites’ most obvious threats.

Yet concentrating solely on Bolton would be a dangerous strategy. Babbage led the line intelligently against Dunmow and scored with an excellent header, while Connor Casey has offered a different dimension through his direct running and determination. Freddie Wilkinson has been an important attacking presence throughout the campaign, while Harrison Cage possesses the pace and ability to make a major impact either from the start or from the bench.

Connor Casey

Blue Gallagher has quietly become one of the most influential members of the side, dictating passages of play and delivering consistently dangerous balls into attacking areas. Behind him, the work of Jimmy Agnew, Jack Orchard and Blesson Asekolenga has helped give Hoddesdon the platform from which their attacking players can flourish.
There is also real competition throughout the squad. Richards impressed again from wide areas last weekend, Reggie Pegrum made a lively impact after replacing the injured Ollie Finch, while Jason Brown and Oxley-Fricker both demonstrated the value of Riddle’s substitutes. In a cup tie that could shift direction several times, that depth may prove extremely important.

Jason Brown Has Impressed Enormously In Recent Weeks

“They have threats all over the pitch and Boylan’s numbers speak for themselves, so defensively we are going to have to be switched on,” Riddle added. “But we’ve got players who can hurt teams as well. The big thing for us is not to spend the afternoon admiring what Heybridge can do because we’ve earned the right to be in this tie and we need to show them what we’re capable of.”

“The Vase means something to this club. You can’t walk around Hoddesdon Town FC without being reminded of 1975 and what that team achieved, and I think that history is something to embrace rather than be weighed down by. This group has the chance to create its own memories, and Saturday is another opportunity to do exactly that.”

Last Year Hoddesdon Celebrated It's 50th Anniversary Of The FA Vase Win

LEAGUE FORM COUNTS – UNTIL THE WHISTLE BLOWS

On paper, this is a meeting between two of the most in-form sides in their respective divisions. Hoddesdon lead the First Division South by six points and remain unbeaten, while Heybridge sit second at Step Five and have not lost a league match. Between them, the two clubs have suffered remarkably little disappointment during the opening months of the season.

Yet this is the FA Vase, and league tables have a habit of becoming far less important once a knockout tie begins. A single deflection, a set-piece, a red card or one moment of inspiration can change the entire afternoon. Hoddesdon experienced precisely that sort of unpredictability at FC Baresi last week when Wilkinson was dismissed after three minutes, only for the Lilywhites to adjust brilliantly and win the match.

There is also no reason for Riddle’s men to approach the tie with an inferiority complex simply because Heybridge operate one level higher. Woodford Town arrived at the previous round with the same Step Five status and were beaten 2-0 by a Hoddesdon side that looked organised, disciplined and entirely comfortable on the bigger stage. Heybridge will nevertheless begin as formidable opponents. Their league record, home scoring numbers and current momentum demand respect, and the Lilywhites are likely to encounter periods when they have to defend patiently and withstand pressure.
The fascination lies in seeing how two confident teams respond when one of them finally has to give way.

601 Clubs Entered This Season's FA Vase

ANOTHER SCRALEY ROAD ADVENTURE

For Hoddesdon supporters, there is something slightly surreal about making the journey to Scraley Road twice in successive Saturdays. Last weekend ended with four goals, three points and another statement victory at the top of the league, but this time there are no league points available and no safety net once the afternoon begins. Instead, there is an FA Vase place at stake, £825 for the winning club, the continuation of an unbeaten season for Hoddesdon and the opportunity to eliminate another Step Five opponent. Above all else, there is the possibility of extending a journey in a competition that will always hold a special place in Hoddesdon Town history.

Fifty-one years after the Lilywhites stood beneath the Twin Towers at Wembley and became the first club ever to lift the FA Vase, a new generation heads to Essex dreaming of another memorable afternoon. This is not 1975, and nobody inside the current dressing room needs it to be. What matters is Saturday, Scraley Road and another 90 minutes in which this Hoddesdon side has the chance to show just how far it can go.

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