Hoddesdon Town put their unbeaten league campaign to one side on Tuesday evening as attention turns to the Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup and the visit of familiar opponents May & Baker EC to Lowfield for a 7:45pm kick-off.

It is a fixture that needs little introduction. The sides have already met once this season, producing a fiercely contested 1-1 league draw at Lowfield on September 19, and everything about their respective campaigns suggests another serious examination awaits Simon Riddle’s men. Hoddesdon are top of the First Division South and yet to lose a league fixture, while May & Baker sit fourth despite having played considerably fewer matches than the sides around them.

With Games In Hand, May & Baker Are Looking To Chase Hoddesdon Down In The League

Cup football provides a different challenge, though, and Tuesday offers both clubs an opportunity to progress deeper into a competition in which neither will be interested in making up the numbers. Hoddesdon booked their place in this round with a convincing 3-0 victory over Hertford Heath, while the Bakers advanced courtesy of an entertaining 5-3 triumph against FC Baresi.

Both also arrive having enjoyed successful Saturdays. Town overcame a spirited Coggeshall Town side 3-1 at Lowfield, while May & Baker defeated London Harts United by the same scoreline. Two confident sides, two of the division’s leading goalscorers, and one place in the next round are on the agenda under the Lowfield lights.

LOWFIELD BECOMING A FAMILIAR HOME

Saturday’s victory over Coggeshall was the latest instalment in what has developed into a remarkable start to Hoddesdon’s season. The visitors struck first through Lewis Nial after nine minutes, but Town responded impressively after Coggeshall were reduced to ten men midway through the opening half.

Connor Bolton converted from the penalty spot to equalise, Jonah Evans continued his unlikely transformation into one of the club’s most dangerous finishers with a beautifully dinked effort before half-time, and Ollie Babbage made the points safe late on with a well-struck third. Jack Orchard took the Man of the Match honours as Hoddesdon made it consecutive 3-1 and 4-1 home victories following the win over London Harts United four days earlier.

Those results mean Town’s overall record across completed competitive fixtures stands at an outstanding 13 wins, two draws and just one defeat from 16 games, with 42 goals scored and only 14 conceded. The solitary defeat remains the 4-0 FA Vase reverse against Step 5 Heybridge Swifts, meaning Hoddesdon’s domestic league record remains spotless in the defeat column.

Hoddesdon Have Just One Blot On Their 2026/27 Record In All Competitions

Lowfield has been particularly productive. Town’s current home figures across competitions show six games, five victories and a draw, with 17 goals scored and only five conceded. The solitary team to leave Lowfield this season without losing? Tuesday night’s opponents.

That alone should ensure nobody inside the Hoddesdon dressing room needs reminding of the difficulty of the assignment.

REMEMBER SEPTEMBER

When May & Baker visited Lowfield on September 19, they became one of only three opponents all season to prevent Hoddesdon from winning a completed competitive match.

The contest remained goalless for 77 minutes before an own goal gave May & Baker the advantage. Hoddesdon appeared to be heading towards their first league defeat of the campaign until Connor Casey struck dramatically in the 92nd minute to rescue a 1-1 draw in front of 146 spectators. Blesson Asekolenga was named Hoddesdon’s star player that afternoon, but perhaps the most important lesson came from the collective experience. May & Baker were organised, difficult to break down and possessed enough quality of their own to make Town work right until the final seconds.

A 1-1 Draw Was Played Out In September

There is little reason to expect Tuesday to be any easier. Indeed, the Bakers’ form since that meeting suggests they may present an even greater attacking threat this time around.

Riddle knows the previous meeting removes any possibility of complacency.
“We know exactly how difficult May & Baker can make things because we’ve already had 90 minutes against them this season,” said the Hoddesdon manager. “We had to go right to the end to get something out of that game and they showed why they’re going so well themselves. Tuesday is a cup tie, so the circumstances are different, but the standard of opposition isn’t. They’ve got some excellent players, they carry a huge threat going forward and we’ll need to be switched on from the first whistle. The players know that.”

TWO SIDES AMONG THE LEAGUE’S FRONT RUNNERS

Although no league points are available on Tuesday night, the First Division South table provides plenty of evidence about the strength of the two teams involved.

Hoddesdon lead the division with 35 points from 13 matches, having won 11 and drawn two while remaining unbeaten. Their goal difference of +27 is another indication of just how impressive the opening months have been.

East Thurrock Community are second on 30 points from 14 matches, Stansted sit third with 27 from 14, and then come May & Baker with 25 points from only ten league games. The Bakers have won eight of those ten, drawing once and losing once, with a +18 goal difference. Their games in hand make that fourth-place position particularly deceptive. Petri Elbi’s team have played three fewer league fixtures than Hoddesdon and four fewer than both East Thurrock and Stansted, placing them firmly among the sides enjoying the strongest starts in the division.

May & Baker Manager Petri Elbi, With Director of Football Qayum, Assistant Manger Paul Downs And Coach Kwesi Tettey

Tuesday, then, is not simply leaders against fourth. It is a meeting between two teams whose underlying records are among the best in the competition.

BAKERS ARRIVE IN DANGEROUS FORM

May & Baker have played 16 completed competitive matches across the season, winning 12, drawing one and losing three while scoring an eye-catching 46 goals.

Their most recent outing brought a 3-1 home victory over London Harts United on Saturday, following their FA Vase encounter with St Neots Town a week earlier. That tie finished 2-2 before the Bakers were eventually eliminated 5-3 on penalties.

Before that came another 3-1 success, this time over Rayleigh Town. Their last league defeat was the 2-1 reverse at Cannons Wood on September 30, preceded by that 1-1 draw at Lowfield.

May & Baker: The Season So far

Go further back and the attacking numbers become even more striking. They won 5-4 at Basildon Town, beat Harlow Town 3-2 in the FA Vase, defeated NW London 3-1 and Enfield Borough 3-0, and scored five against FC Baresi in the League Challenge Cup tie that brought them into Tuesday’s contest. They are not travelling to Hertfordshire merely hoping to hang around in the tie. The Bakers have goals throughout their side, and one man in particular is enjoying a quite extraordinary campaign.

PAPPONETTE SETTING THE STANDARD

Addae Paponette is currently the leading scorer in the entire First Division South, and by a meaningful margin. The May & Baker forward has amassed a remarkable 18 goals from 16 appearances, putting him three ahead of Hoddesdon’s own Connor Bolton in the divisional scoring standings. Every one of those 16 appearances has been a start, underlining both his importance to Petri Elbi’s side and his consistency.

The Hunt For The Golden Boot Is Hotting Up In Division One South

Paponette is not simply having a decent spell in front of goal. Eighteen goals at this stage of October represents a prolific campaign by any standard, and controlling his influence will surely feature prominently in Hoddesdon’s preparations. There is support around him too. Akiljo Balliu and Max Hart have each scored four times, while Georgie Downes, Robbie Farrell, Junayd Subhi and Anjeolaoluwa Adamu have contributed three apiece. João Silva Cruz has two goals and three assists registered, while Paponette himself has also supplied two assists.

Addae Paponette

That distribution explains May & Baker’s total of 46 goals. Stop the league’s top marksman and the job is still not complete.

Riddle is under no illusions about the danger.

“Paponette’s numbers speak for themselves. Eighteen goals by this point of the season is an outstanding return and you don’t achieve that by accident,” he said. “But if we concentrate entirely on him, they have other players who can punish you, so it has to be a good team defensive performance. We respect them, but we also know what we can do at our best. We’re at Lowfield, we’ve been strong here and we want to impose ourselves on the game rather than spend the night worrying about the opposition.”

BOLTON LEADING THE LILYWHITE CHARGE

There is considerable firepower at the other end too.

Connor Bolton’s penalty against Coggeshall took the Hoddesdon forward to 15 goals from 15 appearances in all competitions, continuing an exceptional individual season. His combination of pace, direct running and relentless work without the ball has made him one of the outstanding attacking players in the division. Only Paponette and AS London’s Joshua Adeojo currently sit above Bolton in the First Division South-wide scoring rankings shown by the latest statistics, and Tuesday consequently brings together two of the division’s most productive attacking players.

But the Hoddesdon numbers stretch considerably beyond their leading scorer. Jack Gibbs has five goals from 16 appearances, while Connor Casey, Freddie Wilkinson and Ollie Babbage have four each. Harrison Cage has three, and recent weeks have also brought contributions from unexpected areas.

Connor Casey

Jonah Evans is the obvious example. The full-back produced a stunning 25-yard curler against London Harts United before following it four days later with a delicate finish over the goalkeeper against Coggeshall. Two goals in two games have transformed him, temporarily at least, into Lowfield’s answer to Roberto Carlos.

Babbage is another player heading into Tuesday with confidence. His late goal against London Harts was followed by the decisive third against Coggeshall, moving him to four for the season and giving Riddle another attacking option capable of influencing matches whether starting or arriving from the bench. He has quickly become another fan favourite too.

Ollie Babbage

CONSISTENCY AT THE OTHER END

Hoddesdon’s attacking statistics naturally attract attention, but their foundations have been equally important.

Liam Nugent, Blue Gallagher and Blesson Asekolenga have each recorded 17 appearances, while Gibbs has featured 16 times and Jack Orchard, Bolton and several other members of the squad have been heavily involved throughout the campaign.

Orchard’s Man of the Match display against Coggeshall was another reminder of the reliability within a defensive unit that has kept opponents quiet for long periods this season. Asekolenga was the standout performer in the previous meeting with May & Baker, while Jimmy Agnew, Hadley Richards and the increasingly adventurous Evans have all played substantial roles.

Blesson Picked Up The Man Of The Match Award In The Last Meeting Between The Sides

Town have conceded 14 goals across their completed games this season, with four of those coming in the single FA Vase defeat at Heybridge. Strip that afternoon out and the underlying defensive record is formidable. That will be tested by the highest-scoring individual in the division on Tuesday.

WHO ARE MAY & BAKER?

May & Baker’s identity is rooted in one of Dagenham’s most recognisable pieces of industrial history. The club was established in 1923 as a works team for the May & Baker chemical company, later becoming May & Baker Eastbrook Community and developing into the senior non-league club that now competes alongside Hoddesdon in the Eastern Counties League Division One South.

The parent company itself became famous for its pharmaceutical work in Dagenham. Among its major developments was sulphapyridine, known as M&B 693, an early antibacterial drug first synthesised in the 1930s; that heritage remains reflected in the football club’s identity and badge.

The Bakers progressed through the Essex Business Houses and Essex Olympian League systems before moving into the newly created Eastern Counties League Division One South in 2018. Their honours include the Essex Olympian League Division One title in 2009/10, the Denny King Memorial Cup and the Essex Junior Cup, while their rise through the levels has required several ground moves during the modern era.

Taken From May & Baker's Wikipedia Page

For 2026/27, the club are operating under a management team headed by manager Petri Elbi, alongside Director of Football Qayum, assistant Paul Downs and coach Kwesi Tettey. The early evidence suggests that group has assembled a side capable of troubling anybody at this level.

CUP BUSINESS AT LOWFIELD

Hoddesdon’s route to Tuesday began with Hertford Heath, whom they defeated 3-0 at Lowfield on September 22. It was another assured performance during an excellent run of form and ensured Town’s League Challenge Cup campaign survived into the autumn. May & Baker’s route included considerably more drama. Their 5-3 victory over FC Baresi was exactly the sort of high-scoring contest their season statistics suggest is always possible when the Bakers are involved.

That creates an intriguing contrast. Hoddesdon have generally combined a potent attack with an excellent defensive record; May & Baker have shown repeatedly that they possess enough offensive quality to turn matches into shoot-outs.

The September meeting offered comparatively little of that chaos, but cup football has a habit of producing a different type of contest.

“We want to stay in the competition,” Riddle added. “There’s no league table to fall back on Tuesday night and no points for controlling parts of the game. Somebody progresses and somebody goes out, so we have to approach it with that mentality. Saturday against Coggeshall was a good result, but that’s finished now. We’ve had very little time between games, so recovery and preparation are important. May & Baker played Saturday as well, so both teams are in the same position. It should be a proper cup tie.”

Manager Simon Riddle Wants To Progress In This Cup

ROUND TWO AT LOWFIELD

There is also the simple appeal of unfinished business. Hoddesdon came within minutes of losing their unbeaten league record to May & Baker last month before Casey’s stoppage-time intervention. The Bakers, meanwhile, came within seconds of becoming the first league side to beat Town this season and will undoubtedly take confidence from how close they came. Since then both teams have continued to demonstrate why they belong towards the upper end of the table. Hoddesdon have strengthened their position at the summit, while May & Baker have accumulated victories despite a fixture list that has left them several matches behind most of the division.

This time a draw cannot ultimately settle matters.

For Hoddesdon, it is game three of a lengthy sequence at Lowfield and another chance to keep momentum building in front of their own support. Saturday’s league points are safely banked; the next objective is a place in the next round of the League Challenge Cup.

For May & Baker, it is another opportunity to demonstrate that their challenge extends beyond league position and games in hand. With the division’s leading scorer, a strong supporting cast and 46 goals already scored across the campaign, they travel with every reason to believe they can cause Town serious problems.

Tuesday night has all the ingredients.

Hoddesdon Town v May & Baker EC takes place on Tuesday 20th October 2026 at Lowfield, EN11 8PX, with kick-off at 7:45pm. The competition is the Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup. Entry is £8 Adults, £5 Concessions and Under 16s Free.

Ones to watch include Connor Bolton, Ollie Babbage and the suddenly goal-hungry Jonah Evans for Hoddesdon, while Addae Paponette is the obvious headline threat for May & Baker, supported by Akiljo Balliu, Max Hart and João Silva Cruz.

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