Hoddesdon Town host Coggeshall Town this Saturday 1st March. Kick off is 3pm and everyone is welcome to join us for a feast of football at Lowfield. The bar will be open, and live football will be on our big screens before and after the game today.

Hoddesdon will be hoping to pick up where they left of in the midweek victory over Brimsdown FC that saw two fantastic goals from the home side. The home support will be hoping that the momentum can continue, and the team can force their way into the playoff spots.

Coggeshall are fresh from a 3-3 midweek draw at home against Dunmow Town and sit 9th in the league. However, their place in the league is influenced more by the fewer games that they have played, and they will be looking at those games in hand to propel them right into the playoff mix.

Bring your family and friends and we’ll see you there for what promises to be an entertaining game of football in the sunshine.

Up The Hoddy!

A bit more about our visitors.

The club was established on 27 September 1878 by the J.K. King seed company in a meeting at the White Hart Hotel, with many of the King family and company employees being keen footballers. After losing the final of the Essex Junior Cup in 1899, they joined the North Essex League, going on to win the league four times. The club then joined the Colchester & District League, and won Division II B and the Colchester & District Junior Cup in 1909–10, before retaining the Division II title the following season.

During the inter-war period Coggeshall also played in local leagues around Braintree, Halstead and Kelvedon, as well as returning to the North Essex League, where they won a further ten titles by World War II. After the war, the club joined the Braintree & District League, before switching to the Colchester & East Essex League. They were promoted to the Premier Division at the end of the 1951–52 after finishing as runners-up in Division One. In 1959 the club moved up to the Essex & Suffolk Border League, and won Division One in 1962–63.

The late 1960s and early 1970s saw a prolonged period of success for the Coggeshall as they won back-to-back Premier Division titles in 1966–67 and 1967–68, finished as runners-up in 1968–69 and won a third title in 1969–70. They also won the League Cup in both 1968–69 and 1969–70, beating Whitton United 3–2 in the 1969 final and Heybridge Swifts 1–0 in the 1970 final. After finishing as runners-up in 1970–71 and 1971–72, the club joined the Essex Senior League in 1972.

Coggeshall had two spells in the Essex Intermediate League during the 1990s, before rejoining the Essex & Suffolk Border League. They won Division Three in 1994–95 and were Division Three runners-up in 2000–01. In 2012–13 they finished second in Division One, earning promotion to the Premier Division. In 2015–16 they won the Premier Division and the League Cup, beating Holland 4–3 on penalties, following a 0–0 draw. At the end of the season they were promoted to Division One of the Eastern Counties League. The following season saw them finish as Division One runners-up, resulting in promotion to the Premier Division. In 2017–18 the club won the Premier Division title at the first attempt, earning promotion to the North Division of the Isthmian League.

Coggeshall's first season in the Isthmian League ended with a fourth-place finish and qualification for the promotion play-offs, with the club losing 1–0 to Maldon & Tiptree in the semi-finals. In 2022–23 they finished fourth-from-bottom of the division. After losing an inter-step play-off to Winterton Rangers the club were relegated to the Essex Senior League.

The club originally played at Mynheer Park, before moving to Barnard Field on Pointweel Lane for the 1880–81 season. The following season saw the club move to Highfields Farm Park, where they played until relocating to Fabians Field on Colne Road in 1890. In 1895 the club returned to Highfields. After being given notice to leave the ground in 1960, land for a new ground on West Street was offered to them on a leasehold basis, with £2,000 raised to prepare it for the club. A pavilion was opened in 1961, a stand in 1964 and a clubhouse in 1971, at which point the club moved its headquarters from the Chapel Hotel. Floodlights were installed in 1967. When the landowner decided to sell the site in 1981, the club raised enough money to purchase it.

The ground's record attendance of 1,124 was set at the end of the 1967–68 when Coggeshall defeated Tiptree United to win the Essex & Suffolk Border League at the end of the 1967–68 season.

Last season, the club were relegated from the Essex Senior League Premier Division, finishing rock bottom of the pile with a record of played 38, won 4, drawn 5, lost 29, a goal difference of -66 and a pints total of 17. To say it was a tough season would be an understatement. At the last game of the season, now 'former' manager Rob Moore commented 'To those that have backed us in all-weather at the away games too, thank you and sorry we didn't give you more results for you to cheer. It amazed me recently at the West Essex game where we had so many people backing us despite our fate and that has never gone unnoticed by us...'

Since then, a new manager has stepped in, in the shape of Dave Harrison, accompanied by Mike Reeve, Sam Hollocks and Simon Turnidge.

As noted before in previous match previews and program notes, Hoddesdon Town and Coggeshall Town have a rather extraordinary link with each other, all of which stems from our Chairman, Stuart Varney, the FA Vase, and the Coggeshall Supporters Club Chairman, Kevin Christmas.

The following is an excerpt taken from a Coggeshall pre season match programme, used with thanks, where Kevin explains the connection in detail:

'It was in 1963, when I was 4 years old, that my Uncle Ron come to pick me up to go and watch Hoddesdon Town. My interest in football had begun and I have never looked back. My 6d pocket money got me in to the ground, with enough left over for a glass of lemonade and a packet of crisps at half time. My first major memory was in season 1970/71, when a unique treble was achieved, Spartan League, Spartan League Cup and Herts Charity Shield were all stored in the clubs Trophy Cabinet.'

'Four years later, the FA scrapped the old Amateur Cup and introduced 2 new competitions for non-league clubs, the Trophy and the Vase. Hoddesdon beat Epping Town in Round One of the Vase followed by Billericay Town in Round 2. Another two victories against Basildon United and Molesey and we were in the Quarter Finals, only 2 rounds away from the Final at Wembley Stadium. We were drawn at home against fellow Spartan League side Farnborough Town. The Hampshire side were top of the league and turned up at Lowfield in their Wembley suits, so sure of beating us and going all the way to the final itself. They hadn’t taken into account the battling qualities of Hoddesdon and went home disappointed after a 2-0 defeat.'

'A two-legged semi-final against a team from Leicester was next, Friar Lane Old Boys. The first was at home on a very wet pitch, but Hoddesdon made themselves favourites to reach Wembley after a 2-0 win. A week later and 3 coach loads of supporters made their way up to the Midlands for the second leg. The team bus left earlier with the committee members and their families, amongst them were a few good friends. One of them was Stuart Varney, whose father Fred was a long serving volunteer of the club. Again, the weather was rain, rain and more rain. Hoddesdon scored in the first half and led 3-0 on aggregate. Friars Lane pulled one back in the second half, but it was not enough and Hoddesdon were on their way to Wembley. Uncle Ron and myself went into a packed clubhouse to get a celebratory drink. After a short time, someone came to us and said our coach had left without us and we were stranded. Elmer, the chairman said there were 2 spare seats on the team coach and we could go home on that. We stopped somewhere on the way home for a celebratory drink, still haven’t got a clue where it was, but the drink was flowing and as a 15 year old, I made the most of it, not getting home until after 1 o’clock in the morning.'

'Onto 19th April and the FA Vase final, against Epsom and Ewell at Wembley. Nearly 10,000 watched Hoddesdon take a 2-0 lead at half time and although Epsom got a goal back in the second half, Hoddesdon held on to win 2-1 and become the first ever winners of the FA Vase. Celebrations in the town went on long into the night and the day is etched into my mind as if was yesterday.'

'It was a few years later when my local pub, The Old Highway Tavern, started up their own Sunday League team. I was the goalkeeper and one of the centre half’s was my good friend Stuart Varney. After each game, we rushed back to the pub for a few drinks with our fathers, who were work colleagues at a local firm. In those days, pubs had to close at 2.00pm on a Sunday, so it was a couple of drinks and then home to mums roast dinner. I continued to support Hoddesdon up to the mid 1990’s, when I met my now wife Michelle, whilst working in North London. We married and started a family, 3 lovely daughters, Courtney, Allana and Ela. Football became an unaffordable luxury and we moved to Braintree, close to Michelle’s family. I followed Hoddesdon from afar, always checking their results. It was in 2007 when finances improved enough for me to go and watch Braintree Town.'

'Later on, I was invited to help out at Coggeshall United. Although it was only a short time, my enjoyment of following non-
league football returned and I was disappointed the season ended. During the summer, I received a phone call from Suzy (bar manager) asking if I wanted to help out at Coggeshall Town, a chance I jumped at. Although United didn’t last too long, the friendship I received at Town was enough for me to want to carry on. I became Chairman of the Supporters Club when Mike stood down and the support I received from everyone was amazing. Despite the breaks due to covid and the illness to Graeme led to a down turn in fortunes, I now feel it is time to get the club back on track and with David and his team’s ambitions matched by us, the supporters, a move back up the pyramid beckons.'

'My good friend Stuart is now chairman and things are looking up for the club.'

Some wonderful words and memories from Kevin and we hope he enjoys the game (although not too much...)

The two sides have already met once this season, with Hoddesdon claiming the spoils in a good 2-0 win away from home on the opening day of the new season. In a summer of change for the Lilywhites, Hoddesdon came into the game missing Jack Gibbs, serving a ban for his red card at the end of last season, away to Southend Manor, with defensive partner Jack Riddle only making the bench. In the absence of Jack Gibbs, Connor Bolton was handed the captain's armband.

Hoddesdon got the new season underway and went straight onto the attack.

A dangerous cross by Bailey Eden was headed out for a corner by Coggeshall’s Connor Randall. The corner came to nothing however. Joe Hodgson saved a Hoddesdon long range effort then at the other end, a Todd Hollocks shot hit the inside of the post and rebounded straight into the hands of Liam Nugent, the Hoddesdon keeper.

Hoddesdon took the lead on eight minutes when a cross from Sam Cross was headed in by Connor Casey. Coggeshall tried to hit back immediately, but the long ball from Jimmy Makanjuola that found Lewis Wallman, who put the ball in the net, was offside. Hoddesdon had three corners, one after another, ending with the ball sailing over the crossbar. Wallman had a shot blocked after an interpassing move with Hollocks, then a Hollocks corner was headed over the bar by Joe Borein and a Hollocks shot was cleared to safety.

Hoddesdon were forced to make a change as the goal scorer Casey went off injured with just over half an hour gone, his replacement being Callum Bennison.

Hoddesdon broke away with Connor Bolton and Eden but Borein tidied up and cleared up field for Dan Gage to chase but Nugent reached the ball first. A series of Hoddesdon corners came after a moment’s indecision in the Coggeshall defence. Coggeshall had an effort from Wallman blocked, James Long putting his shot wide of the goal and both Wallman and Gage through on goal, but ruled offside. The first half closed with Joe Hodgson making a great save from Bennison, turning it round the post for a corner

HT 0-1

Coggeshall brought on Greg Saunders for Tom Johnson as the half started, and from the restart, Wallman tried to set up Makanjuola, but Nugent beat him to it, a freekick by Joe Hodgson found Connor Randall but his shot was diverted for a corner then Gage’s shot was blocked by Nugent rebounded to Wallman who passed to Randall who ‘s effort went wide.

Hoddesdon made their second change after 58 minutes as Ben Clarke replaced Kyle Roberts.

Eden’s cross/shot went wide as did Gage’s effort after being set up by Hollocks then Long put over a cross that was too long for Wallman to get to. Coggeshall made their second substitution after 64 minutes when Femi Apantaku replaced Makanjuola quickly followed by a double Hoddesdon switch, Bailey Collins and Nazarii Krutko going off and Sid Barker and Jonah Evans coming on.

Blue Gallagher and Bennison played down the left, winning a corner which was cleared and found Nugent blocking a shot from Hollocks on the goal line. A Hoddesdon corner by Eden was headed over by Gallagher, then on 79 minutes Randall lost possession to Callum Bennison who went on to score Hoddesdon’s second and ultimately win the game.

Coggeshall immediately replaced Gage with Harrison Cross. Hoddesdon continued to push forward as Kyle Roberts’ shot was too high and Reece Edwards blocking Bennison’s effort. Evans was shown a yellow card for taking too long over a throw in. As the match entered stoppage time, Hollocks fired over then Edwards lost possession, but Bennison put the ball wide. The match ended with Joe Hodgson making a good save from Roberts, sending the ball out for a corner.

It was a brilliant opening day performance from the Lilywhites, a tricky away tie to league newcomers, and Simon Riddle was delighted to come away with all three points and get the new campaign up and running with a win and a clean sheet.

Man of the Match that day was Sam Cross.

Whilst hoping for a repeat performance and result, we extend a very warm welcome to all of Coggeshall's players, management, officials and supporters and we do hope they enjoy their visit to Lowfield on Saturday.

Kick Off is 3pm. Enjoy the game.

#COYL