The two sides are yet to play each other so far in this campaign, with the return leg at Lowfield scheduled for a week on Saturday. The original date for this fixture was January the 10th, but was postponed due to the cold snap. Sitting in 10th place, the Gardiners Close outfit are sure to pose a problem for the Lilywhites, as they look to force their way back into the playoff places. A 1-1 draw at Lowfield on Tuesday evening did nothing to improve their promotion hopes and with Hutton beating our hosts 1-0 this past Wednesday, even more distance was put between Simon Riddle's side and that elusive 5th place.

Our hosts have a league record this season which reads P35 W13 D6 L16 GD-4 and 45 points on the board. The home record shows a mixed bag, P17 W6 D4 L7 F22 A26 with 22 points and so any result this weekend really is possible. A 12th place finish in this league last season shows a small improvement and they will be keen to carry on that trend. In this fixture last season, a first-half performance that produced a one-goal lead that really should have been more, the Lilywhites then experienced a dramatic change of fortune and came away losing a game they should have won.

When Narcis Filipe struck a 20th-minute opener the Lilywhites had already carved out two golden scoring opportunities that were denied in the first instance by a good save and in the second, a clearance off the line with the keeper beaten. In the 8th minute good approach play between George Rankin and George Smith presented Narcis Filipe with a one-on-one with the keeper but his effort was beaten away for a corner by the keeper’s legs. And then, in the 16th minute, another good build-up involving George Rankin and Bailey Eden set up Dion Laughton with a good opportunity but a covering defender got back to clear off the line.

The Lilywhites continued to dominate but failing to add to their earlier goal and always having to be mindful of the hosts’ threats on the break. One such break forced Liam Nugent to tip a shot over his bar. The second half saw a complete change in emphasis with the hosts opting to by-pass their midfield by taking a direct approach from the back. And their change in approach brought an almost immediate reward when they won and converted a penalty seven minutes in.

The pattern of the play now looked different with the Lilywhites finding it difficult to find the rhythm that served them so well in the first half. The game opened up and it was the hosts who took advantage, scoring two further goals, in quick succession, in the 68th and 73rd minutes. The Lilywhites rallied and pulled a goal back with eight minutes of normal time remaining. Narcis Filipe cut inside from the left and fired off a fierce drive that struck the underside of the bar and rebounded down for Callum Bennison to force the ball home.

After this the Lilywhites huffed and puffed but their efforts proved fruitless and, when the final whistle was blown, they were forced to reflect on a game in which they had enough chances to win but came away with nothing.

Man-of-the Match that day was Narcis Filipe.

Hoddesdon ended the season 5 points and 2 places above Basildon but that defeat, and the manner of it, will still smart and the lads will be looking to right that particular wrong on Saturday. Manager Alec Simm and his team of Andrew Everett, Scott Harding, Matt Knight and Ryan Smith will be looking to avenge the midweek away defeat to Hutton.

Formed as South Basildon & Vange in 1946, the club entered the Grays & District Minor League in 1947, renaming themselves to Basildon Town a year later whilst in the Southend & District League. In 1953, following stints in the Thurrock Combination and South Essex League, Basildon Town joined the Parthenon League, joining the London League in 1955. In 1964, the club merged with Pitsea United to form Basildon & Pitsea, becoming founder members of the Essex Olympian League in 1966. Two years later, the club reconstituted back to Basildon Town. During the 1970s, Basildon Town played in the Basildon & District League and Southend & District League, before rejoining the Essex Olympian League in 1981.

In 2022, after winning the Essex Olympian League, the club was admitted into the Eastern Counties League Division One South. In the 2022/23 season Basildon Town finished Runners-Ups and missed out on promotion to the Essex Senior League by 1 point, subsequently losing in the Play-Offs. For the 2023/24 season Basildon Town finished mid table in 12th place.

Upon formation, the club played at Stacey's Corner in Basildon. In 1959, Basildon Town moved to Burnt Mills Road in the town, later moving to Gun Meadow in Pitsea in 1964. In 1972, the club returned to Basildon, playing at Eversley Road. In 1985, the club moved to the Basildon Sports & Leisure Club. In 2021, Basildon Town began groundsharing with Basildon United at their ground in Gardiners Close, with the Senior Reserves, A Team & main of the clubs youth sides remaining at the Basildon Sports & Leisure Club. In 2022, it was announced the club would enter a groundsharing agreement with East Thurrock United at Rookery Hill. They returned to Basildon United ahead of the 2024–25 season.

Dylan Jones is the standout goalscorer for the side with 11 in 30 appearances, followed by Luke Winter with 9 in 31 and Jahvid Irish with 8 in 15, although neither Winter or Irish were named in the squad last time out in that 1-0 defeat to Hutton. Winter may have been serving a ban for the 59th minute red card he picked up in the 1-1 draw at home to St Margaretsbury two weeks ago. Indeed it was Dylan Jones that scored one of the goals against us in this fixture last season. In terms of the form table, it's 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats in the last 6 placing them in 11th. Hoddesdon sit 6th in the form table with 3 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat, away to Rayleigh Town on April Fools Day (who coincidentally occupy top spot in the form table with 5 wins and 1 draw).

Defender and Captain Grant Cumming is an ever present in the side and leads the back line with aplomb, since signing for the side back in 2016. Goalkeeper Daniel Blockley can also be relied upon between the sticks, although he too saw red against St Margaretsbury in the 84th minute in the away game back in early November, a game they lost 2-1.

For Hoddesdon, there remains a nasty taste in the mouth after dominating Newbury Forest for large periods on Tuesday evening but somehow managing to come away from the game with a solitary point. The attacking players will need to sharpen their skills at the weekend if they want to claim all three by 4:45pm on Saturday afternoon. A goal for Arnis Lala was just desserts for recent quality performances but we need more expert finishing if we are to stand a chance of sneaking into the playoffs. The Lilywhites are one game and six points off of Hutton and anything but a win will almost be the final nail in the coffin, with games running out and Hutton showing no signs of slipping up, unbeaten as they are in their last 6 league games. Having said that, Hutton (5th) play AS London (4th) on the same day and somebody will have to drop points. Let's hope it's both of them!!

Entry at The Hive is:
Concessions - £3
Adults - £7
U16's - £1
Programme - £1

All travelling support welcomed.

Enjoy the game.

#COYL