Hoddesdon Town face their third consecutive away fixture at the beginning of the new Thurlow Nunn League First Division South season when they travel to newly promoted East Thurrock Community on Saturday afternoon. Kick-off is at 3pm, with Simon Riddle’s unbeaten Lilywhites aiming to build on a highly encouraging return of four points and two clean sheets from their opening two matches.

The campaign began with a disciplined 0-0 draw against Cannons Wood at Parkside Stadium, where Hoddesdon remained organised and resilient during a demanding opening-day contest. Although the visitors were unable to capitalise after Cannons Wood were reduced to ten men early in the second half, Liam Nugent’s outstanding late save and a crucial Jack Gibbs block ensured Town returned home with a deserved point. Hoddesdon then added attacking authority to that defensive platform when they produced an impressive 4-0 victory over NW London at Haringey Borough’s Coles Park. Connor Bolton opened the scoring after only eight minutes, captain Gibbs struck in the 21st and 83rd minutes, and Harrison “Cagey” Cage headed home the third on the hour as the Lilywhites secured their first victory of the campaign in emphatic fashion. That result left Hoddesdon seventh in the updated table with four points from two matches, one point behind the group of teams sitting on six. Town have scored four goals without conceding and possess the best defensive record in the division alongside any other clubs yet to be breached, while their goal difference of plus four is already a useful early-season asset.

Eastern Counties Division One South

East Thurrock Community are immediately above Hoddesdon in sixth place after collecting six points from their opening three games. They have won twice and lost once, scoring four goals and conceding four, although the hosts have played one fixture more than Riddle’s side and would be overtaken by the Lilywhites if Hoddesdon claim all three points on Saturday. The newly promoted side made an excellent start by winning 2-1 away to FC Baresi on the opening afternoon before recording another 2-1 victory at home to Basildon Town three days later. Their perfect beginning ended last Saturday when Stansted won 2-0 at East Thurrock, with the contest remaining goalless at half-time before the visitors struck twice during the second period. You can watch highlights of that game by cliicking HERE. East Thurrock’s early home record consequently stands at one victory and one defeat, with two goals scored and three conceded. Their results suggest a team capable of competing immediately at Step Six, but the defeat against Stansted also demonstrated that they can be contained by opponents who remain patient and defensively disciplined.

The Newcomers Have Made A Solid Start To Life At Step 6

Manager Simon Riddle believes Saturday will provide another important examination of Hoddesdon’s encouraging early progress. He is pleased with the foundations established across the first two fixtures but has warned that the league’s newcomers will offer a very different challenge to NW London.

“We have made a positive start and the players deserve credit for taking four points from two away games without conceding a goal,” said Riddle. “The performance at NW London showed more of what we can offer going forward, but we know every match brings a different test and East Thurrock have already demonstrated that they are capable of winning games at this level. They came up last season and then won their first two fixtures, so there is clearly confidence and quality within their group,” he continued. “We need to match their energy, maintain the defensive standards we have shown and be brave enough to impose ourselves when we have possession.”

East Thurrock Community are a new club in the First Division South, having earned promotion after finishing third in the Essex and Suffolk Border League Premier Division during the 2025/26 season. The phoenix club was established following the liquidation of East Thurrock in September 2023 and began competing in the Border League in 2024/25 before quickly climbing into Step Six football.

The original East Thurrock club had been formed in 1969 and enjoyed a long and distinguished non-League history. They progressed from local football into the Essex Senior League and later the Isthmian League, won promotion to the National League South in 2016 and reached the first round of the FA Cup on two occasions, while their honours also included the Essex Senior Cup in 2019. East Thurrock Community are now attempting to preserve that footballing identity while building a sustainable future for the club. Their rapid promotion provides evidence of the momentum surrounding the new organisation, and their two victories from the opening three matches indicate that they are not approaching the First Division South merely to make up the numbers.

To find out more about our hosts, head to their website by clicking HERE.

East Thurrock Community

The principal danger identified by the early individual statistics is Lewis Rowe, who has started all three league fixtures and scored twice. Rowe accounts for half of East Thurrock’s goals so far and is the only player in their squad to have found the net more than once, making him an obvious focus for Hoddesdon’s defenders.

Thomas Barnacle and Freddie Barrett have scored East Thurrock’s other two goals. Barnacle has made three appearances but started only once, while Barrett has scored from two appearances despite being used from the bench, meaning the hosts possess players capable of influencing matches even when they are not selected in the original starting line-up.

Marcus Adebayo-Bella and Zachary Bussell have also featured in all three matches and appear to form part of the regular core of the promoted side. East Thurrock have a sizeable registered playing group that includes Aleem Balogun, Tommy Bruley, Joe Callender, Harry Daly, Kieron Miles, Flynn Monk, Fortune Maxime Ndjoli Motobaluti and several other options, giving them flexibility as they adapt to the demands of the higher level.

Hoddesdon Will Aim To Keep Danger Man Lewis Rowe Quiet

Hoddesdon’s own early goals have been shared between three players, although Gibbs leads the way after his brace at Coles Park. The captain has scored twice from two starts and provided an imposing focal point against NW London, combining strength inside the penalty area with the movement required to convert deliveries from wide positions. Bolton and Cage have each scored once, with both players making an important attacking contribution during the opening week. Bolton’s goal rewarded his positive start on the left, while Cage made a decisive impact after coming from the bench and demonstrated Hoddesdon’s own ability to change a game through the substitutes. The Lilywhites have also looked particularly dangerous from crosses and set pieces. NW London struggled to deal with Hoddesdon’s aerial power and deliveries into the penalty area, with Gibbs and Cage both scoring headers and several further chances arriving from corners or balls played towards the back post.

At the opposite end, Nugent has begun the season with two clean sheets and has delivered important saves in both matches. He was the outstanding performer against Cannons Wood and then produced a superb fingertip stop shortly before half-time at NW London, preventing the hosts from reducing the deficit at a potentially important stage of the contest.

Goalkeeper Liam Nugent Is Yet To Concede This Season

Riddle is keen for his team to retain that balance between defensive security and attacking ambition. He does not want the victory at Coles Park to lead to complacency, especially against opponents who have already shown an ability to respond quickly to promotion.

“We were much more clinical in the second game, and it was pleasing to see different players contributing in the final third,” said Riddle. “However, the clean sheet was just as satisfying because it came from the whole team working hard, staying switched on and understanding their responsibilities. We want to keep progressing rather than getting carried away by one result,” he added. “East Thurrock will be looking to react after losing to Stansted, and we have to expect a strong response from them in front of their own supporters.”

Hoddesdon’s squad for Saturday has not yet been confirmed, but the starting line-up at NW London featured Nugent, Jason Brown, Jimmy Agnew, Jack Orchard, Hadley Richards, Blue Gallagher, Blesson Asekolenga, Maurice Abana, Bolton, Gibbs and Connor Casey. Cage, Jake Harvey, Ollie Finch and Reggie Pegrum were introduced during the game, while Huey Reid was also among the substitutes. The presence of Jonah Evans, Freddie Wilkinson, Brandon Oxley-Fricker and other registered players gives Riddle further options, although availability and final selection remain unknown. Competition for places should be healthy after a four-goal victory, with those who featured at Coles Park determined to retain their shirts and others pushing for an opportunity.

Saturday’s contest brings together two teams who have made encouraging starts in contrasting ways. East Thurrock have already won twice and shown that their promotion momentum has carried into the higher division, while Hoddesdon remain unbeaten, have not conceded and produced one of the division’s strongest away performances during the opening week. The Lilywhites will travel with confidence but also with an appreciation of the challenge awaiting them. A third positive away result would reinforce the belief generated by the opening two matches and could lift Hoddesdon above East Thurrock in the table, providing further evidence that Riddle’s developing side are capable of enjoying a productive campaign.

MATCH DETAILS

Fixture: East Thurrock Community v Hoddesdon Town
Date: Saturday 8 August 2026
Kick-off: 3pm
Competition: Thurlow Nunn League First Division South
League Positions: East Thurrock Community 6th; Hoddesdon Town 7th
East Thurrock Form: Won 2-1, won 2-1, lost 0-2
Hoddesdon Form: Drew 0-0, won 4-0
East Thurrock Ones To Watch: Lewis Rowe, Thomas Barnacle and Freddie Barrett
Hoddesdon Ones To Watch: Jack Gibbs, Connor Bolton, Harrison Cage and Liam Nugent
Match Officials: Jordan Blunt, Sasha Emanuels and Ethan Pudner
Entry: Adults (22–64): £7, Young Adults (16–21) & Concessions (65+): £5, Under-16s: FREE when accompanied by a paying adult or concession
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