Happy New Year and we kick off what should be a momentous 2022 with a home cup tie for the men’s first team on Saturday, January 8.
Due to the bucketloads of heavy rain forecast before Saturday, on a Stray Dog pitch that’s already been drenched in recent weeks, we’ve switched this game to the Wadham Lodge 3G at 3.15pm to ensure it takes place.
Our league campaign has stuttered a little in the last month with three defeats in four, but we are also in three cup competitions and it’s getting to the exciting stages.
First up is the BBC Essex Premier Cup fourth round tie against Leigh Ramblers of the Essex Olympian Football League.
Our cup opponents were founded way back in 1897 and are currently at their highest ever level in their history.
The Ramblers joined the EOFL n the 2002/03 season in Division 3 and have steadily climbed since, finally gaining promotion to the Premier in 2015/6.
This season they are in 12th in the division, which is the same Step 7 level as our own Middlesex County Football League Premier.
Meanwhile in the Essex Premier Cup they beat Galleywood 2-0 away and then Brentwood Town Reserves 4-3 at home.
We reached this round ourselves by beating their town rivals Leigh Town away in extra time following a walkover win over Westbury.
The Ramblers play home games at Belfairs Park in Leigh-on-Sea, which they share with Eastwood Cricket Club and Southend hockey club.
They also have a men’s reserves and A team in Saturday football, and two men’s and women’s teams on Sundays. In fact their women’s first team is riding high at Step 6, one above our own women’s first team.
The Ramblers also have dozens of boys and girls teams, making them one of the largest football clubs of its kind in Essex.
There will be a result on the day with extra time then penalties if the scores are level at 90 minutes.
Match information
Advanced tickets are not needed, you can just turn up. Entry as usual is free but with donations welcome, with a suggested £3 for waged adults.
Please note that there is no cover around the 3G pitch so come prepared for the open air.
We will have a mini programme available at the entrance, pick one up for free, donations welcome.
No food stall now after the switch to the 3G but the Matchday Centres bar will be open for drinks.
We are collecting for our charity partners Magpie Project but it’s toiletries only, they can’t accept foodbank donations right now.
An important note
Matchday Centres have asked us to ensure that there is no more use of pyro, flares, smoke etc on their property.
This has caused damage to their facilities and complaints from staff, officials and neighbours.
They have also banned glass bottles after a serious incident during a game not involving Clapton.
We have a good working relationship with MDC, who have played an invaluable role in helping us establish the club.
They have said that a failure to observe these rules will lead to sanctions that would be damaging for the club, including but not limited to requiring us to play behind closed doors.
We ask all our fans to respect MDC’s requests in solidarity with our teams and everyone who works hard to run the club.
Covid rules
- Please do not attend if you are ill, have symptoms, tested positive, been told to self-isolate or have been pinged
- If you’re arriving by public transport, a reminder that face masks are still compulsory unless exempt
- Spectators are encouraged to wear face masks indoors, such as when visiting the bar or toilets
- There’s hand sanitiser at the entrance and a QR code for those checking in on the app
- Free NHS lateral flow tests are available and we recommend you take a test before the game
- Please follow the signs around the site and instructions from matchday volunteers
- Spread out around the ground as much as you can
Directions
- Wadham Lodge is about 20 minutes walk from Walthamstow Central station. Turn onto Hoe Street and follow the road all the way along (past the junction with The Bell pub) until Chingford Lane. Continue past Sir George Monoux 6th Form College and take the first right onto Brookscroft Road then left onto Kitchener Road.
- You can catch a bus along that route too. The 357, 34, 97, 215 will all take you to the top of Brookscroft Road from Walthamstow Central. It will take about 12 minutes.
- There’s also car parking space available at the ground but it may be better to park on a street nearby.
First round
Old Southendian Reserves 1 Herongate Athletic 3
Takeley Reserves 2 ACD United 4
Barnston 0 Sungate 3
Walthamstow Reserves 2 DT 5
Harold Wood Athletic 2 Tiptree Heath 4 aet
May & Baker EC Reserves 2 Chigwell Town 1
Dunmow Town 4 Springfield 4 aet 7-6 on pens
Shoebury Town 4 West Bergholt 0
Lawford Lads 1 Leyton Royal 3
Lymore Gardens 1 Epping Town 2
Corinthians 2 Halstead Town Reserves 1
Basildon Town 5 Earls Colne 1
Old Southendian v Dedham Old Boys H/W
Toby 2 Old Chelmsfordians 0
Little Oakley Reserves v Waltham Abbey Reserves A/W
Second round
Hashtag United Reserves 1 Dunmow Town 2
Hutton Reserves 3 Frenford Reserves 5
Tiptree Heath 6 Leyton Royal 1
Brentwood Town FC Reserves 2 May & Baker EC Reserves 1
Redbridge FC Reserves 1 West Essex Development 5
Clapton CFC v Wakebury H/W
Manford Way 3 Runwell Sports 2
Waltham Abbey Reserves 3 Snaresbrook 2
Chadwell Heath Spartans 3 Leigh Town 3 AET 2-3 on pens
Harold Wood Athletic Reserves 4 AS Rawreth 3
Epping Town 0 Wakering Sports 5
Colne Athletic 3 Kelvedon Hatch 0
Shenfield 1 Basildon Town 5
Rayleigh Town Reserves 4 CSM London 1
Barkingside Reserves 0 Concord Rangers Reserves 6
Stanway Pegasus v Gas Recreation H/W
Wivenhoe Town Reserves 0 Cornard Rangers Reserves 6
Alresford Colne Rangers 2 Witham Town FC Reserves 0
Canning Town 3 Saffron Walden Town Reserves 1
Herongate Athletic 1 Catholic United 2
DT v Holland Reserves H/W
White Ensign Reserves 1 Woodford East 2
Toby 4 Corinthians 2
Hutton v Rochford Town H/W
Grays Athletic FC Reserves 2 Ongar Town 1
Galleywood 0 Leigh Ramblers 2
White Notley 1 Chingford Athletic 2
Old Foresters 1 Chelmsford City Reserves 2
Beacon Hill Rovers v Harold Hill A/W
Shoebury Town 1 May & Baker A 3
Billericay Town Reserves 2 Old Southendian 3
Rayleigh Town 1 ACD United 3
Third round
Manford Way 5 ACD United 0
Catholic United 3 West Essex Development 2
Old Southendian v Harold Wood Athletic Reserves H/W
Toby 1 Stanway Pegasus 2 AET
Sungate 4 Wakering Sports 0
Tiptree Heath 3 Chelmsford City Reserves 3 AET 10-9 pens
Chingford Athletic 3 Canning Town 0
Harold Hill 2 Grays Athletic Reserves 1
Colne Athletic 4 DT 1
Leigh Ramblers 4 Brentwood Town Reserves 3
Leigh Town 3 Clapton CFC 5 AET
Hutton 3 Rayleigh Town Reserves 0
Waltham Abbey Reserves v Basildon Town A/W
Arlesford Colne Rangers 3 Concord Rangers Reserves 1
May & Baker ‘A’ 3 Woodford East 5
Dunmow Town 2 Frenford Reserves 0
Fourth round
Colne Athletic v Catholic United
Arlesford Colne Rangers v Tiptree Heath
Old Southendian v Stanway Pegasus
Sungate v Harold Hill
Basildon Town v Hutton
Dunmow Town v Woodford East
Clapton CFC v Leigh Ramblers
Manford Way v Chingford Athletic