WOODFORD TOWN NARROW WINNERS IN CUP FINAL DRESS REHEARSAL

It wasn't that long ago that Hillingdon Borough played their way through eleven games to famously reach the 2006 FA Vase final where they lost to Nantwich Town 3-1 at St Andrews the home of Birmingham City and in 2008 lifting the Errea Cup (Southern League Cup) with a 2 leg victory over Clevedon Town.  In 2007 and 2008 they beat Enfield Town twice in as many seasons in the FA Cup - 2-1 in a 2nd qualifying round replay and then 3-1 in the Preliminary Round.

Borough spent three season at Step 4 of the non-league ladder finishing 16th and 13th in the Southern League South/West Division and then bottom of the Ryman Division One (North). Last season they finished bottom of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and now ply their trade in Division One under Manager Ian Crane who had been boss at Harefield United and AFC Hayes prior to his appointment.

Things looked on the up at the beginning of the season with a 1-5 away victory over Baldock Town followed by a 2-1 derby victory at The Middlesex Stadium against Broadfields United and a 1-1 draw versus Wembley in the FA Cup - they lost the replay 2-1.

Coming into last Wednesday night's game against Woodford Town they were second bottom of Division One having won just six of their twenty-three games played. It's not all been doom and gloom as they have reached the final of the Middlesex Premier Cup by beating Division One title favourite's Edgeware Town and Staines Lammas - they face Woodford Town in the final on Wednesday 27th April so this was a cup final dress rehearsal.

Woodford Town in their first season "back" in senior football - the club took over Bush Hill Rangers (formlerly Goffs Oak) in the Summer of 2015 and played their initial fixtures at Goldsdown Road but following problems with the ground they have since ground shared at Ware's Wodson Park. They had won nine of their twnety-six games played going into this game.

The game wasn't a classic by any means with The Woods scoring an earlier well taken goal which won them the game - credit to Hillingdon who made a number of opportunities to equalise and on the balance of play probably deserved to take a point back home with them with their best chance being a close ranger header which agonisingly rattled the cross bar and was headed out by a Woodford defender right at the end of the game.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS 


To find out more about the old Woodford Town club you can read this 'Forgotten Football' article I wrote back in 2009 which is one of the most popular posts TheColdEnd has ever had with 34 comments and counting -  Woodford Town 1937 to 2003