Preview: Hullbridge Sports (A)

After what feels like a long summer without football, Waltham Forest return to action this Saturday with one of their longest trips of the season, away to Hullbridge Sports.

Like Forest, Sports’ pre-season form has disapointed. A 1-0 victory was secured over Southend Sports last Saturday, but they have been beaten 6-0 by Bowers & Pitsea, 5-0 by AFC Hornchurch, 3-0 by Grays Athletic, 3-2 by Manford Way, and have drawn 1-1 with Harlow Town’s Under 21s. In their last pre-season match with Aveley on Wednesday, they lost 1-0.

Bridge are traditionally strong starters in the Senior League, and will be looking to build on two consecutive 11th-place league finishes.

Meetings between the two clubs have been hotly-contested affairs, despite the clubs having only met six times – all six of which came in the Essex Senior League.

Jeff Hammond and Brian Moses were on the score-sheet in a 2-2 draw at Lower Road last season, while a solitary goal from Pelummy Martin was enough to give Forest the points in the home fixture.

Forest’s biggest win came at the tail-end of the 2015-16 season, where a hattrick from Jose Agua and a goal from Patrick Ruzicka helped Forest record a 4-0 victory.

You can follow the game live on Twitter on Saturday by following @walthamforestfc.

By the numbers

Common people

The only player to have played for both clubs, is Luca Frankis who had a spell with Forest during the 2009-10 season, on loan from Billericay. Since then, Frankis has played for Basildon United, Great Wakering, Hullbridge and a number of other Essex clubs.

Photo: Bridge Photo Shop