Historic FA Cup Weekend for Our Clubs

This weekend’s FA Cup Qualifying First Round ties brought special pride to the Essex Senior League, with four of our clubs - Ilford, Woodford Town, SOUL Tower Hamlets, and Hackney Wick all taking their place among the 111 ties contested nationwide.

Sadly, Ilford bowed out of the competition today after meeting old friends, Step 4 side Enfield FC. However, history was still made, with our league record being equalled from the 2005/06 season, when three ESL sides last reached the Qualifying Second Round.

That achievement has now been matched, as Woodford Town, SOUL Tower Hamlets, and Hackney Wick all progress and will take their place in the draw on Monday 1st September at 1pm.

This weekend's successes for Hackney Wick, SOUL Tower Hamlets and Woodford Town are most notable.

I am afraid that their FA Cup journeys before this are not at all illuminating, as detailed below

Hackney Wick were previously called London Bari and appeared twice, in 2015-16 beaten 0-3 by Long Melford and in 2016-17 beaten 1-3 by Clapton.

SOUL Tower Hamlets/Tower Hamlets were known as Bethnal Green United up to 2013 so I am not including their results and they only reached the 1st Qualifying Round once, beaten 4-0 by Harlow Town after a 1-1 draw in 2010-11.

Woodford Town were borne out of the Haringey and Waltham Development club in 2017

SOUL Tower Hamlets/Tower Hamlets

2013/14 Walsham Le Willows 0-1 Tower Hamlets Extra Preliminary Round
Harlow Town 4-1 Preliminary Round

2014/15 Tower Hamlets 0-1 Felixstowe United Extra Preliminary Round

2015/16 Wivenhoe Town 1-5 Tower Hamlets Extra Preliminary Round
Cockfosters 3-3 Preliminary Round
Tower Hamlets 1-5 Cockfosters Preliminary Round Replay

2016/17 Enfield 1893 2-4 Tower Hamlets Extra Preliminary Round
Sawbridgeworth 4-2 Preliminary Round

2017/18 Tower Hamlets 1-0 Broxbourne Borough Extra Preliminary Round
0-4 Takeley Preliminary Round

2018/19 Stanway Rovers 2-0 Tower Hamlets Extra Preliminary Round

2019/20 Tower Hamlets 2-1 Selsey Extra Preliminary Round
0-6 Horsham Preliminary Round

2021/22 Tower Hamlets 1-4 Sheppey Sports Extra Preliminary Round

Hackney Wick

2017/18 Hackney Wick 0-1 Long Melford Extra Preliminary Round

Woodford Town

2019/20 Woodford Town 1-1 White Ensign Extra Preliminary Round
White Ensign 3-1 Woodford Town Extra Preliminary Round Replay

2020/21 Woodford Town 3- 1 London Colney Extra Preliminary Round
Waltham Abbey 1-0 Woodford Town Preliminary Round

2012/22 Witham Town 3-2 Extra Preliminary Round

2022/23 Waltham Abbey 4-1 Extra Preliminary Round

2023/24 Woodford Town 4- 1 Hertford Town Extra Preliminary Round
Bowers & Pitsea 2-2 Woodford Town Preliminary Round
Woodford Town 4-3 (aet) Bowers & P Preliminary Round Repaly
1-4 Felixstowe & Walton First Qualifying Round

2024/25 Benfleet 3-1 Woodford Town Extra Preliminary Round

Congratulations to all four clubs on their efforts in this year’s FA Cup and best of luck to our three remaining representatives as they continue their journeys.

Rob Errington