Friday 2nd December, 19:45 PM
COGGESHALL TOWN v THE BRIDGE
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE NORTH
WEST STREET, COGGESHALL

About Coggeshall Town

Nickname Seed Growers
Founded 27 September 1878; 144 years ago
Ground West Street, Coggeshall
Chairman Graeme Smith & Olly Murs (Not sure he still is, answers on a postcard please)
Manager Jason Maher
League Isthmian League North Division
2021–22 Isthmian League North Division, 13th of 20

History:
The club was established on 27 September 1878 by the J.K. King seed company in a meeting at the White Hart Hotel, with many of the King family and company employees being keen footballers. After losing the final of the Essex Junior Cup in 1899, they joined the North Essex League, going on to win the league four times. The club then joined the Colchester & District League and won Division II B and the Colchester & District Junior Cup in 1909–10, before retaining the Division II title the following season. In 1911 the league merged into the Essex & Suffolk Border League and the club were Division II B runners-up in 1926–27.

During the inter-war period, Coggeshall also played in local leagues around Braintree, Halstead and Kelvedon, as well as returning to the North Essex League, where they won a further ten titles by World War II. After the war, the club joined the Braintree & District League, before switching to the Colchester & East Essex League. They were promoted to the Premier Division at the end of the 1951–52 season after finishing as runners-up in Division One In 1959 the club moved up to the Essex & Suffolk Border League and won Division One in 1962–63.

The late 1960s and early 1970s saw a prolonged period of success for Coggeshall as they won back-to-back Premier Division titles in 1966–67 and 1967–68, finished as runners-up in 1968–69 and won a third title in 1969–70. They also won the League Cup in both 1968–69 and 1969–70, beating Whitton United 3–2 in the 1969 final and Heybridge Swifts 1–0 in the 1970 final. After finishing as runners-up in 1970–71 and 1971–72, the club joined the Essex Senior League in 1972. After finishing bottom of the table for three consecutive seasons between 1983–84 and 1985–86, the club left the league. They re-joined the league in 1987 but left again at the end of the 1988–89 season for financial reasons.

Coggeshall had two spells in the Essex Intermediate League during the 1990s, before re-joining the Essex & Suffolk Border League. They won Division Three in 1994–95 and were Division Three runners-up in 2000–01. In 2012–13 they finished second in Division One, earning promotion to the Premier Division. In 2015–16 they won the Premier Division and the League Cup, beating Holland 4–3 on penalties, following a 0–0 draw. At the end of the season, they were promoted to Division One of the Eastern Counties League. The following season saw them finish as Division One runners-up, resulting in promotion to the Premier Division. In 2017–18 the club won the Premier Division title at the first attempt, earning promotion to the North Division of the Isthmian League.

Coggeshall's first season in the Isthmian League ended with a fourth-place finish and qualification for the promotion play-offs, with the club losing 1–0 to Maldon & Tiptree in the semi-finals.

Ground:
The club originally played at Mynheer Park, before moving to Barnard Field on Pointweel Lane for the 1880–81 season. The following season saw the club move to Highfields Farm Park, where they played until relocating to Fabians Field on Colne Road in 1890. In 1895 the club returned to Highfields. After being given notice to leave the ground in 1960, land for a new ground on West Street was offered to them on a leasehold basis, with £2,000 raised to prepare it for the club. A pavilion was opened in 1961, a stand in 1964 and a clubhouse in 1971, at which point the club moved its headquarters from the Chapel Hotel. Floodlights were installed in 1967. When the landowner decided to sell the site in 1981, the club raised enough money to purchase it.

The ground's record attendance of 1,124 was set at the end of the 1967–68 season when Coggeshall defeated Tiptree United to win the Essex & Suffolk Border League.

Recent results & form:
The Seed Growers are currently 20th in the division with 4 points from 15 matches played and have drawn 4 and lost 11 of the 15 matches. They have scored 7 and conceded 32 for a goal difference of -25. They are currently 20th in current form (last 6 league matches), with 1 draw and 5 defeats in their last six and have lost their last five. Recent results are: New Salamis (away) lost 0-3; East Thurrock United (home) lost 2-4; Hullbridge Sports (home, Essex Cup) won 3-1; Basildon United (away) lost 0-2; Stowmarket Town (home) lost 0-5 and Gorleston (away) lost 0-2

Last Season:
In January The Bridge won 2-0 at Lower Road with both goals from Tony Stokes, the second a penalty. Prior to that, back in October, The Bridge suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat with Sam Bantick scoring a hat-trick and Dean Ager adding the fourth, whilst Jack Wilson got the solitary Hullbridge goal.

This Season:
On 15th November The Bridge visited The Seedgrowers and were defeated 3-1 in The Essex Senior Cup 3rd Round. Alex Moss scored for The Bridge after 71 minutes but Coggeshall were already leading 2-0 with goals from Tobi Adekunle and Kris Oti. Gabby Ipanga killed the tie in the 87th minute making it 3-1 to the hosts.

Watch out for:
There’s not been a lot of goals so far this season for Coggeshall, but they do have three players with two each: Nathan Fuma, Fredrick King, and Daniel Ogunleye. Fuma is their most recent scorer, against East Thurrock United so maybe he’s the danger man…or maybe not!

ROAD TRIP

Coggeshall hasn’t moved since we played them last so with thanks to Google Maps it’s still 26.5 miles and 46 minutes.

After our win last time out against Grays, the boys will be looking for another 3 points to get a run going and move up the table before Christmas…which would be a nice early present for us all. Fancy a Friday in Coggeshall, I’m sure the lads would welcome the support, so if you can…

COYB!