Match Preview

New Year’s Day brings another league encounter at Chadfields, with our old friends from Maldon & Tiptree the visitors. This is the return fixture after an early season, less than inspiring, 0-0 draw at the Wallace Binder Ground.

The history of Maldon & Tiptree is, of course, that of two clubs, geographically close to one another. Tiptree United FC were the older of the two, formed in 1933 spending their first few decades playing in local leagues before becoming founder members of the Essex Senior League in 1971, then switching to the Eastern Counties League in 1979. This ushered in a successful period for the club with several league and cup titles, as well as an appearance in the 2001-02 FA Vase final, played at Villa Park (a venue we know well !) Sadly, the tie was lost in extra-time.

Maldon FC were established immediately after WWII, also playing locally, until following Tiptree into the ECL and ESL, without notable success, until the late 1990s when several promotions saw them spend one season in the Isthmian Premier League, via a spell in the Southern League, and an FA Vase semi-final appearance, the year after Tiptree’s run to the final.

In 2009, Maldon FC was bought by the then chairman of Tiptree United, effectively merging the two clubs, with the rebranded Maldon & Tiptree FC inheriting the first-named’s place in Isthmian 1 North. The following seasons were a case of what might have been, with several successive appearance in the end-of-season playoffs without ever securing promotion. Then in 2019-20 came the first ever appearance in the first round proper of the FA Cup, defeating then League 2, Leyton Orient before losing to Newport County.

Our two clubs have been regular adversaries over recent seasons, with honours shared relatively evenly - six wins for Grays and eight for Maldon & Tiptree with six draws. Perhaps the most memorable for Blues fans was the 2012-13 end of season encounter at Rush Green, which was effectively a title decider for the Isthmian 1 North crown. The Blues “legends” of that year came out the 2-0 winners, with a rare strike from full back Craig Pope and an own goal settling the score (with notably one Lewis Dark playing for the visitors). Maldon & Tiptree will look back three years when they dumped Grays out of both the FA Cup and Trophy within a fortnight.

This season, Maldon & Tiptree sit comfortably mid-table, bolstered by six wins in nine at home but registering only two wins away from the Wallace Binder. They will though have been buoyed by a fine 4-0 win against Walthamstow at home on Saturday.

Blues themselves will be looking to get back to winning ways after drawing a blank in two away festive fixtures. This one could go either way.

Come on you Blues !