Isthmian League Division One North, Tuesday 25th August
I was over at Roding Lane on what was an historic night for the hosts Buckhurst Hill as they began their journey at Step Four for the very first time in their history, and they were to take on another Essex side in the shape of Grays Athletic.
To say it's been some rise from the depths of Junior football to Step Four of the non league system for the hosts is an understatement, ten seasons ago they were relegated out of the Essex Olympian Premier, that's Step Seven, into Division One of that league, and it was only six seasons ago when they finally won promotion from the Premier Division into the then new Step Six division, the Thurlow Nunn South, and a route into Senior Football for the first time.
And in their first ever season in Senior Football they won promotion into the Essex Senior League, and after spending four seasons in that league, they incredibly won promotion to this level in the ESL play off final against Barking back in May (blog on that game is here if your interested https://pedroslocalfootiefix.blogspot.com/2026/05/buckhurst-hill-1-barking-0-arthur.html).
So, Step Eight of the non league pyramid to Step Four in around a decade, that's pretty damn good, so it was a big night for the club, and a proud one too no doubt for Mark Williams, who has managed the side from the very beginning, and chairman Simon Cornwell, who lives and breathes Buckhurst Hill, I remember chatting to him years ago when they had reached Step Six and he had a vision then, well it's becoming reality right now, and that is a marvellous thing to see.
And on this momentous night they would begin their Step Four journey against a very well established club at this level in Grays Athletic, now their history is a rather different one to their opponents, the club were right at the pinnacle of the non league game only twenty years ago and won the FA Trophy back to back in 2005 & 2006, but in recent times they have fallen from those lofty echelons and after losing The Recreation Ground in Grays, things fell apart for them and they fell a few levels.
A nomadic existence has been the case since then, they currently play at Tilbury's Chadfields ground but are hopeful of obtaining their own ground eventually, they did grab Thurrock's old ground, Ship Lane, but snags have meant they have been unable to move into that venue for now, and am not sure where that lies currently but hopefully one day that can call somewhere their own home.
They would still prove a stern test for the hosts though, no doubt every club will in this league this season, unlike Hill Grays had actually played a couple of league games thus far this season, a 2-1 home win over Lowestoft Town was followed by a 2-1 away defeat at Walthamstow, they had also netted two wins in the FA Cup, against Step Five opposition in Hilltop & then Hutton, so three wins from four games was not a bad start for sure.
Hill's only competitive action so far this season had come in cup games, wins over old ESL foes Barking and then away at Biggleswade in the FA Cup were intertwined with defeats against Welwyn Garden City in the Trophy & a surprise loss at ESL Basildon United in the Essex Senior Cup, a mixed start then, but no doubt they were bang up for their first taste of Isthmian North football.
Another legend at the club, Keith Harris, was remembered before the game, he spent a lifetime in the dugout alongside Williams and Co and was a lovely man who I had the pleasure of speaking too on many occasions, sadly he lost his life in the summer, so the home dugout has been named after him, and their was an impeccably observed minute silence prior to kick off for him, rest in peace Keith, you will be sadly missed by all.
Well, he would have been smiling down on his beloved Hill side as it took them all but eight minutes to announce their arrival to this level by taking the lead, a through ball saw new signing Max Gnandi race through on goal, with the visitors claiming offside which fell on deaf ears, and Gnandi kept his cool to round keeper Daniel Sambridge and slot home, a perfect start to their evening.
Grays tried to respond and should have levelled when a mistake from the hosts saw Freddy Moncur clean through and with just keeper Christian North to beat fired a effort straight at the keeper who made a good stop to deny him, this kind of summed up the night to come for the visitors who had lots of the ball at times but lacked a cutting edge up front.
Gnandi certainly had that cutting edge, and nine minutes before the break doubled his tally for the night and increased the hosts lead as a result, swivelling onto a loose ball inside the box and firing beyond Sambridge, 2-0 Hill at the break, dreamland and a statement start to their life at this level, what did Grays have left in the second period?
Just like the first half, they huffed and puffed but just could not find that killer ball, in fact so many crosses into the box were overhit, not giving anyone in the middle a chance of getting on the end of them, Hill's workrate off the ball was extemporary too, they worked so hard for each other, something they will need to reproduce this season on a regular basis if they are to be successful at this level.
Hill certainly did not look out of place in this game, and were more than a match for their opponents who had a frustrating evening, and it was the two Gnandi's goals in the first period that proved decisive in this one and handed the hosts the ideal start to their league campaign, it had been a wonderful night for the club for sure, the joy on peoples faces afterwards was lovely to see, and maybe a touch of disbelief as well at where they find themselves right now, it's a great story, and one that they hope can continue on a positive trend.
Full time Buckhurst Hill 2 Grays Athletic 0
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