Newbury Forest vs Clapton Community FC takes place on Saturday, December 13 2025 with a 3pm kick off at Oakside Stadium, Barkingside, Station Road, Ilford, IG6 1NB
Next up for the CCFC Men’s First Team is a pre-Christmas trip to the table topping Newbury Forest. The game is almost certainly on as they play at Redbridge’s Oakside Stadium, which has a 3G pitch.
Our hosts are also top scorers in the league, averaging just short of three goals a game. However, CCFC will be confident of themselves after beating the division’s form side Coggeshall Town last week.
After this game, we will have completed half of the season and should be in and around the play-off places whatever the result, hopefully setting up an exciting second half.
About the opposition
Newbury Forest FC were founded in 2003 as a Sunday league side, before adding three adult teams and youth teams down to under-10s.
The club then moved into the football league system when they joined the Romford and District League in 2008, winning the senior division in 2010. Progression to the Essex and Suffolk Border Football League followed, and a steady rise continued.
They finished third in the Premier Division in 2012, before moving to the Essex Olympian Football League Division One, and were later promoted to the Premier Division after again finishing third in 2013.
The club applied to join the new Division One South of the Eastern Counties League for the 2018–19 season, and their application was successful. They have remained in the division ever since, and even topped the table when the 2020-21 season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previous meetings
At the Old Spotted Dog Ground in September, we drew 2-2 with goals from Adam Sidky and Nathan Cook.
Two seasons ago, we won both our meetings. In the away game at Oakside, we won 4-1 with goals from Arthur Wright x 2, Julian Austin and Dean Bouho, At home, it was 3-2 thanks to Julian Austin again, Taylan Gul and Sherwin Stanley.
Form guide
It’s shaping up to be Newbury Forest’s best season since 2020/21. New manager Marce Collington – who also runs the Marcelona Sports College In Ilford – has overseen a rise to the top of the table. They’ve won 7 of their 11 home games so far.
Player/s to watch
Striker Eben Mbona is the division’s top scorer with 20 goals already, having followed manager Collington from Hatfield Town where he scored 39 goals in just 33 games. Former Frenford and Buckhurst Hill youngster Bradley Ismaili – who scored against us earlier in the season – is also already in double figures.
Admission
TBC
Directions
If you are travelling by public transport, this is a straightforward one. Oakside Stadium is next door to Barkingside Station on the Central Line.
According to the Redbridge FC website (Newbury Forest FC groundshare with them), there is adequate car parking at the club free of charge, when full there is local off-street parking within easy walking distance. Please note parking is at your own risk and Redbridge FC/Newbury Forest FC will not accept any responsibility for any damage accidents or loss.