Gidea Park looking to go toe-to-toe with near neighbours in table

Jamal Francis is expecting another close encounter when Gidea Park & Romford host Horndon this weekend.

In last season’s encounters, Park won by four wickets away, before losing at home by three wickets.

The sides have already met once this season, where Horndon prevailled by five wickets, and Francis says that might add to the occasion.

“We have a history of tight games. After losing the cup match at theirs earlier in the season, the boys are looking to get one over on them,” he said.

“We’re also quite close in the table which I think shows that we both have a similar level of quality. We just need to keep to the basics. On our home track, I’d back us to beat anyone in this league.”

Park currently sit one place above the drop zone in Essex League Division Two as the season nears the halfway point.

There are 41 points between Francis’ men in eighth and Stanford in ninth, but the Park skipper says the team cannot rest on their laurels.

“It’s still more about the points at the minute, but with three or four games to go we might be hoping for a few more teams between us,” he added. “The 50-over format seems to suit us and we can still chalk up a good league position.”