They may be Dragons by name, but Boro’ didn’t find them to be Dragons by nature when we came up against Wivenhoe Town. All in all as of 2023, we have five matches to look back on; four ending in victory and another finishing all-square. Our first clash was a 1991-2 Loctite Trophy clash that went 4-0 in our favour. Two seasons later, going up to the Diadora League Premier Division let us renew acquaintances. Come the conclusion of the 1993-4 season, we parted ways; Boro’ going up to the Conference, the Dragons down to Division One.
Wivenhoe Town: The Facts
Maple Tree Cars Stadium
Broad Lane Sports Ground, Broad Lane, Wivenhoe, Essex, CO7 7HA
First established as Wivenhoe Rangers in 1925, the Dragons competed in local league competition to start with. In the case of the Brightlingsea and District League, the club won the title in 1933 and 1937. After this, the time came to move onto the Colchester and East Essex League. Again, they had success with their title wins in 1953 and 1956. It wasn’t all plain sailing, however. At one point, they’d drop as low as Division Two; eventually making their way back to the Premier Division.
In 1971, the Dragons started to see more competition with a move to the Essex and Suffolk Border League. This was an immediate success; winning the Division Two title in their first season, followed by the Division One title the following year. And it’d be in 1974 that Town would be added to their name. More title success followed in the late 1970s before – in 1980 – the team joined the Essex Senior League. On three occasions, they came second in the table; the last instance of which saw them move into the Isthmian League.
How to get to Wivenhoe Town – Travel Information – Distance: 61 miles
By Road
Take the A602 out of Stevenage towards Ware – before heading north on the A10 in the direction of Cambridge. After five miles, take the third exit at the roundabout for the A120 through Standon and out towards Bishop’s Stortford. Keep on the A120 around Stortford and over the M11, taking the second exit at the big roundabout towards Stansted.
This keeps you on the A120 and you’ll be on this for 17-and-a-half miles. On the edge of Braintree, there’s a roundabout where the straight option is the A131 – but don’t take this. Instead, go right to stay on the A120. After 9.3 miles, join the north/east A12 for Harwich. And after three miles, come off onto the Sudbury-bound A134.
Take the second exit at the roundabout for the A133 and continue for a mile. Next, bear right onto the B1028 Colchester Road. Soon after, turn left onto the B1027 Brightlingsea Road.
