The Bees netted three second half goals, including two headers from Jordan Williams, to see them to ESL League Cup glory against FC Romania at Cricklefields Stadium.
This was a match up between two sides that had finished in 2nd and 3rd in the ESL Premier Division although the Bees were in much better recent form and with the Romanian side missing five regular starting eleven players, this was going to be a slightly more testing afternoon for the Cheshunt based side you would of thought.
However despite this FCR still had a more than talented squad capable of victory in this contest and they created the first chance on 8 minutes when a ball cut back to the dangerous Ilie Vasile saw the winger scoop his effort over the bar in what was a good chance for the Romanian side, and also sent a warning to the Bees that this wasn’t going to be easy.
The Bees in fact didn’t created their first real chance until the 18th minute, but what a chance it was as Robert Clark broke down the left, crossed for Brad Warner, whose effort was wonderfully saved by Leonida Dobre in the FCR goal, and then five minutes later a Clark free kick from the half way line was just pumped into the area and saw the ball bounce high off the hard surface and almost catch Dobre out, who seemed to tip the ball over, but the referee gave a goal kick.
The Romanian’s, known as the Wolves, created a chance on 27 minutes when Vasile laid in Andrei Panel, whose shot across goal just invaded team mates at the far post and drifted away from danger, before the Wolves created another chance nine minutes before the half time whistle when Vasile was involved again, laying a ball across to George Taban, who could only slice his effort well wide from a decent position.
Two minutes later though the Bees should of taken the lead when Jordan Williams was played through, but he could only hit his effort wide of the far post. It meant the sides went in level at the break and although both had created chances, the game had failed to really get going and was lacking a certain spark.
Half Time FC Romania 0 Basildon United 0
The first goal was always going to be very important in what had been a fairly nervous cagey encounter so far and literally seconds into the second half the Bees found a breakthrough when a Warner free kick was swung into the area and saw Cosmin Sandu nod past his own keeper Dobre and into the far corner and gift the Bees the advantage.
It certainly set the tone for the rest of the contest and on 53 minutes a Warner flick up to Williams saw the latters volley go just wide of the FCR goal and then two minutes after this it really should of been two for Basildon when Farhad Nyanja ran at the defence, turned inside but skied his effort miles over with Williams square of him in acres of space, it certainly was a great chance to double their advantage.
Could the Romanian’s take advantage of these misses, well apart from a 69th minute corner that came out to Gabriel Ghinea who struck a long range effort over, the Romanian’s looked flat and not likely to find a leveller. With just under twenty minutes to go the Bees threatened again when Paul Shave flicked on a Nyanja long throw, and saw the defence head over from under their own bar.
However just a minute or so later the Bees did double their advantage and got one hand on the trophy when a Warner corner saw Williams loose his marker and head home past Dobre and moments later it should of been three when goalscorer Williams got in down the right, squared to Nyanja, but he could only lift his effort over the bar.
FCR tried to respond and saw a Taban volley go just wide of the Bees goal but the tie was sealed with seven minutes to go when Williams beat keeper Dobre to a looping ball and headed in off the post and almost certainly scored the goal that settled this contest once and for all. Deep into stoppage time FCR should have grabbed one back, but summed up their afternoon when their effort deflect wide, with the corner also being blocked in what was too little to late for the Cheshunt side.
Full time saw the Bees celebrate their first trophy in this millennium, and also finish a wonderful season with some silverware to show for their efforts. For FC Romania the season finishes in disappointing fashion but a final appearance and third place in the league behind Bowers and Basildon isn’t all bad so they should be proud of their efforts too, although today they fell a little short.
Full Time FC Romania 0 Basildon United 3
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