The FA Sunday Cup Final, Sunday 1st May (at Millwall FC)
I was over at The Den on the first day of May and saw goals from Shomari Barnwell and Chaka Barnett help East London side Baiteze to a well deserved victory over North London side Highgate Albion and take FA Sunday Cup honours for 2021/22.
I had been contacted by the Essex Corinthian League and asked if I wanted to come along to this prestigious final, and of course I said yes, so I tagged along with them to watch one of their sides compete in what is a National Final, so it was a very big day for the league and I was chuffed to have been asked along to watch it with them.
Baiteze play in the Senior Division of the Corinthian League so it was them who I would be cheering on today along with the other nine members of our party, and they were up against North London side Highgate Albion who play their football in the Barnet Sunday League, shall we see how both sides got to this final as they battled 64 other clubs to reach this stage of the competition.
First Round
Baiteze 0 Borussia Martlesham 0 (Baiteze won 5-4 on penalties)
Skew Bridge A-W Highgate Albion
Baiteze could have easily gone out in the very first round but managed to sneak through on spot kicks against Ipswich Sunday League side Bourussia Martlesham. It was a slightly easier passage for Albion in their First Round Tie after their Herts Advertiser Sunday League opponents Skew Bridge withdrew from the competition.
Second Round
Baiteze 3 SE Dons 2
Falcons A-W Highgate Albion
Baiteze had another tough encounter against Orpington & Bromley District side SE Dons, but they came out on top in the odd goal of five in front of over 2,000 at Barking FC's Mayesbrook Park in what was a monumental effort by all for an FA Sunday Cup contest, whereas Albion once again went through without kicking a ball after their Cambridge & District opponents Falcons withdrew.
Third Round
Grand Athletic 1 Baiteze 3
Highgate Albion 2 Burghfield 0
Baiteze played away for the first time in the competition and made it through after a 3-1 win at Metropolitan Sunday League Grand Athletic, and Highgate finally played a game in this seasons competition and won it 2-0 at home to Reading & District side Burghfield.
Quarter Finals
Scawthorpe Athletic 2 Baiteze 4
Highgate Albion 6 Club Lewsey 1
Baiteze had the long journey to Doncaster for their final eight tie, but they saw off Doncaster Rovers Sunday League outfit Scawthorpe Athletic, whereas Highgate Albion welcomed Leighton & District side Club Lewsey to North London, and stuck six past them as they cruised into the semi finals.
Semi Finals
Baiteze 1 Middlesbrough Dormans 1 (Baiteze won 3-2 on penalties)
Highgate Albion 3 Mayfair 2
Both semi finals were played on neutral venues, Baiteze needed a second penalty shoot out of the competition to see of Stockton Sunday League side Middlesbrough Dormans at Boston United FC, and at Solihull Moors FC Highgate won out in the odd goal in five to defeat Liverpool Business Houses side Mayfair)
So, that is how both sides made it to The Den for an all London contest, East versus North, in the South East of the capital, let's see how that final panned out...
Baiteze 2 Highgate Albion 0
Both sides were packed with quality as you would expect, and both had players who played at a very decent level in Saturday football, so this final would be very well contested you would have thought.
And both sides had also unsurprisingly had very good seasons in their respective leagues, Baiteze had won ten of their fourteen league games although that won't be enough for the title, they sit third in the standings and cannot overhaul leaders Hatch Lane who are already champions, but they can still pinch the runners up spot off FC Ballr if they win their remaining two outings.
Highgate on the other hand can win their division if they win their remaining three games, two of which are against second placed Trabzonspor UK and then leaders AFC Oakwood, so they have some end to their season after this game that is for sure, but all the focus for both sides today was on FA Sunday Cup glory and the chance to call themselves National winners, it doesn't come along often that.
A very decent crowd of 1,440 turned up at The Den to cheer there sides on, a brilliant attendance it has to be said, and they were both hoping that their side could gain the upper hand early on and set the platform for a victory of course, and three minutes in Baiteze did just that when they swept ahead.
It was a brilliant move as well from the East Londoners, and it ended with Samuel Jeremiah bursting into the box down the right before he squared across goal for Barnwell to apply the finishing touch beyond keeper Alexandru Gauriloaia, and it cued huge celebrations amongst the Baiteze squad, it was the perfect start for them, how would Highgate respond?
Well, in fact things almost got worse for them in more than one, as Barnwell almost had a second when he chased down a ball and went into a crunching tackle with Highgate keeper Gauriloaia way outside the box, and Barnwell won this battle and swivelled and lofted an effort just wide of the gaping goal, and the Highgate keeper was left stricken and unable to continue, meaning Luke Ward had to come off the bench and take his place in goal. Not the ideal opening quarter for sure for the North London outfit.
Barnwell could have had a hat-trick in the opening half hour, he and the superb Jeremiah almost combined again, but the tall number nine could not apply the finishing touch this time and somehow missed from close range, the East London side were most certainly having the best of the game that was for sure.
Highgate's main threat was certainly down the right through the pacey and dangerous Solomon Ofori, and he nearly got on the end of a pass but saw his sliding effort saved by keeper Muhammad Otuyo but the keeper injured his knee after Ofori slid into him when he was making the save, and required attention on more than one occasion and I thought I would see a game where both first choice keepers went off injured, but Otuyo soldered on and remained between the sticks.
That was certainly Highgate's biggest chance although they did threaten on occasions but it was the East London side who were causing the biggest threat, and this continued in the second period and saw Baiteze miss several chances to kill the game off, Jeremiah teed up Malachi Napa, who was also a big threat, but he somehow side footed wide, and Ward also thwarted Barnwell at his near post in another chance.
Would Baiteze regret missing all these openings, it would only take one moment for them to lapse in concertation and allow the North Londoners to draw level, and there were some tricky moments for Baiteze at the back, one effort was fired into the side netting whilst keeper Otuyo dived on the ball after it had broken to him inside the box fortuitously.
But Baiteze did finally settle any nerves with a clinching second goal as two substitutes combined to grab that all important second, Alex Teniola struck a magnificent long range effort which thumped against the underside of the bar, and Barnett was the quickest to react to nod the rebound into the corner of the net, and spark wild scenes amongst the East London side and their partisan fans, with only five minutes left they knew the job was done.
It was a deserved win for Baiteze, they had been the best team on the day, and a special mention must also go to midfielder Kevin Gibbs who was my MOTM for sure, he was superb on the day and definitely deserves a mention.
Commiserations to Highgate though, they did all they could but were second best ultimately, but they have done so well to reach a National Final and now have three big league games to come to see if they can win their division in the Barnet Sunday League.
Lastly many thanks to The Corinthian League for inviting me along for hospitality and the like, and it was a pleasure to see your side win a National Competition, and share that with you in person, so congratulations and again many thanks.
Full time Baiteze 2 Highgate Albion 0
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