FC Baresi U23s 1 Old Barkabeyyans Reserves 1 (FC Baresi U23s won 4-3 on penalties)

Essex Alliance League Division Three Cup Final, Thursday 26th May 

I was at Victoria Road in Dagenham on Thursday night for my third Essex Alliance Final of 2022 and saw FC Baresi U23s claim a league and cup double after they edged out Old Barkabeyyans Reserves in a shootout to claim the Division Three Cup after an entertaining contest.

This final was billed to be a rather entertaining affair as FC Baresi’s U23 side had won the Division Three title, five points ahead of Old Barks Reserves who finished runners up, meaning both sides had already clinched promotion to Division Two for next season, and with FC Baresi netting just under four goals per game and Old Barks an equally impressive five goals a game in their twenty game league campaign, goals were surely on the agenda.

However, in the two league games played between the sides this season, FC Baresi won them both, winning 3-0 at Old Barks in October before winning a very entertaining one at home just over a month ago in a 6-4 success, so a rather exciting contest that must have been, would we get one in this final and could Old Barks get one over their opponents and take some silverware? Or could Baresi complete a league and cup double?

FC Baresi had to win three ties to get to this final, whereas Old Barks just needed to win two, here is the Division Three cup in full results wise: -

First Round

Harlow Inter L-W Together United

FC Baresi U23s 5 Terin 0

Melbourne Sports 1 Buckhurst Way 6

Glendale 4 Lymore Gardens Reserves 4 (Glendale won 5-4 on penalties)

Quarter Finals

Together United 0 ASA 0 (ASA won 7-6 on penalties)

Royal Forest Reserves 1 FC Baresi U23s 5

Buckhurst Way 1 Old Barkabbeyans Reserves 4

Flyers U23s 1 Glendale 2

Semi Finals

ASA 2 FC Baresi U23s 2 (FC Baresi U23s won 4-2 on penalties)

Old Barkabbeyans Reserves 5 Glendale 0

FC Baresi breezed through their first two games before a penalty shoot-out was needed for them to dispatch ASA in the semi-finals, whereas Old Barks breezed through both their ties, including a semi final win over Rob Parker’s very own Glendale (Rob is media man and committee member on the league so had they reached the final that would have been interesting!!!) but alas it wasn’t to be so he can concentrate on his league duties as normal for this final.

So to that final, and Old Barks could easily have been out of sight in the opening twenty five minutes or so after missing some golden chances, but they failed to capitalise on a very slow start from the Division Three champions, and thereafter Baresi did have some moments of their own too, including one such effort from range flicking off the top of the bar.

Old Barks though had carved out a bundle of opportunities as said though, and someone the game was still goalless heading for the half time break, but, Old Barks were to be made to pay for all those misses when FC Baresi edged ahead just as the half went into stoppage time, and it was a brilliant goal too, as Daniel Adutwum waltzed his way through the Old Barks side before slotting past keeper Ben Wood, and it meant Baresi had the half time lead, leaving their opponents scratching their heads as to how they were behind in this one.

The harsh reality was their finishing had been poor and this was the reason why, but four minutes after the break they were awarded a penalty after Baresi keeper Ataaib Khan was adjudged to have felled an attacker although it looked soft to say the least, but Michael Ryder stepped up and thumped the spot kick in off the post, and bringing Old Barks level.

Despite plenty of endeavour from both sides though, neither could muster a winner, so it was another penalty shoot out in an Alliance Final to decide the winners, Baresi sent their first penalty over the bar and after five successful spot kicks thereafter, Old Barks led the shootout 3-2 after three pens each, and Old Barks knew that two more successful penalties would win it for them.

But after Baresi netted their next kick to make it 3-3 Ataaib Khan saved the fourth Old Barks kick, and after another successful penalty from Baresi, Khan was the hero saving his second successive spot kick, meaning his side had won the shootout and claimed a league and cup double.

Full time FC Baresi U23s 1 Old Barkabeyyans 1 (FC Baresi U23s won 4-3 on penalties)