Essex Senior Cup Final, Tuesday 19th March
Tuesday night saw me over at Victoria Road, home of Dagenham & Redbridge, for this seasons finale of the Essex County FAs flagship event, The Senior Cup Final, and this season it would be contested between Sky Bet League Two side Colchester United and Isthmian North side Redbridge.
Now the final normally takes place at Colchester's own Community Stadium, but with their pitch suffering lately due to the awful weather we have had over the last month or two, it meant the final was switched further south to Victoria Road, a venue that has staged the final of the this competition before, so they were more than ready to take it on and accommodate all who came to see this one.
Now both sides had come into this competition at the Third Round stage, which meant they had to win four games each to reach the final, below is how both sides got to this prestigious event to have a crack at winning this competition for the 2023/24 season:-
Colchester United
Third Round - Heybridge Swifts (H) W 4-0
Fourth Round - Walthamstow (a) D 0-0 (won 3-1 on penalties)
Quarter Final - Buckhurst Hill (H) W 5-1
Semi Final - Hashtag United (H) W 3-2
After seeing off Isthmian North side Heybridge Swifts at home their only away game in the run saw them squeeze through on penalties against another Isthmian North side Walthamstow, they then breezed past Essex Senior League side Buckhurst Hill before they netted a tough win at home to Isthmian Premier side Hashtag United. They now face another Isthmian North side in the final of course, will they get the job done against Redbridge too?
Redbridge
Third Round - Southend United (a) W 4-0
Fourth Round - Chelmsford City (a) D 2-2 (won 4-3 on penalties)
Quarter Final - Concord Rangers (a) W 2-0
Semi Final - Maldon & Tiptree (H) W2-0
The Motormen had a pretty tough run to the final, with nearly all their opponents technically above them in the pyramid, they saw off Southend's U18s at Roots Hall pretty comfortably before stunning National League side Chelmsford City on penalties at Melbourne Stadium and then knocked out Isthmian Premier Concord Rangers at Thames Road. And then in the Semi Finals they finally had a home tie and defeated fellow Isthmian North side Maldon & Tiptree to reach this evenings final and a chance to beat another EFL club to take the trophy.
Now obviously The Us have been using mostly youth players for this competition, but it's a chance for those players to show the club what they can do against some very good sides in the County of Essex as they continue their quest to get to the football league and a chance to progress into the First Team or even elsewhere, and it would be another tough task against a Redbridge outfit who had knocked out some pretty good sides on route to Dagenham.
These sides don't have much success in this competition though, The Us one and only win in this competition came in the 2009/10 season when they defeated AFC Hornchurch in the final, this is one of only three finals they have appeared in, Redbridge's only appearance in the final came sixty years ago in the 1963/64 season when they were known as Ford United, and they suffered a 4-3 aggregate loss to Tilbury back in the days when the final was two legged.
So, with just one win and four finals between them, this was at least a final between two sides who rarely get to this stage of the competition, so a possibility of a first time winner then in the shape of Redbridge, or could The Us grab a second Senior Cup title and a first in fourteen years, only time would tell so let's get into the match action shall we.
The first period was tight, with neither side really wanting to give each other the edge, as is often the case with most finals, so chances were at a premium as neither were really tested, The Us best chance of the half came late on in the period when a lovely bursting run though midfield by Samson Tovide saw him play a perfect through ball to Hakeem Sandah, but the forward could only fire over the bar, The Motormen's best chance saw Solomon Ogunwomoju head over from fifteen or so yards out, seeing his effort land on the roof of the net.
And towards the end of the half things started to get rather niggly too, especially between Us forward Tovide and Redbridge's Ronnie Winn, who clashed twice off the ball in a matter of moments, which ended up with Tovide receiving a booking for his troubles, whether this was why the Us player was subbed at half time only they will know, but it certainly showed how much this trophy meant to both, no quarter given that was for sure.
Also, whatever was said in the Col U changing room at half time certainly galvanised them somewhat as they were certainly on the front foot from the get go of the second period, and saw Sandah strike an effort against the underside of the bar before the loose ball was somehow headed wide by Taleel Green, although a corner was the result so maybe it was headed wide by a defender, who knows, it was a great chance all the same.
Redbridge also had keeper Connor Wheatley to thank for keeping them level in the tie as well thereafter, making three decent stops to deny the Us a breakthrough, the impressive Sandah again testing the visitors stopper on one such occasion, but on the whole The Motormen defended solidly, and although chances for them in the second period were fleeting, they did have a couple of moments to take the lead.
A great ball into the box failed to find anyone at the far post, and then five or so minutes into six minutes added on came possibly their best chance of the entire contest as Souman Nandi suddenly had the chance to win it for the Isthmian North side, but his effort was brilliantly stopped by Us keeper Sam Hornby, who had not really had a save to make before that, but his vital stop meant penalties would be needed to decide this competition.
The Us went first and saw their first two kicks from Riley Harbottle & skipper Ryan Lowe successfull, as were Redbridge's first two as well from Johnson & Mekeal Williams, Green then saw his effort saved by the superb Wheatley, however Redbridge also saw their third kick from Winn saved by Hornby, meaning it remained 2-2 after three kicks each.
Archie Oliver then slotted home Col Us fourth kick, only to see Redbridge level it up once again, and after The Us netted their fifth spot kick, Joe Elliott had to score The Motormen's fifth and final kick to remain in the shootout, and he absolutely rifled one into the roof of the net, showing no nerves whatsoever, 4-4, heading into sudden death.
Who could hold their nerve then? Well, Owura Edwards was the next one to take a kick for The Us, and he did look nervous and was rushing to take it, and it wasn't the best penalty and saw Wheatley save his second kick off the shootout, giving Redbridge skipper Lewis Clark the chance to win the final and hand his side their first Senior Cup success, and he duly converted to send his side wild with delight and win the shootout 5-4.
Commiserations to the young Us side who just fell short of winning their second Senior Cup, and a first one in fourteen years, but congratulations to The Motormen who grab their first ever Essex Senior Cup triumph in only their second ever appearance in the final, and a first under the name Redbridge of course, well done to them, it was certainly a hard fought win that was for sure.
Finally may I thank the Essex Alliance League for getting me a match ticket and hospitality for the game once again, it is very much appreciated, and I feel so blessed and privileged to be provided with the opportunity to do this, so thank you once again.
Full time Colchester United 0 Redbridge 0 (Redbridge won 5-4 on penalties)
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