Old Esthameians 0 Ocean Pacific 2 - Goals from Jossue Sierra & David Banegas hand Ocean Pacific victory over Old Esthameians to net Essex Alliance Division One cup glory

Essex Alliance Division One Cup Final, Tuesday May 20th

The final Essex Alliance Cup Final took place at New Lodge, Billericay, on Tuesday as it was the turn of the Division One Cup Final which saw third placed Old Es take on runners up Ocean Pacific, and a decent contest was expected.

Despite them only finishing one place between each other, Pacific did finish eleven points ahead of their opponents in the table and only lost one of their league games although lost out to the title by two points to Condor who themselves won sixteen of their eighteen games, I do believe though that both still get promoted to the Premier Division, could Pacific add the cup to their promotion success and end a decent campaign in style?

Old Es would certainly hope not and themselves were looking to also end their season in style, a sold season which saw them the best of the rest culminated in this final at New Lodge, ironically Pacific were knocked out of this competition by who else but Condor in the Quarter Finals, however, Condor were then removed for admin issues and Pacific were duly reinstated and then won their semi final against West Essex Reserves to take their place in this final.

Old Es themselves defeated Loughton Town in the last eight before thumping FC Alpha in the semi final, giving them a chance of glory, Pacific started the stronger and missed two great chances before being awarded a penalty when David Banegas was felled inside the box, and Jossue Sierra stepped up to convert the spot kick in the 13th minute, and Pacific had a deserved lead. (Now I thought number twenty, who was down on the teamsheet as Dragos Aneasoaie had scored, but it appears not, as Sierra, who was number twenty one on the sheet was credited the goal, the joys of this level of football eh!!!)

Whoever had scored it though resulted in the same outcome, a 1-0 lead for Pacific, who for some reason I kept calling Ocean Drive in error for the first hour of the game, oops, but hey we all make mistakes don't we!!! Pacific, not Drive, saw Banegas & go close late on in the half and they also blazed over from six yards out in another golden opening, but Old Es were not without their moments in an entertaining first period.

Henry Wood so nearly equalised midway through the half & only a superb stop from Pacific keeper Daniel Popescu denied a Brad Harris thunderbolt finding the net, and despite plenty of chances for both the only goal was that penalty inside the opening quarter hour mark, how would the second half fare?

It certainly had way less chances at goal, in fact the first meaningful attempt in the second period came in the final twenty minutes, Banegas forcing a brilliant low diving stop from Old Es keeper Jamie Brown, ironically it was Old Es who were staring to look the more lively of the two sides though, and Popescu for the second time in the game thwarted a Harris thunderbolt as they pressed for a leveller.

But, with just over ten minutes remaining, Pacific doubled their lead to virtually seal their victory, it was a lovely ball in by Ariel Amador found that man Banegas, and he duly fired past Brown from inside the box and hand his side a two goal cushion which they were not to relinquish.

It meant that Ocean Pacific added Division One Cup glory to their (I Think) promotion, whereas Old Es would have to settle for runners up in this one and see their season end with no silverware but nonetheless a decent and solid campaign.

Full time Old Esthameians 0 Ocean Pacific 2