Baiteze Squad in FA Sunday Cup Final showdown this Sunday

In the sphere of Sunday football, there can be no fixture bigger than competing for the right to be labelled as national champions. This is the very destiny for one of Sunday's finalists in the FA Sunday Cup, a competition which pulls together the best teams from all over the country.

It's been a few years since a local team made this stage of the competition with New Salamis the last from London to reach the competition finals in 2016 and 2017. You have to look back even further in the records to find the last Essex-based finalists with Basildon's Lee Chapel North having lifted the trophy in 1984 and Becontree Rovers before them in 1970. A notable run from former Corinthian side, Upshire, saw them reach the semi-finals of the competition in 2013. It's positive therefore to find two teams from the region reach this stage of the competition in the same season and sets things up beautifully for a competitive final.

For Baiteze Squad, this final provides reward for a terrific run in the competition having taken on some of the competition's finest outfits. They started their run with, perhaps, the least remarkable performance of the sequence as they beat Borussia Martlesham on penalties after a scoreless draw. After the festive break, they hosted an SE Dons side in front of an incredible crowd of over 2,000 at Barking, producing a scinterlating first half showing which proved just enough, coming out 3-2 winners in the end. They looked to be out of the competition in the next round, trailing to Grand Athletic at half-time in Dulwich before an inspired second half showing saw them win 3-1 to make the quarter finals. It was a coach trip up next as the team headed north to Doncaster to take on Scawthorpe Athletic and despite a huge partizan crowd, produced another strong showing to win the game 4-2. The A1 was in use once again in the semi-finals as they met Middlesbrough Dormans on neutral territory at Boston United. Trailing from the very start of the game, they managed to get back on terms and then won the shootout to spark jubilent scenes as final place was confirmed!

Highgate Albion are the opposition on Sunday afternoon, the Barnet Sunday League side having had a terrific season themselves in this competition. It was a later start for them as both of their opening round opponents withdrew. They went on to beat Burghfield 2-0 in third round, Club Lewsey 6-1 in the quarters before defeating Liverpool based Mayfair in the semi-final, winning the game 3-2 having come from 2-0 down in the process at Solihull Moors. Highgate are certainly a side with winning pedigree in their league with a number of titles under their belts but will need other results to go their way to win it this season, presently sitting fourth with three games to play, AFC Oakwood the favourites on paper. Four players have reached double figures this season with both Soloman Ofori and Jake Cass well known in non-league football locally, being stand-out individuals to watch out for.

It's a final which is sure to be a real spectacle for those who make it along to the New Den, both sides filled with an array of terrific attacking players set to light up the pitch. Both sides have scored plenty of goals in the competition so that is hopefully a sign of a terrific contest ahead.

Everybody at the Corinthian League sends our very best wishes to Billy and his Baiteze Squad ahead of this historic occasion for the club, the league and the whole of the region. We look forward to attending the game, along with many others expected from the league, to cheer the team on!

For anybody looking to attend the game, pre-purchased tickets are available from the Millwall FC website (link below) with blocks 31 to 34 reserved for Baiteze Squad supporters, priced at £5 for adults and £1 for children.
https://www.millwalltickets.com/PagesPublic/ProductBrowse/producthome.aspx?productsubtype=FASC