Flyhouse and Hatch Lane battle for Kings of Essex title this Sunday

This Sunday afternoon, the Essex Sunday Premier Cup Final will see two Corinthian sides, Flyhouse Athletic and Hatch Lane, face their biggest games of the season as they seek to be crowned champions of Essex at Bowers & Pitsea FC.

For Flyhouse Athletic, this game represents by far the biggest game in the club’s existence, the present incarnation of the club having re-established itself in 2021 and this only being a second season dining at Essex’s top table. They started their run to the final back in November with a second round victory against SG Construction, winning 6-2 against the Thurrock-based side. Later that month, they were up against the many time winners of the competition with Priory Sports in town, but a 5-3 win for Flyhouse really started putting their name on the map. A walkover win in round four against United Dian was followed by a quarter-final trip to a strongly fancied Rouge 21 side where the odd goal was enough for the visitors to win 2-1, setting up a semi-final against Barking Riverside. They certainly had to do things the hard way in the semis too where they trailed to an early goal before scoring either side of half-time to complete another 2-1 win, securing their place at Bowers & Pitsea.

Over in the other dugout on Sunday are a side new to the Essex competitions this year with Hatch Lane’s debut season in the Essex Sunday Premier Cup having gone rather swimmingly you might say. Last season’s London Cup winners were looking to extend their success further east this season and, although they will not be able to retain their London silverware, they are into the Essex final having started their journey with a 5-1 win away at Rainham Working Mens Club back in November. The following week, their third-round action saw them host an Ockendon Manor side where they needed the odd goal in five to come through, winning 3-2, before taking the honours in round four as they beat Prittlewell 3-1. Controversial was the best way to describe their quarter-final against rivals Baiteze Squad where, eventually, a walkover was awarded, sending them to a semi-final against Brook Athletic. An expectedly tight game saw Hatch lead only for Brook to level it up. But a second Hatch goal saw them prevail in a 2-1 to book a place in the final.

This is a final which, on paper at least, you would say Flyhouse enter as the favourites given their recent form in all competitions. In particular, you can point to the recent league cup meeting which saw Flyhouse prevail 4-3. But in the league, their respective success has seen neither fixture able to take place yet so there is little to go on. Naturally, Hatch are a side not shy of the big occasion and on the 3G surface of Bowers & Pitsea, could their passing game come to the fore? All questions shall be answered this Sunday afternoon.

We wish both clubs the very best of luck for this weekend’s contest and we shall be there on the day to following an intriguing game.