BAITEZE ENJOY A SUNDAY FUNDAY
BAITEZE overcame stubborn resistance from Highgate Albion to lift The FA Sunday Cup for the first time in an entertaining all-London Final with a 2-0 victory in front of 1,360 supporters at Millwall FC’s The Den.
The game was in the balance until the 85th minute when Chakka Barnett prodded home substitute Alex Tienola’s thunderous shot that had cannoned off the crossbar.
Highgate had their pre-match plans of soaking up pressure and then hitting on the break disrupted when Shomari Barnwell’s neat one-touch finish put the east Londoners ahead after just three minutes.
Baiteze had the lion’s share of the play with their swift, incisive attacking style frequently causing problems for Highgate, but with such a slender lead an equaliser was never out of the question.
Highgate lost their keeper Alexandru Gauriloaia midway through the first half through injury but substitute Luke Ward proved a capable deputy, repeatedly denying Baiteze a second and keeping his team in the match.
Baiteze manager Billy Hession said: “We really wanted the second goal, we were knocking on the door and by half time we could have been 3-0 up, and the fact we didn’t, did allow some nerves to creep in, but we are an experienced team and we went on to create four or five really good chances.
“We had some good patterns of play that we had worked on in training. We deserved it.
“To retain the trophy is the objective and I think we’ll be strong favourites. We had a tough run to the final, playing teams from Ipswich, Middlesbrough and Doncaster and now we have the confidence to do it all again, we’ll be ready.”
The competition was first played for in 1965 and has been won by 42 different club sides with the standard, certainly in the latter stages, believed to be the equivalent of Step 4.
The trophy was not contested last season, and the last final was played behind closed doors, as Chris Darnell of The FA explained: “The FA was delighted the Competition could be staged this season following a year’s absence in 2020-21 due to COVID-19.
“We will be looking to grow and develop the Competition in future seasons, which illustrates The FA’s commitment to grassroots football.”