05/05/2025 – RESULT – KNOCK-OUT CUP WINNERS – BARNSTON AFC & REPORT

CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

KNOCK-OUT CUP FINAL

BARNSTON AFC.                                            2.

BRIGHTLINGSEA TOWN FC.                          0.

Date:   Monday 05th May 2025.                                  Venue: Little Oakley FC.

The season is drawing to a close, the winners and runners-up in four out of five divisions have been determined, and congratulations go to those successful teams, only Division Two remains to be decided, this coming week will hopefully see things more clearly and the season will finally end on Saturday 17th May 2025.

This season’s finalists have both had good seasons in the Premier Division, a National Feeder League, Step 7 competition, Barnston AFC have finished sixth after a strong end of season run-in, Brightlingsea Town FC have rarely been out of the top four and eventually finished second, behind Kings Park Rangers FC. In the semi-finals, Barnston AFC beat Division One champions, Great Bentley FC whist Brightlingsea Town FC beat Premier Division, Dedham Old Boys FC on penalty kicks, neither of these teams have appeared in the Knock-Out Cup final before today, so a new winners name will go on the impressive cup, presented by Dr F. Douglas Turner, of the Royal Eastern Counties Institution in 1939.

The Match Officials, on a bright, breezy afternoon and on a hard pitch, are Referee Appointments Secretary, Matthew Jarvis who will have Stuart Tredgett and Scott Vine as Assistant Referees with John Watson, acting as fourth official.

            Before kick-off Barnston captain, Cole, passed over a souvenir pennant to his opposite captain, Baker (C), whose team, were to kick-off, losing possession early and it came to Fosker to defend against Sonnex. A quick throw-in from Cant, towards Sauka, was eagerly, swept up by Bowater and a fast start was seen, although the ball was predominantly in the air. A long ball forward from Thompson was quickly snapped up by keeper, Taylor conceding a throw in, taken by Griggs but Gilbert cleared, again a throw in followed. Armitage (C), fouled Sauka, which Barnston defended and broke up field, Sonnex and Valentine moved the ball to Yapp who forced the first corner of the match. The corner on five minutes, taken by Armitage (C) was headed clear by Baker (K), Sauka gave chase but his low driven cross was blocked by Armitage (C), and when Barnston broke forward with Sonnex and Mcilvenna, keeper Grove was out, to clear. Anotheer long throw in from Armitage (C), found Sonnex who used his pace to drive forward but Hunt defended well, however, on nine minutes, Barnston almost took the lead, Valentine found Yapp whose pass inside fell to Sonnex who forced keeper, Grove to save from close range. Valentine almost became provider again when he sent Valentine through, he found Sonnex running wide, but the low cross eluded everyone inside the penalty area.

Valentine, in the Barnston midfield was very effective when in possession, linking up with Mcilvenna and Sonnex, forcing a throw in, when play switched Cole fouled Fosker, Baker (C), took the free kick which was headed goalwards by Baker (K), the ball missed the target and a goal kick followed. Bowater fouled Fosker, once again in their haste to get the ball forward the ball was hit into touch by Baker (C). Fifteen minutes had elapsed and Barnston had been the more dangerous side going forward and had almost scored the first goal, Brightlingsea Town needed to start creating and not give the ball away, which is exactly what happened, LEWIS SONNEX picked up a poor clearance, exchanged passes with Yapp and was allowed to run through and score past the advancing keeper, Grove. Barnston keeper, Taylor had to run out of his penalty to clear a long clearance from keeper, Grove, again Barnston used the ball well to move into the Brightlingsea Town half, with Armitage being thwarted by Sauka, down by the corner flag, a corner followed. Bowater climbed over Baker (K) to concede a free kick, keeper, Taylor dropped the ball from the free kick, but Gilchrist cleared. Yapp, supplied by Sonnex, shot wide when given too much space and Mcilvenna had a free header from a run and cross by Sonnex.

            Brightlingsea Town had been on the defensive for much of the first half, Sonnex linked up with Armitage (C), but fouled Hunt, Baker (C) took the free kick which fell to Sauka who forced a corner, taken short to Fosker but Barnston were quick to clear and Cole brought the ball forward, finding Bennett, and a corner followed. Brightlingsea Town had been caught up field already so when Mcilvenna raced through with retreating defender, Bethell, a slight trip caused Mcilvenna to tumble, hitting keeper, Grove, either way, after the referee consulted his Assistant Referee, a penalty kick was awarded with Bethell receiving a red card, being the last defender and “denying a goal scoring opportunity” to use the correct description, LEWIS SONNEX hammered home the penalty kick to give Barnston a two goal lead. Valentine, Yapp and Sonnex continued to be problem for Brightlingsea Town, the latter player narrowly missing the target at the near post. Thompson received a caution for a high tackle on Valentine, another case of Barnston being quicker to the ball. Despite a suspicion of handball, Mcilvenna, was allowed to run on, his rasping shot crashed back off the far post, to be cleared by Thompson, now playing in central defence. A corner from Sauka was easily intercepted and Barnston broke quickly through Yapp, his pass into the path of Mcilvenna should have led to a goal but he lost his footing as he entered the penalty area. A rare shot from Hunt for Brightlingsea Town was on target until Bowater deflected the ball wide for a corner, once again the delivery was poor and Barnston moved up field through Sonnex whose further movement was stopped by Hunt who got a bit of a lucky break with his challenge.

HALF-TIME:    2 – 0.

            At half-time Brightlingsea Town had to make changes and this they did with Hunt and Sauka replaced by Wallis and Daly, this did have a positive response from their team, Daly playing wide on the left and Wallis in a customary midfield berth. Barnston kicked off, Thompson fouled Yapp, Gilchrist fouled Baker (K), Bowater rose above everyone to head clear and with the ball out of play, Barnston removed Armitage (C) with Nichols taking his place on fifty minutes. Bowater continued to dominate high balls set forward towards target player Baker (K), a low cross from Griggs fell to Daly who fell under a challenge, the referee, with a clear view was not impressed, and waved play on, substitute, Nichols fouled Fosker, who had seen little of the ball in this match, Nichols was rightly, cautioned and told by many people, both on and off the pitch, to calm down! Barnston were now having to defend, Gilchrist and Bowater were rock solid, Thompson fouled Sonnex, Valentine also fouled Fosker, who retaliated by fouling Cole.

            Play had become disjointed, the ten players of Brightlingsea Town had raised their game but Barnston were solid in defence, Sonnex fouled Thompson, Fosker, again fouled Bowater, who looked an accomplished player for his nineteen years! Thompson got the better of Sonnex, but Sonnex fared better in the next attack, with play allowed to continue, Sonnex ran on to score, or so we thought, the ball crashing back into play off the goal post, great effort though. Yapp and Bennett forced a corner, taken by Valentine but straight out of play, on sixty-eight minutes keeper, Taylor was forced to make his first real save, this from a header from Griggs, from a cross by Daly, whose introduction had given Brightlingsea Town more impetus providing crosses that were cleared by either Gilchrist and Bowater. On seventy-three minutes, young substitute Nichols, dived into a tackle on Fosker, the challenge was two-footed, high and reckless, the resulting second yellow card was administered correctly, and Nichols left the field of play, leaving both teams down to ten men for the remaining fifteen minutes.

            A free kick taken by Cant was headed clear by Bowater, once again leaping higher than Baker (K), who then proceeded to foul keeper, Taylor, the Brightlingsea Town push for a goal continued, Bowater shielded the ball out for a goal kick and from the clearance up field Thompson was involved in a tackle that maybe should have seen a yellow card, for either Thompson or Wallis, Sonnex being the meat in that sandwich! Valentine had been quite this half but a fine pass into Sonnex saw the goalscorer shoot wide of the goal. A shot from Fosker took a deflection off Bowater, another corner followed, before which Barnston replaced Yapp with Armitage (H), Brightlingsea Town put on Marangou for Cant, Cole and Valentine forced a corner off Daly, Bowater fouled Baker (K) before Dix replaced Mcilvenna, before a final player exchange of Keogh-Gibbs for Sonnex as a frantic last five minutes was played out.

FULL TIME:     2 – 0.

The conditions were not ideal for a great game of football, but this Cup Final was played and completed with a first Knock-Out Cup success for Barnston AFC over Brightlingsea Town FC, who had already given notice of their intention to withdraw from the competition for next season, we wish their players well wherever they choose to go. Barnston AFC, to me, always had the answers to anything Brightlingsea Town could muster, it was a team effort from back to front and with a young team they have a bright future.

Turning to my choice of Star Players, Brightlingsea Town did not get going relying too much on the high forward ball, Barnston AFC and done their homework on the key front players of Baker (K) and Fosker and doubled up their defence pairing when threatened. Griggs had a solid game as right wing back, Hodgson and Cant tried hard in midfield and Fosker had to come deep to collect any ball forward but gave his all. For Barnston a big team effort, their recent league form suggests a good team spirit, a will to win, defensively sound, the midfield was strong and up front Sonnex, Mcilvenna and Yapp were a handful throughout

Teams:

BARNSTON AFC        

Colours:                        Orange Shirts, Orange Shorts and Orange Socks.

Team:

Andrew Taylor., Rob Cole (C)., Christopher Armitage. Ryan Gilbert., Ciaran Smith., Rocky Bowater., Stan Valentine., Bryn Yapp., Dylan Bennett., Lewis Sonnex., Max McIlvenna.

Manager:                      Matthew Frew.

Assistant Manager:        Paul Akers.

Used Substitutes:          Cody Nichols., Henry Armitage., Bradley Dix., Jadon Keogh-Gibbs.

Unused Substitutes:      Ellis Simpson.

BRIGHTLINGSEA TOWN FC.

Colours:                        Blue & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.

Team:

Matthew Grove., Ricky Griggs., Callum Hunt., Jake Bethel., Conrad Baker (C)., Henry Hodgson., Adrian Cant., Charlie Thompson., Ashley Sauka., Rocha Fosker., Keiron Baker.

Manager:                      Kieron Baker.

Head Coach:                 Liam Holyman

Used Substitutes:          Reife Marangou., Darryl Wallis., Quentin Daly.

Unused Substitutes:      Matthew Simmons., Connor Seymour

Referee:                        Matthew Jarvis.

Assistant Referees:        Stuart Tredgett

                        &:        Scott Vine

Fourth Official:              John Watson.

STAR PLAYERS:         Rocky BOWATER                    (BARNSTON AFC)

                                    Rocha FOSKER                       (BRIGHTLINGSEA TOWN FC)