Non-League and Academy football writer

At Barking FC on late Sunday afternoon, Singh Sabha Barking and CSM London (Sundays) competed for this season’s Essex Sunday Corinthian Football League Division Two Cup. Singh Sabha Barking were in first place in the Division Two standings at the time of writing the beginning of this match report of the cup final, on Sunday morning. With CSM London (Sundays) in sixth place in the Division Two standings. Joe Biscoe’s CSM London side would win this entertaining final which was played in front of a big crowd, 3-2 on the day. 

Singh Sabha Barking would create the first goalscoring chance of this final, early on. With James Folkes playing a one-two pass with a teammate on the edge of the CSM penalty area, before whipping an effort just wide of Volodymyr Levchuk’s goal. But, CSM would really start to grow into the game following that early chance for Singh Sabha Barking. And not long after Jamaine Bell had got to a short through-ball pass inside the Singh Sabha Barking box, with his effort on goal being well saved by Baldip Boporai, CSM would go on to take the lead.

For the opening goal of the game, CSM forward Steven Lambert would drop deep in order to receive the ball. He would then play the ball forward for Leandro Alva, who was now one versus one with the goalkeeper inside of the penalty area, from where he finished low into the middle of the goal, 0-1. Soon after the resumption of play, CSM player Tyler Sango-Ismael’s looping volleyed effort, from some 22 yards out on goal, would loop narrowly wide of Baldip Boporai’s goal. CSM continued to be the better and more creative side during the first half of this cup final.

A good run forward with the ball from the middle of the pitch by Leandro Alva, would result in the CSM player waiting for a couple of moments as Steven Lambert ran forward to the right-hand side of the Singh Sabha Barking box. Eventually receiving the ball, Lambert was closely followed by Jagraj Rai, as his low effort went wide across the face of the goal. And then, around five minutes later, Jamaine Bell would get to a flick on inside the Singh Sabha Barking box, as the result of a lofted free-kick. His volleyed effort would hit the underside of Baldip Boporai’s crossbar, before a foul was then given against Jamaine Bell on the follow-up as he helped the ball into the goal.

CSM’s strong finish to the first half, would pay off. Firstly, and after some great play from Steven Lambert, the CSM forward would play the ball to Kalum Blanks, down the right-hand side of the pitch. His ball back to Lambert inside of the other team’s penalty area, would see the CSM forward’s brave header under pressure, go narrowly wide of the goal. But, then on the stroke of half-time, Jamaine Bell would play the ball onto Steven Lambert down the right-hand side of the Singh Sabha Barking box. His powerful low effort was really well kept out by Baldip Boporai, but Leandro Alva was alert on the follow-up, to finish low into the goal from close range, 0-2.

Following an injury to CSM goalkeeper Volodymyr Levchuk in the first half of this final, at half-time CSM would have to make a change. With outfield player Ashley King then having to go in goal for the second half. CSM would start the second half with a similar intensity to how they had finished the first half. Creative and positive with the ball, CSM would continue to create chances. Next, and Leandro Alva would get to the ball after it had been laid off to him on the edge of the Singh Sabha Barking penalty area. His powerful effort on the half-volley would be well pushed away by Baldip Boporai.

After going close to making it 3-0, CSM did, shortly after that effort from Leandro Alva, go on to make it 3-0. As CSM’s goalkeeper Ashley King would kick the ball upfield towards substitute Emre Ozuaciksoz, who took the ball forwards down the line to the left-hand side of the Singh Sabha Barking penalty area. From a very tight angle and under pressure inside of the box, Emre Ozuaciksoz would hit a fantastic low and powerful effort across goal, which gave the goalkeeper no chance of saving it, as it came off his left-hand post and went into his goal, 0-3.

At this point in the cup final and as it progressed, CSM were managing their three goal lead ever so well. A back-pass from a Singh Sabha Barking defender would see Steven Lambert latch onto the ball just inside of the penalty area. His low effort on goal was well saved by the feet of Baldip Boporai, however. Yet it was Singh Sabha Barking who would finish this cup final the stronger of the two sides. They would manage to score a late goal, after Dylan Boporai had received a short pass to the right-hand side of the CSM box, before he hit a powerful low effort into the bottom right-hand corner of Ashley King’s goal, 1-3.

Then very late on in this final, and with the momentum now with Singh Sabha Barking, they would manage to get another late goal. As a lofted ball into the CSM box was unable to be gathered by their goalkeeper, as Opeyemi Mogaji finished into the goal on the follow-up, 2-3. Despite Singh Sabha Barking having really pushed a number of players forward during the final minutes of second half additional time, CSM would manage to hold on, to record a deserved and memorable cup final victory, on the day.

This was a very good performance from Joe Biscoe’s CSM side, against a very good Singh Sabha Barking side, who have had a very good season. On the day it was a very good team performance from CSM, who were led really well by their very experienced captain Urfat Hussain, on the pitch. There were many excellent performances from CSM players, with Leandro Alva, Steven Lambert and Kalum Blanks just some of those players who had great games. However, at right-back the very steady and defensively solid performance of CSM player Sameer Patel, sees him win my player of the match of the award. For Singh Sabha Barking, on the day I thought that their goalkeeper Baldip Boporai was their player of the match. Many congratulations to all connected with CSM on their cup final victory.