Last Sunday the first round fixtures of the very prestigious national competition, the FA Sunday Cup, took place. Focusing on the London sides who started their journey in this season’s FA Sunday Cup, and the Highgate Albion versus East London Ballers first round tie at Haringey Borough, proved to be a very interesting game. Last season’s semi-finalists went 2-0 up in north London against the legendary Barnet Sunday League team, before Highgate Albion came back, making the scores 2-2. On to penalties the tie went, and in an eventful penalty shootout, it was East London Ballers who came out on top, thanks in part to the goalkeeping heroics of Raven Consta, as the east London side won 3-2 on penalties.
Now there was an interesting scheduled first round tie between Hatch Lane United (Hackney & Leyton Sunday Football League) and Trabzonspor UK (Barnet Sunday League), but Hatch Lane would withdraw from the competition, meaning that Trabzonspor would be awarded the bye into round two of this national competition. The same thing happened before the first round tie of the Clapham Rovers versus BN Dons game, with the Sussex side being awarded the bye into round two. However, it was a successful afternoon on Sunday for Hackney & Leyton Sunday Football League side Baddoo FC, at Aveley FC. As they impressively won their first round tie against AC Milano, 2-0. They are now the sole Hackney & Leyton Sunday Football League side remaining in the FA Sunday Cup, after Boundary Estate lost their home tie with Hatcham, 8-3.
Baiteze Squad, of the Essex Sunday Corinthian Football League, beat Hertfordshire based side FC Broxbourne 5-2. And, Broadfields United Sundays (they recently joined the Watford Sunday League) won their first round tie against Cassiobury Rangers 5-2, at Tithe Farm. There were also wins for two strong sides in the North Surrey & Middlesex Border Football League, in Bedfont Sundays and Shire United respectively. However, in an all south London first round tie between Jam and Greenwich Park Rangers, it was the visiting side who progressed into the next round with a 1-0 away win last Sunday. I’ll be writing another piece previewing the London sides who will be playing in round two of the FA Sunday Cup next month, with there being some great draws in that round.
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