Preliminary Round (by 26th September 2009)
A - Woodbridge 0-2 St Bonaventure’s
B - All Saints 4-3 West Hatch
C - King John 1-5 Westcliff
D - Moulsham 0-2 Shoeburyness
E - Anglo European 3-0 Saffron Walden
F - Davenant W-L Warren
G - Trinity 9-0 Eastbrook
H - Great Baddow 3-2 William de Ferrers
I - Boswells 4-5 Southend
J - KEGS W-L St Mark’s
K - Brentwood School W-L St Martin’s
L - Jo Richardson 1-2 Sawyers Hall
M - Chelmer Valley L-W Maltings Academy
N - Coopers Coborn 4-1 Shenfield
O - Ilford County High L-W Walthamstow Academy
Round One (by 17th October 2009)
1 - St Bonaventure's 0-0 All Saints (aet, St Bonaventure's on pens)
2 - Eastbury 1-2 Forest
3 - Westcliff 7-0 Shoeburyness
4 - Cecil Jones 1-4 Anglo European
5 - Davenant W-L Dagenham Park
6 - Trinity 5-2 Great Baddow
7 - Caterham 1-3 Southend
8 - Chadwell Heath 0-1 Barking Abbey
9 - KEGS 6-0 Rushcroft
10 - St Edward’s 0-2 Brentwood School
11 - Robert Clack W-L Chingford
12 - Sawyers Hall 3-6 Beal
13 - Maltings Academy 3-6 Highams Park
14 - Plume W-L Notley
15 - Colne 3-1 Coopers Coborn
16 - Walthamstow Academy 0-4 Billericay
Round Two (by 21st November 2009)
17 - St Bonaventure's 0-3 Forest
18 - Westcliff 3-2 Anglo European
19 - Davenant 1-1 Trinity (aet, 3-4 pens)
20 - Southend 2-7 Barking Abbey
21 - KEGS 0-4 Brentwood School
22 - Robert Clack 2-1 Beal
23 - Highams Park 4-3 Plume
24 - Colne 1-1 Billericay (Colne on pens)
Quarter-Finals (by 30th January 2010)
25 - Forest W-L Westcliff
26 - Trinity 1-5 Barking Abbey
27 - Brentwood School 2-1 Robert Clack
28 - Highams Park 3-1 Colne
Semi-Finals (by 6th March 2010)
29 - Forest 0-2 Barking Abbey
30 - Brentwood School 3-4 Highams Park (aet)
Final (Thurs 22nd April at Wadham Lodge FC, 5:00pm)
31 - Barking Abbey 0-1 Highams Park
Having not played together for over a month, Highams Park found that for the first 20 minutes they felt outclassed by a very fit, highly-disciplined Academy team. Gradually, however, they started to play as a team, getting more of the ball, and with the half-time score still level at 0-0 Highams Park felt more confident about their chances.
The brilliance of goalkeeper Joe Harris kept them in the game in the first half with three outstanding saves and the second period started much the same, with both midfields battling to take control. Captain Stephen Townsend and Robert Stapleton were locked in a crucial contest with the two International central midfielders for Barking Abbey. Everyone in the Highams Park side was showing a lot of passion and gave 100% as Barking Abbey grew frustrated and started to make errors in midfield.
The breakthrough came on 75 minutes when a weak clearance from the Barking goalkeeper was intercepted by centre-back Stuart Gellatly who passed to Myles Alcindor-Kenny on the right. He fed Robert Stapleton who played a high through pass over the Barking Abbey defence for Townsend to run on to from midfield.
Finding himself one-on-one with the Barking ‘keeper who saved his first shot, the ball then came back to the skipper and he kept his cool to place it under the ‘keeper and into the back of the net. Abbey then pressed and tried to get a goal back in the last 15 minutes but Highams Park kept hold of their lead to claim victory.
Highams Park: Joe Harris, Myles Alcindor-Kenny, Stuart Gellatly, Ricky Taylor, Aldo Bregu, Eric Kelly, Stephen Townsend (C), Robert Stapleton, Arron Watson-McNab, Stefan Adams, Sam Hollis. Substitutes: Josh Kelly, Scott Hill, Leon Coker, Jerome Tuitt.