Chingford RFC travelled to Barking to play in the final of the Essex Senior Cup. With hordes of supporters coming of over to Barking it felt more like a home game for the Chingford team, and the cheers certainly spurned on the Waltham Way boys.  Barking took an early 8 point lead with a try and then a penalty in the first 10 minutes, before Chingford had really touched the ball, but then they did. Captain Jeynes rallied his troops and they responded instantly, after good work by Bolton-Smith, who had his best game of the season, the ball found it way out to Luke Campbell who came into the line at speed to score Chingford's first of the day. Forward converted, and the visitors were only a point behind.

Within 5 minutes Chingford had taken the lead, when it was Forward who skipped his way past numerous defenders to register his first try of the day, that he also converted, before Forward again added the points with a well struck penalty. Barking 8 Chingford 17, was David about to slay Goliath? Barking then did add a try of their own, before Jan Bonney put in a delicate chip for Campbell to dive over for his second of the day, but Forward missed with the conversion, and the half-time score read Barking 13 Chingford 22. 

With Chingford's Coach Stefan Smith talking to his players at half-time he pinpointed areas that the visitors needed to improve on against their semi professional opponents, but also pointed out that they were 9 points ahead, in a game that they could win.  Chingford made changes replacing the revelation of the season Billy Raby with Andrew Grounds and John Paine with Kieran Bowling, but it was not long before Raby returned to the field after Grounds was sent to the sin bin. Barking started to claw back points with penalty and then a further penalty, and  Chingford were now only 3 points ahead. With Hoad and Gavan looking immense both in defence and attack, ably supported by hooker Hastings, who was making the Barking scrum- half's life an absolute nightmare, Chingford were fighting for every inch.

With Barking starting to look tired they resorted to a kicking game, knowing that their pacy backs would not get through the solid defence of Lawson, Pask and Knight, but it was Chingford who threw away 2 clear opportunities to score when the referee decided that the offence of crossing had taken place. Bowling was now sent to the sin-bin and once again Chingford were down to 14 men, but the visitors continued to believe. With Chingford's scrum now destroying their more illustrious opponents Declan Bird was having an awesome game, and with Aussie Mick Lee stealing important line-out balls Chingford were looking the much better side. Barking were lucky and they were rewarded with a penalty just prior to full time that they converted and all was square at 22 points all. So extra time was to be played.

Within minutes of the start of extra time, Barking scored that all important try, but could not convert it, and held a 5 point lead. With Tom Childs now on replacing Knight, and Mat Frost replacing Lee, Chingford had 10 minutes to win the final.  The excitement was noticeable all the way around the park, and it was the visitors that were pushing for that all important score. With only 4 minutes left on the clock, the ball was spun wide with Jeynes passing out to Hoad, who found hooker Hastings out-wide, who used all his skill and strength to push off his opponent to score a amazing try.

All square with the conversion to come, and Forward did not disappoint, Chingford were now 2 points ahead with 3 minutes to go. To add the icing to the cake, Chingford managed 1 more try when Forward skipped his way through tired tackles, to score under the posts, convert it, and seal a famous "under dog" victory against a side of semi professional players who are 2 leagues above Chingford.

After the game, once the cup had been presented to Chingford's Captain Ben Jeynes, Chingford's coach Stefan Smith said "I have won leagues and cups before back in New Zealand, but today was the most satisfying, after the season that we have had in the league. We have beaten every team in Essex this year, Westcliff, Manor, Woodford, Southend and now Barking, so we can safely say we are Essex champions. The best bit of coaching is seeing the elation on the faces of the players after the game, well done everyone who was out there today. With our 2nd XV winning both their Cup and league on Saturday what a good way to end the season at Chingford"