So Monday evening saw me at my first ESL game of the season for a top of the table clash between Barkingside and Takeley at Cricklefield Stadium in Seven Kings, Ilford.
Both sides have begun the season well and so this was billed as a potentially decent contest between two strong sides. Side had recovered well after a thrashing on the opening day of the season to sit fifth in the table whilst Takeley had four wins from five and sat top of the pile.
The hosts came into this one though off the back of a 7-2 mauling at Haringey Borough in the FA Cupon Saturday and their defensive frailties showed immediately from the off as barely thirty seconds into the contest Charlie Cole found himself clean through on goal and he duly lifted an effort beyond Sam Roach and gave Takeley an ideal start.
Side though to their credit regrouped and saw midfielder George Lutaaya strike the outside of the post from range on ten minutes and six minutes later they went one better, seeing skipper Paul Wrightcurl a delightful effort beyond Ronnie Yates into the top corner of the net and bring the hosts level.
The visitors, after making such a good start, had dropped considerably and it was the hosts who nearly scored again when Jason Fontaine almost got onto a ball into the box but visiting keeper Yates just managed to get to the ball first and end any danger. It was most certainly a game where their was no quarter given though in what was a tough battle out there as the teams reached the half time break all square.
Half Time Barkingside 1 Takeley 1
Takeley began the second half like they did the first, strongly, and almost netted in the first minute of the second half when Paul Tiffin had a sight of goal but hit his effort straight at Roach. But three minutes into the half the visitors did retake the lead after more defensive woes from the hosts, as after keeper and defender miscommunication, Tiffin had the simple job of sliding the ball into the empty net and give the visitors the advantage once again.
This would of no doubt frustrated hosts boss Gus Gulfer whose side had done so well in the first half to fight back after such a poor start, only to concede such a sloppy goal so quickly after the restart.
However right now his team were well on the back foot as the visitors looked likely to add to their lead and saw a Cole effort at goal saved by the legs of Roach before another hosts defensive lapse saw keeper and defender collide and leave the goal open but sadly for the visitors Cole could only hit his effort wide of the target in what was a huge let off for the hosts.
However whilst the game was still 2-1 the hosts were never out of the contest but they had not tested the Takeley keeper Yates at all in this second period although as the game entered the final fifteen minutes they were at least trying to probe the visiting back line.
The hosts though were not having things their own way as Takeley looked relatively comfortable with what was coming their way and frustrations almost boiled over when Side forward Luke With got into an altercation with Takeley defender Jack Leachman which ended with a booking a piece, but it was clear the hosts were cutting a frustrated figure.
Takeley had another chance to seal the points with five minutes left when Mitchell Das got in down the left but he could only slice his effort wide of the target and saw the Takeley winger hold his head in his hands as he knew they had passed up another opportunity.
The hosts gave it one last push in stoppage time and saw a corner into the visitors box cause a slight scramble and end with Lutaaya drag an effort well wide. You may have been forgiven that would be that, but five minutes into stoppage time Takeley gave away a silly free kick right on the edge of the box and Wright stepped up to smash the free kick beyond Yates into the top corner and rescue a point for his side.
Takeley would of no doubt rued those missed chances in the second half although the point does take them four points clear at the top whilst for Barkingside this is definitely a point gained and takes them up to third spot in the division.
Full Time Barkingside 2 Takeley 2
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