Monday night football for the current week saw me over at the Mile End Stadium for an ESL clash between Tower Hamlets and Barkingside.
The hosts were looking to try and put a three games loosing streak behind them whilst the visitors were looking to make it back to back league wins after victory at Clapton at the weekend.
The hosts began the better though and on three minutes went close to taking lead as a long range effort skipped up off the wet surface, bounced off keeper Jack Francis in goal, but was alert enough to tip over the follow up effort from Ruben Junior.
However a minute later the hosts did take the lead as after the visitors failed to clear a corner kick, Rahim Adama Bamba netted from close range and give the home side an early advantage.
The goal seemed to wake Barkingside up though and immediately from the restart almost got in but saw host keeper Jean Manata just gets to ball first before the lurking visiting attack nipped in to surely score.
On eleven minutes good football from the visitors saw Jason Fontaine in on goal but his effort forced a good save from Manata but on the quarter hour mark the away side found an equaliser as a ball squared to Marvin Birch saw the midfielder side foot home from twelve yards and see the game all square.
The visitors continued to attack and midway through the half went close as two efforts were blocked inside the box but just past the half hour mark it was the hosts who so nearly retook the lead as Jairo Pedro cracked an effort against the bar before moments later the visitors should of taken the lead when Adam Ademilya got through on goal but keeper Manata saved again.
And then with just over ten minutes of the half left Barkingside should of taken the lead when they were awarded a penalty following a handball inside the box, but David Laird saw his spot kick tipped onto the post by Manata to keep the scoreline at 1-1. But it only stayed this way for a further two minutes as Side did manage to take the lead as Fontaine burst through to eventually loft the ball over a stranded Manata and into the net.
The hosts almost struck back with seven minutes of the half to go when Junior nipped in but saw his effort go just over and this meant the visitors went into the break a goal up on their opponents.
Half Time Tower Hamlets 1 Barkingside 2
The opening exchanges of the second period saw little in the way of goalmouth action with the best moment in the first ten minutes of the second period seeing Sides Luke With with a sight of goal but he totally missed his kick and then on 56 minutes and with Hamlets now putting some pressure on the visitors defence, O’Neal Rowe struck over the bar.
Just beyond the hour mark a Hamlets free kick was flicked towards goal but Francis fielded well and then two minutes later the visitors somehow spurned another chance when Laird got in on goal but lifted his effort wide of the far post.
With twenty minutes remaining the visitors went oh so close again as a cross was so nearly put into his own net by Sergio Sheymz at the back post before moments later With saw an effort tipped wide by Manata who almost made a right mess of a fairly ordinary effort, before the resulting corner found Augustus Ruzgas whose drilled effort was saved by Manata.
But with just over fifteen minutes to go Barkingside finally sealed the deal and grabbed a two goal cushion as the superb Fontaine grabbed his second as after getting through and rounding Manata, he composed himself before slotting into the far corner to put Side on their way to victory.
Hamlets tried to respond five minutes later but saw Samuel Olanipekun strike his effort over before the visitors missed another opportunity eight minutes from time as a free kick swung in by skipper Paul Wright somehow invaded everyone in the box.
With three minutes remaining and with Hamlets frustrations boiling over, teammates Lukman Atunda and Rowe came together in the middle of the park and had to be separated, resulting in a booking for each. It certainly wasn’t what the hosts were looking for as they were heading for four straight defeats.
There was just time for Laird to spurn another chance for Side, getting in again but seeing keeper Manata saves down to his right but it mattered not as the away side came away with a well earned three points, taking them up three places to eighth, whilst Hamlets remain down in eighteenth.
Full Time Tower Hamlets 1 Barkingside 3
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