Barkingside fought
back from two goals down to earn a point against Leyton Athletic in the big
bottom two clash in the Essex Senior League Premier Division at Cricklefield.
Side came into this one off the back of three straight wins
in all competitions without conceding a goal, this after having gone the whole
season without a win, meaning that a fourth win on the bounce would take them
level with their opponents at the foot of the table.
But a win for Leyton would of seen them open up a six point
lead over their hosts, so it really was a big game for both sides who also knew
three points could take them closer to the teams above them.
Both teams had early efforts, the visitors thumping one over
from range whilst the hosts sliced wide after a cut-back had found them in a
decent position, but in the 20th minute came the breakthrough, and
it was the visitors who found it.
A ball forward saw full-back David Ottley get ahead of his
marker, but as keeper Ryan Karrar came to accept a header back, Ottley failed
to head it back and allowed Rijorn Tuitt in to put the ball into the unguarded
net.
It was frustrating for the hosts as they had done ok apart
from that defensive error, as prior to going behind they had struck a long-range
effort wide, and then after going behind only a brilliant defensive block
thwarted what would have probably been an equaliser.
The visitors then truck one over from range before they
doubled their lead in this one when after the visitor’s defence had failed to
clear their lines, the ball fell to Abdul Bangura who lashed an effort into the
bottom corner and saw the visitors into a very decent position in this contest.
It was almost three moments later as Karrar had to beat away
an effort before clawing the ball away from danger before the visitors could
pounce on any rebound, but the hosts were in danger of falling apart here and
the natives were more than restless.
And with three minutes of the half remaining the visitors
won a penalty after Karrar had adjudged to have fouled Tuitt, resulting in a
booking for the experienced keeper, but Tuitt sent the spot-kick over the bar
and it stayed at 2-0 to the visitors.
Had it gone 3-0 the game was over in my view, but instead
Side would go into the break only a goal behind as they netted soon after that
penalty miss when Joe Oates rifled home and it was very much game on once
again.
Half Time Barkingside
1 Leyton Athletic 2
Both teams created early chances in the second period,
Karrar saving a visitor’s effort down to his right before the hosts saw an
effort off target down the other end, but in the 63rd minute the
hosts levelled up this contest when after the visitors had sent a free-kick
wide, the hosts went up the other end and saw Harry Matthews prod home from
close range.
Side now felt they could maybe go on and win this now and
they should of gone in front but saw a close range effort somehow kept out by
visiting keeper Callum Lynskey who stuck up an arm to send the ball wide for a
corner, and from that corner saw a resulting scramble that was just about
cleared.
Leyton then saw a decent cross just to far behind them and
as a result the header could not be directed at goal, before down the other end
a spectacular effort was well fielded by Lynskey, and this contest went into
the final minutes still all square.
It was Side who were pushing for a winner late on though,
and they nearly found it when a cross looped onto the bar before the rebound
was struck way over, and that was that and this brilliant contest ended all
square, meaning it was as you were in the bottom two of the division.
Full Time Barkingside
2 Leyton Athletic 2
No comments:
Post a Comment