Frenford 4 Barkingside 1

Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South, Monday 28th September 2020 

The start of a new week and another football game, and it was a Monday evening trip to Redbridge/Ilford and The Drive for Frenford Vs Barkingside in a Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South local derby on a cool but clear night.

Hosts Frenford came into this off the back of a resounding 4-0 success at home on Saturday against an off colour Coggeshall United, a result which meant a win in this one against their local rivals would see them go two points clear at the top, albeit having played a game more and after just a few weeks of the campaign.  Still it’s nice isn’t it!!!

Side came into this one having narrowly lost to White Ensign at Burroughs Park and had lost three of their opening four fixtures, not the start they were looking for so they knew a result here against a very good Frenford side, who in turn had won three of their opening four games, could really kick start their season.

A healthy turnout was there to watch this one too, must have been close to a three figure crowd, so this was good for the hosts who could earn some much needed cash from this one, although to begin with this one began rather slowly for a derby it has to be said.

The opening twenty minutes or so saw efforts for both, albeit way off target, but in the 25^th minute the visitors struck in brilliant fashion as James Peagram, duel signed along with Essex Senior League high flyers Stansted, rolled his marker brilliantly to get into the box and thump a brilliant finish in off the crossbar, and Side had something to build on perhaps.

Well, the lead lasted just eleven minutes as Frenford grabbed a leveller when after superb Crossfield ball released full back Conor Duffy into the box on the left hand side, he smashed a left footed ball across goal and Dylan Jones came sliding in at the far post to emphatically convert, and it meant the half, which has been very well competed but in a fair and sporting way, ended all square.

Half Time Frenford 1 Barkingside 1

The game really took off in the second period but apart from one poor challenge on the wing by a visiting defender, which resulted in a yellow card, their weren’t many hard and tough challenges to write home about as both teams competed well but again in a fare manor.

And it was quite an attacking second period too, with the game becoming rather end to end with both sides looking to cause each other’s backlines so problems.  The hosts nodded a chance wide and also forced Side stopper Duncan Smith into a decent save, whilst Side had a very good chance when getting in behind the defence but from an angle could only drag well wide.

The game was very much in the balance up until twenty minutes from time and you could argue a case for either side finding a winner, but then came a moment of magic from Frenford’s Harry Daly who struck home a brilliant long range effort which thumped in off the bar, and the hosts had edged ahead with twenty to play.

This then began a ten minute spell which saw the hosts pull away from their opponents to end up winning the game comfortably, firstly making it three when terrific work by substitute Kieran Chidozie saw him drive to the byline and thump a low ball right across goal where Rhys Fatt was waiting to tap home at the far post in the 77^th minute.

And secondly it was four two minutes later when the superb Ifeanyi Umeh drilled a brilliant left footed shot across keeper Smith and into the far corner, and the visitors were now suddenly staring a heavy defeat right in the face.

Side did their upmost to grab a goal to try and make the last few minutes interesting perhaps, but substitute Reece Simpson saw two efforts well blocked by the Frenford defence as they battled hard to maintain that three goal cushion.

And referee King, who had a decent game in all honestly, blew for full time and the hosts had their fourth win in five league outings, and top spot for now, whilst Side have now lost four out of five and will be hoping their luck changes soon enough.  For seventy minutes it was a pretty even contest, but the visitors fell apart for ten minutes and it cost them dear as the hosts took advantage of that lapse in a ruthless ten minutes spell.

Full Time Frenford 4 Barkingside 1