Barking 3 Felixstowe & Walton United 1 (aet)

The Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay, Tuesday 18th August 2015

I was at Mayesbrook Park for an FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay between Barkingof the ESL and Felixstowe & Walton United of the Thurlow Nunn.

Both sides had shared a 1-1 draw on Saturday in the original tie in which Barking had deserved to win by all accounts so they would have gone into this replay full of confidence of progressing through to the next round.

However the visitors weren’t here to just make up the numbers and carved out the first real sniff at goal on 9 minutes as they almost converted at the near post through Smy but he saw his effort blocked before it was eventually scrambled away. Five minutes later Stowe’s tricky winger Powell whipped a free kick over Barking’s crossbar and then moments later Wright headed inches wide as the visitors continued to have the better of game.

The Blues could barely get out their own half and on 19 minutes Powell again tested the Barking goal with another free kick which almost caught out keeper Willis but he managed to backpedal and palm the ball away from danger. Midway through the half Powell was involved again as he stole the ball from Foster as the Barking full back tried to let the ball run out for a throw in and Powell’s square ball eventually found Wright who squirmed a shot wide.

The Blues had hardly threatened the Felixstowe goal but just before the hour mark they had a sniff after a poor defensive header found winger Creed his square ball to Staunton found him with a sight of goal from distance but he hit his effort miles off target which kind of summed up the hosts performance thus far. A minute later and Barking attacked again as a through ball found the pacey Mtyanda who knocked the ball wide with the keeper coming out to pressure him.

A minute after this Barking’s O’Brien flicked a header towards goal from a long throw which was saved by keeper Crump as the home side finally were putting some pressure on the visitors. Barking’s attacking threat rescinded though and it was the visitors who threatened again three minutes before the break when a great free kick into the Blues box was somehow volleyed wide by Smy when he should of put his side ahead. It was a big miss and meant the sides went into the break level although the visitors should of been in front for sure.

Half Time: Barking 0 Felixstowe & Walton United 0

With Barking manager O’Shea’s voice no doubt ringing in his players ears after that abject first half showing they soon stepped up their attacking threat and five minutes into the half a Blues corner was punched out to Staunton whose effort was drilled way over into the car park behind in what was another poor effort and then two minutes later a Stowe player fell over the ball allowing Mtyanda to run at goal but his effort went well wide as he was pressured of the ball.

Barking were now really putting Felixstowe’s defender’s under some serious pressure though as they had their opponents pinned back for the first time in the match. However the visitors were still dangerous when they came forward and just before the hour mark Powell got in behind the Barking defence but slices his left footed effort wide whilst under pressure from his marker.

Barking though were the team pressing as said before and just past the hour the hosts sprung forward and Creed’s deflected effort went inches over the bar as some of the crowd thought it was in but it wasn’t much to the visitors relief. Five minutes later on 67 minutes though the hosts did take the lead. Billy Reynolds, who had literally come on as a substitute seconds earlier, sent a left footed corner into the area which found Tobi Adesina who sent a downward header past Crump and give the Blues the lead. Barking 1 F&W 0.

The visitors needed to find a goal in the next twenty or so minutes to stay in the Cup and n 72 minutes they attacked down the left trough Ainsley whose cross forced a desperate clearance from the hosts and from the resulting corner Willis had to make a smart save from a header showing that Stowe were definitely not out of this tie by any means. Blues could of finished the tie moments later when a Blues break down the left through Adesina saw him cut inside but balloon his effort miles wide.

With just over ten minutes left came a comical moment when the referee went over to book Barking’s centre half Rix for time wasting and duly showed a yellow followed by a red, thinking he had already booked the Blues defender. However after a quick natter with his assistant he changed his decision and just booked him as he hadn’t already been booked!!!Moments later Adesina should of sealed the the when he found himself through on goal but Crump saved and then saw O’Brien’s effort blocked as the visitors battled to stay in the tie.

With a minute of the ninety left a great run by hosts forward Mtyanda ended with the worst dive i’ve ever seen. It was laughable but no punishment was dished out and the game played on. Then a minute into stoppage time Mtyanda was shown a red card for a poor challenge and from this free kick ball was eventually headed over line by Reece Barber (I think!!!) for a late late leveller and suddenly we were facing extra time. Barking 1 F&W 1.

Full Time: Barking 1 Felixstowe & Walton United 1

Both teams had chances in the first period of extra time but the Blues re took the lead two minutes into the second period of extra time when a Reynolds free kick found Tobi Adesina unmarked inside the box and he headed past a stranded Crump and the ten men were ahead. Barking 2 F&W 1.

The last few minutes saw almost constant pressure from the visitors as they looked to force an equaliser which would take the tie into penalties, including the keeper coming up to try and add an extra body to proceedings. This of course left the visitors totally exposed at the back and with 120 minutes up on the clock Barking broke out and with the keeper trying in vain to get back in his goalEden Nelson calmly slotted into the empty net and seal the tie for the ESL side.  Barking 3 F&W 1.

It had been hard work but Barking had got through to play Haringey Borough in the next round a week on Saturday. It was hard on Felixstowe & Walton United though who had more than played their part in this tie.

Full Time (aet) Barking 3 Felixstowe & Walton United 1

Barking 1.Willis 2.Ling 3.Foster 4.Rix 5. Golby 6.O’Brien 7.Odedoyen 8.Staunton 9.Adesina 10.Mtyanda 11.Creed
Subs 12.Barlow 14.Turner 15.Reynolds 16.Nelson 17.Killingback

Felixstowe & Walton United 1.Crump 2.Sheppard 3.Ainsley 4.Wiggins 5.Barber 6.Driver 7.Taylor 8.Matthews 9.Wright 10.Smy 11.Powell
Subs 12.Field 14.Dew 15.Schaar 16.Kerridge 17.Bennett