Monday evening saw me at Cricklefields for a Ryman North clash between Barkingside andThamesmead Town on a clear dry evening in Seven Kings.
The hosts had shipped plenty of goals in recent weeks and came up against a side who were currently mid table who possessed enough weapons to test the hosts fragile defence once more.
However it was the struggling hosts who took the game to their opponents from the off and straight from kick off they had a decent effort at goal from Jonathan Azengo from outside the box but his effort was saved but it was a good positive start nonetheless. On five minutes the hosts really should of been rewarded for their positive beginning when a ball flicked towards goal by the giant frame of Luke With found Azengo yards out in front of goal but he somehow lifted his effort over the bar.
These early missed opportunities came back to haunt the hosts as with their first attack of note the visitors took the lead on 13 minutes when a defensive slip allowed Tyrus Gordon-Young to ghost into the box and slide home. The hosts had had all the play so far but one defensive lapse had cost them dear. Barkingside 0 Thamesmead Town 1.
Side continued to attack and moments after going behind saw another effort cleared off the line and then on 17 minutes they saw another chance go begging as they lifted an effort over from a great position inside the box. It was almost inevitable therefore that on 20 minutes the visitors were to double their lead with only their second shot on goal although again it was from more abject defending from the hosts, an Achilles heal of their season so far, that saw a ball into the box eventually fall to Paul Vines who had the simplest of chances to slot the ball home. How Mead were two goals was anyone’s guess but they had been clinical unlike their opponents in front of goal.Barkingside 0 Thamesmead Town 2.
Side continued to press for a goal though and midway through the half another ball into the Mead box found With who took a touch but could then only drag his effort wide from twelve yards but two minutes later they were given a lifeline when a good run by Azengo was ended by a foul inside the box and a penalty was awarded to the hosts and With duly stepped up and slotted home to reduce the arrears, the least Side had deserved so far. Barkingside 1 Thamesmead Town 2.
However as useful as the hosts looked going forward, they were totally the opposite at the back, and just past the half hour mark more poor defending allowed a cross into the box were Vines had all the time in the world to head home totally unmarked and restore the visitors two goal lead once again. It had been a clinical performance from Thamesmead going forward, three attempts and three goals told you that, as they had punished Side’s defensive woes to the maximum. Barkingside 1 Thamesmead Town 3.
This third goal seemed to effect the hosts confidence and four minutes before the break should of gone further behind as Mead broke the offside trap as Side’s defence were all over the place again but this time the keeper made a super double save before the defence struggled to clear but just about did and then moments later Thamesmead were in again but Gordon-Young could only lift over the bar.
However a minute before the break it would be third time lucky for the visitors as an ever increasing fragile hosts back line were breached again and saw a simple ball over the top find Vines who calming strode into the box and slot home for his hat-trick and Mead’s fourth in an incredible first half at Cricklefields. Barkingside 1 Thamesmead Town 4.
The hosts had looked useful going forward and had missed chances but were abysmal at the back and paid a heavy price for that as their clinical opponents made them pay heavliy.
Half Time Barkingside 1 Thamesmead Town 4
The second period started much quieter and saw a visitors free kick whipped over the bar six minutes into the half but three minutes later the hosts proved wasteful in front of goal yet again as they got down the left hand side but cross into the six yard box was cleared ahead of With from right in front of goal and then from the resulting corner the hosts saw a close range effort cleared off the line by visitors. Moments later guess what, the visitors scored a fifth, getting in behind the visitors again with ease and saw the ball squared to Gordon-Young who smashed home from barely a yard out.Barkingside 1 Thamesmead Town 5.
To be fair to the hosts they continued to battle for the cause when many would have just folded completely although they always looked vulnerable at the back and on the hour mark a good move from Mead saw a volley at goal fielded well by the hosts keeper and then with twenty minutes remaining a great run in behind by Gordon-Young saw his eventual effort well blocked as the visiting forward sought his hat-trick too.
In between these Thamesmead chances the hosts had done most of the pressing and with just under twenty minutes to go were given another spot kick when Michael Spencer drove into the box and was upended from behind although in doing so poked the ball past the keeper although the referee had already given the spot kick, much to Side’s annoyance. Luckily for the hosts With stepped up and dispatched the penalty with aplomb and reduced the arrears to three goals. Barkingside 2 Thamesmead Town 5.
With just under ten minutes to go the hosts saw another wasteful finish as With struck an effort well wide but as I had said previously the second half had seen the hosts with plenty of the ball and assert a lot of pressure on the visitors defence but a combination of wasteful finishing and good defending made sure the hosts couldn’t reduce the Thamesmead lead further still.
Side had one more opportunity as we entered stoppage time when With got in for the hosts, turned back onto his left foot but saw his hat trick goal denied by a good save. Soon after this the referee blew for full time and Thamesmead had run out winners by five goals to two.
Full Time Barkingside 2 Thamesmead Town 5
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