Double Header at the Clack sees wins for Barking and Wingate & Finchley

Pre Season, Saturday 16th July 2016

So my latest Pre Season schedule took me to Dagenham and the Robert Clack SchoolLeisure Centre and the lovely 3G facility at the centre. It was a double header as two ESLsides continued their build up to the season,which is now only two weeks away.

Barking were first up at 12:15 against Essex Olympian Premier Division winners from last seasonKelvedon Hatch. Following that it was London Bari’s turn to take to the pitch against Ryman League side Wingate & Finchley at 16:15. It would no doubt be a tough test for either side,especially for Barking as they kicked off in the midday heat. Anyway here is what happened in those encounters:-

Game One 
Kelvedon Hatch 2 Barking 6
The Blues hit six on the 3G at the Robert Clack School Leisure Centre against last seasons Olympian Premier champions Kelvedon Hatch in scorching conditions in Dagenham.

After the Blues had missed an early chance the Olympian side stuck on two minutes when a simple ball in behind the Barking back line saw Hatch run onto it and smash home for an early advantage.

The Blues though continued to be dangerous going forward and on nine minutes found an equaliser when James Peagram got in after a good pass and smashed his effort past the keeper. And then within a minute of the leveller the ESL side struck again when John Bricknellfired a brilliant shot home from the edge of the box left footed into the bottom corner.

It had been a frantic start to this encounter and it was Barking who were creating the bulk of the chances although Hatch did hit the bar from range after sloppy play from the Blues. However going forward they were causing the Hatch defence all kinds of problems and it was no surprise when they increased their lead on 21 minutes when Peagram again was played in and after beating the offside trap beat the keeper easily for Barkings third. Cue a drinks break due to the very hot weather.

If their was one weakness in the Barking side it was their defending, as they were missing some key defenders for this one, and just past the half hour mark Hatch grabbed one back as the Blues defence went to sleep again and allowed Hatch in to slot home past an exposed keeper.

Barking though did get through to the break ahead and although they had created lots of openings, sloppy play at the back had allowed the Olympian side to keep it close and have their own chances.

Half Time Kelvedon Hatch 2 Barking 3

Hatch initially threatened at the start of the second period, getting in behind the Blues back line on a couple of occasions. But they failed to make anything of these openings and thereafter the Blues took over the contest and just before the hour, Patrick Elbi, who had missed a sitter moments before, made it four for the Blues when he ran onto a ball through from Steve Willisand slotted home with aplomb.

Barely two minutes later they had a fifth when the ever influential Ben O’Brien powered home a header at the back post from a corner giving the Hatch keeper absolutely no chance at all.

Midway through the half came another water break, which was much needed for players and spectators as it was a scorching day indeed. Barking should of been further in front but lead 5-2 with around twenty minutes left.

But with just under fifteen minutes left the Blues did get a sixth as a good move ended withBricknell flicking home with the outside of his right boot to net his second of the game.

Thereafter the Blues could of scored many more as Hatch looked a beaten side but somehow the scoreline stayed the same after some pretty guilt edged chances went begging for the ESL outfit, however they ran out convincing winners in the end with six goals to show for it.

Full Time Kelvedon Hatch 2 Barking 6

After a two and a bit hour break, which allowed me to pop round the corner and have a nice meal in a local cafe, I was back for the late afternoon contest and here is how that one went:-

Game Two
London Bari 2 Wingate & Finchley 3
A battling Bari side went down to a narrow defeat against Ryman Side Wingate & Finchley on the 3G at Robert Clack.

The game was delayed by fifteen minutes until 16:30 and it wasn’t long before the first goal arrived as in the 4th minute Wingate took the lead as a ball over the top found the pacey Reece Beccles who nipped the ball past the oncoming keeper and saw the ball trickle over the line.

In all honesty though the first ten minutes were all played up the other end as despite the goal Wingate were being pegged back and saw Bari create four good chances including one which came back off the inside of the post.

However on 12 minutes Wingate doubled their advantage when Rob Hastings produced a terrific finish from twenty yards out with the outside of the boot as the Ryman side showed their clinical touch in front of goal, unlike their opponents who had squandered theirs.

As the game reached the half hour mark Wingate began to see more of the ball and still held a 2-0 lead although this was largely down to Bari’s wastefulness in front of goal in the first twenty minutes or so.

However with two minutes of the half to go Bari finally found the net when a through ball saw them round the keeper and slot home for a deserved goal and meant the ESL outfit only trailed by a goal going into the break.

Half Time London Bari 1 Wingate & Finchley 2

Bari were given clear instructions on the sidelines during the break but these went our of the window two minutes into the second half as Wingate re established their two goal advantage as Beckles broke the offside trap to slot home his second of the game.

As the game reached its hour mark Wingate had had a couple of good chances to add to their’s lead but failed to convert either of those chances although they still held a 3-1 lead.

Bari had rarely threatened the Ryman sides goal in the second half although with fifteen minutes left they had a decent penalty shout for handball although it looked more ball to hand, but apart from this Wingate look fairly comfortable with their two goal cushion.

However the ESL side began to assert some pressure on the Wingate side for the first time in the half and saw a decent penalty shout turned down yet again and also saw a ball flashed across the six yard box as they looked for a second goal and a route back into the contest.

And with a minute left Bari scored a great goal after good one touch passing saw the ball played into the box and fired first time beyond the keeper. Bari had certainly upped the tempo towards the end of the game but soon after the battling ESL side heard the final whistle and had fallen to a narrow loss against a decent Wingate side in what was another entertaining game of football.

Full Time London Bari 2 Wingate & Finchley 3