Newbury Forest 1 Barkingside 4

Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South, Monday 12th October 2020 

Start of a new week and Monday night I was over at a very soggy Oakside to see Newbury Forest host Barkingside in a Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South contest, and it saw the visitors net four in an impressive display to end the hosts unbeaten start to the season.

Forest had surprised all but themselves so far this campaign, having won four out of five in the league (four straight wins) and had got through two FA Vase ties as well, one of those against the league leaders Frenford on their own patch as well, so they were having a marvellous start to the campaign.

Side on the other hand had lost four of their five league games, and had also lost their only FA Vase tie of the season too at home to Coggeshall United, however three of those four defeats had only been by one goal against three of the big boys in the division, so there was much to be positive about for the visitors despite results not going their way.

One weird side story to this was the fact Barkingside were playing away in……yes you guessed it…..Barkingside, as Oakside used to be the home of the visitors for sometime until they left a few seasons ago and were replaced by Forest as tenants of Redbridge, so they knew this pitch well.

Conditions were pretty awful, rain was forecast to fall for much of the evening, and indeed it was and the pitch was sodden and very heavy, so both teams knew this would be a tough one both against each other and also against mother nature and keeping your footing etc.  All I will say is I am glad there is a covered stand at Oakside!!!

Who would adapt to the conditions the better then?  Well Side began the better and probably should of led early on but missed a couple of good opportunities, Forest then responded and had a spell of pressure themselves, forcing a save from Duncan Smith on one occasion and striking the bar with another effort, the closest they would come in the opening half.

The visitors though re established their grip on the contest and in the 27^th minute won themselves a penalty after Forest defender Pat Duggan flicked the ball up to try and clear but saw the ball strike his hand, and the referee pointed to the spot, much to the amazement of the hosts.

And up stepped James Peagram, duel signed with Stansted of course, to send keeper Ollie Bessex the wrong way and put the visitors ahead in this one.

Both teams then traded openings for the remainder of the half, with the hosts screaming for a penalty on two occasions, however the referee waved away both claims, much to the hosts disgust, and after the second one Joey May protested a bit too much and was sin binned for the hosts just before the break.

However, neither defence was breached before the break meaning Side went into the half ahead and both sides headed for the warmth and dryness of the dressing rooms.

Half Time Newbury Forest 0 Barkingside 1

Side came out of the traps quicker than their opponents at the start of the second period, a bit like they had done at the start of the game, but this time they managed to find a goal as nine minutes after the break they doubled their lead as after superb work from Jack Gibbon had seen him cut inside and send an effort against the bar, Ina Martin thumped home the rebound.

Side were flying now and made it three just past the hour mark when Archie Hammond drilled a superb effort into the bottom corner from outside the box, and the visitors had a three goal cushion and Forest’s unbeaten start to the season was under serious threat now.

The hosts had come back from two goals down at the weekend against Burnham Ramblers in the Vase and when they managed to pull one back on 65 minutes when a free kick from skipper Freddie Anderson invaded everyone and also defeated an unsighted Smith to end up in the back of the net, Forest briefly harboured hopes of another comeback here. it was such a soft goal for the visitors to concede and this would have annoyed them somewhat.

But, they would have been delighted four minutes later though as they restored their three goal lead after a wonderful solo effort from Reece Simpson, as after he had won the ball back in midfield, he drove at goal and ended by firing an effort into the bottom corner for a superb goal.

The hosts did get into some decent positions thereafter as they tried to get back into the contest once again, and saw Tyrell Holder get in free down the right on two or three occasions, but his final ball was poor on every occasion and Side were able to clear the danger every time, much to the hosts frustration.

Side though had plenty of openings themselves too as they searched for a fifth goal to put the icing on the cake, a very wet cake as the rain continued to lash down, but they could not find this despite hitting the bar on one occasion after a lobbed cross bounced off the woodwork.

The final act saw May rifle an effort over the visitors bar, but it had been a largely poor evening at the office for Forest as their unbeaten start in all competitions this term came to an end, whilst for Barkingside this was a very impressive display, especially second half, as they grabbed their second win of the season, and hopefully for their sake a spring board forward to better things this campaign.

Full Time Newbury Forest 1 Barkingside 4