Barkingside 1 Frenford 1

Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South, Monday August 16th

Monday night saw my first visit to Cricklefield for the new season as tenants Barkingside welcomed local rivals Frenford for a Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South contest, and it saw the visitors net a stoppage time leveller to take a well deserved point.

Side had begun the season with defeat at Holland, but wins against Haverhill Borough and Hackney Wick had seen them get back on track, and a win here would see them go third in the table, whereas Frenford were still looking for their first win of the campaign after three draws was followed by a disappointing loss at Coggeshall United last time out.

Both sides were looking for a fast start then, and the hosts certainly got that as they took the lead inside a minute as from the games first corner swung in from the left, skipper Elliot Scott stooped to send a powerful header past Sean Hinton in the Frenford goal and the visitors found themselves behind before they had even started.

Side could not build on that early start though and if truth be told the rest of the half failed to really entertain as the contest which promised so much after that electric start tailed off quite a bit and you started to fear that we may have seen the only goal of the contest.

Would the second period yield a better contest? Well, Frenford certainly had the better of it and the longer it went on the more and more Barkingside retreated deeper and deeper into their defensive shell, their only real chance saw a James Peagram effort fired miles off target, but apart from that it was mainly Frenford who were doing the pressing.

The visitors best openings fell to Harry Daly, who saw a decent opening saved by Duncan Smith, and then Tyler Oliver, who also got in down the right, saw his effort fired wide, and it seemed for all Frenford's efforts in the second period, they were going to leave empty handed, but their was to be a late sting in the tail.

In the 93rd minute a strike from Harry Davison was saved by Smith, but he could only parry into the path of Taylor Tombides who managed to force the loose ball home and hand Frenford a more than deserved leveller, and a point from the game and a fourth draw in five league games so far.

Disappointment for Side who were so close to netting a third straight win, but they could not really begrudge their opponents the point as it was the least they deserved, yes Frenford are still without a win after five games, but only one of those has resulted in defeat and they will soon grab that first win before long.

Full Time Barkingside 1 Frenford 1