Barkingside 2 Holland 3

Essex Senior Cup Preliminary Round, Monday 18th October

Monday evening saw me over at Cricklefield Stadium for a Preliminary Round contest in the Essex Senior Cup, and it saw Holland see off a late comeback by Barkingside to take their place in the First Round of the competition, setting up a home tie against either Benfleet or Wivenhoe Town.

This was an all Thurlow Nunn South Division tie, and both sides were in mid table with 22 points a piece, so it was expected to be a tight game, although the first period was devoid of much quality although it was the hosts who had the majority of any chances that materialised.

Side struck a long range effort just wide before they saw another effort from a decent position go straight at the keeper, and they also curled a decent effort just wide of the far post too, Holland themselves took a while to muster any real efforts of note, but when they did they were probably the best two chances thus far, which came late in the half.

Firstly one of their attackers got in on goal but then sliced horribly wide, and then a cross was volleyed inches wide of the same post, it was a prelude to what was to happen in the first part of the second period which saw the visitors dominate and take complete control of the tie.

After the visitors had saw a header thump against the bar and the rebound somehow blocked, they managed to take the lead eight minutes after the break when a cross seemed to just hit the attacker and roll towards goal, but two defenders and the keeper made a right mess of trying to clear it, and it ended up in the net, and a Holland lead.

A minute later that lead was doubled as a simple ball into the box saw the attacker jump and beat the keeper to the cross and loop home a header, and the hosts were now in a bit of a hole, they hadn't really come out of the changing rooms so far this period and were all over the show, and just before the midway point of the half it looked like game over as the visitors strolled through to slot home, 0-3 with around twenty five left, no chance of a comeback surely.

Well, how silly was I, because Barkingside decided to wake up thereafter and almost pulled off a very unlikely comeback, after they had struck the post and seen the rebound almost loop over the keeper who used his 'Go Gadget' arms to reach up and pluck the ball from the sky, Side did pull one back in spectacular style following a very decent half volley from outside the box with just under twenty remaining.

And six minutes later it was 2-3 when the hosts managed to thump an effort across goal from inside the box and in off the post, it was very much game on now and only one team looked like getting another goal, Holland were clinging on now after being in total control only twelve minutes earlier.

Side did almost find that leveller in stoppage time but fired wide of the upright, and it meant Holland did hold on to take their place in the next round, they await the winners of the Benfleet Vs Wivenhoe Town tie on Wednesday, a game I will be at myself. Well played Holland then, and also well played Barkingside for almost pulling off a comeback, although they will be kicking themselves for that lacklustre opening period of the second half which ultimately cost them here.

Full time Barkingside 2 Holland 3