(Action from the first game of the day which saw Barking defeat Ilford 5-1)
Saturday saw me over at Mayesbrook Park for a rare Essex Senior League double header, Ilford's home game with Barking had to be switched to Mayesbrook Park due to ongoing issues with them and Ilford Sports Club at Cricklefield, and also due to the fact Barkingside were at home to Framlingham in the FA Vase, so it was decided that this would now be a Barking home game, hence the two games taking place at Mayesbrook (Romford were already scheduled to play at home to Takeley) and the ESL double header was created.
And what with the dodgy weather around the last couple of days and the potential for more showers throughout the day, a 3G pitch and covered seated stand was a perfect choice for me, and getting two games in the same day too in the same division, well how could I resist!!!
The first game saw Barking take on Ilford at 12:30pm, let's see how that went....
Barking 5 Ilford 1
It has been a tough start to the season for the Blues, many fancied them to do well last season and in he end a seventh placed finish was not a bad return although they were well off the pace (twenty two points off runners up Redbridge), and this season they have struggled to get going again and had only picked up fifteen points from their first thirteen games, not the start they were hoping for.
However, to say their opponents had struggled to get going this season was an understatement, they had only picked up nine points from their opening thirteen games and sat third bottom and only a point above the bottom two sides (Frenford and Coggeshall United) and after a season of struggle in the main last season in a 16th placed finish, many felt The Foxes would find it tough once again this season and thus far were being proved correct.
The Blues form hasn't been great lately though, after winning at home to basement boys Coggeshall Town, they had lost three straight games in the league conceding ten in the process before they managed to beat Takeley at home last weekend (ironically Takeley were back here for a second successive weekend to take on Romford in the later game of the day) so The Blues were at least coming into this one off the back of a win.
The same could not be said for The Foxes though, the last five games had yielded a win at second bottom Frenford, which was a huge win, but they had lost the other four, conceding fifteen goals in the process, and that also included a loss at bottom side Coggeshall Town, so confidence was not exactly brimming you could say, so Barking were most certainly favourites headed into this contest.
But, after just two minutes the visitors grabbed the lead, Harry Rawlins did well down the left before driving into the box and seeing a deflected effort find the far corner, The Blues had started slowly but managed to ease their way into the contest and just past the half hour mark found an equaliser when after Ilford failed to clear a cross, the ball fell to Tom Troubridge who thumped home.
It had been a tight contest though and at half time with the game evenly matched and all square, it was anyone's guess where this one was going, however, Ilford were to implode in the opening fifteen minutes of the second period and this settled the contest if truth be told.
Barking started the implosion nine minutes into the second period when Luke Hirst fought off his marker to run onto a ball and loft over the advancing keeper for a neat finish, and then two minutes after that Jake Gordon pounced on some ordinary defending to make it 3-1, and it was three goals in six minutes when on the hour mark Hirst grabbed his second when converting a cross from the right, and just like that the Blues had a comfortable 4-1 lead.
And as the clock ticked into stoppage time Barking added a fifth goal to cap a good second half performance when Gael Kileba managed to get into the box on the left hand side and apply a finish at the second time of asking after his first effort was blocked, and heap more misery on the visitors who had conceded five goals for the third game in a row, worrying times for them for sure.
It means Barking rose to 12th and within touching distance of the top five (seven points off) so if they can now put a run together they could get themselves in the mix perhaps, whereas for Ilford it's another sorry day at the office after a decent first half showing, they cannot have these mad moments where they concede a glut of goals, it's not a receipt for success for sure.
Full time Barking 5 Ilford 1
Ok, time to go onto Game Two of the day at Mayesbrook as Romford welcomed Takeley, in the 4pm showing, this was the second weekend in a row that the visitors had appeared here, they had lost that one to Barking 3-2, so could they have a different outcome today? Let's find out.....
Romford 3 Takeley 4
The hosts had been one of the front runners in the division along with Woodford Town and many had said those two were the best two so far in the division, but recently Romford have hit the buffers and came into this one with back to back defeats, 6-3 at West Essex where they led heading into stoppage time, and then a surprising loss at Stanway Rovers after they had got rid of their manager, so a first bump in the road for the home side this campaign.
They were still in a decent position though, fifth and six points off the leaders and compared to their opponents today were certainly much better off, Takeley had changed their management this season and some playing personal too with some youngsters involved in what was a new era at the club, they, along with Barking were enduring a difficult start to their campaign, down in 16th with just nine points from twelve games, not the start anyone expected.
Takeley's league form had been horrendous as well, as after beating Stanway Rovers back on August Bank Holiday weekend, they had lost six league games in a row conceding twenty goals and as said above had lost here at Mayesbrook Park last weekend to Barking, so most would have felt Romford were to get back to winning ways no?
Well, it was hard to see how Takeley had lost six in a row and were struggling so much early on as they were the better side in this contest and missed a couple of really good chances, and low and behold when your down the bottom and struggling things tend to go against you, and in the 27th minute fell behind when goal scoring machine Hassan Nalbant turned to fire home a left footed effort into the bottom corner and give the hosts a scarcely deserved lead.
And five minutes before the break it got worse for Takeley when they fell two goals behind as Harry Hart got into the box to fire home, and it looked as if Takeley would be headed for a seventh straight loss in the league, but, they were given hope in first half stoppage time when Costi-Marian Varsoi saw a cross from the right sail over the keepers head into the far corner, momentum with Takeley heading into the break perhaps?
Well, it appeared not as Romford restored their two-goal cushion early in the second period when Nalbant was quickest to react to poke home a rebound from close range, and you felt at this point the hosts, who had seemed to come out with much more energy this half, would go on and win comfortably, but this was not to be the case.
Takeley were always remaining a threat and reduced the arrears midway through the second half when sloppy defending from the home side saw them lose the ball outside their own box and allowed George Frodsham to fire home, and then just three minutes after that Takeley were all of a sudden level at 3-3 when Frodsham pounced for his second of the game when the hosts failed to clear their lines.
Things were going south very fast for the home side who had looked in control only ten or so minutes earlier when centre half Darren Phillips was given a straight red for a poor challenge, and with thirteen minutes to go Takeley completed a remarkable turnaround when Caoilan McGettigan, who had been superb for the visitors, get into the box to slot home the winning goal and hand Takeley a huge win and a massive boost no doubt.
Romford just did not know what had hit them, and they have now lost three games on the spin as their season has most certainly hit the buffers now, although they do stay in the top five, whilst for Takeley they remain 16th but will take a lot from this comeback win today for sure, it had been a mad game and so enjoyable to watch!!!
Full time Romford 3 Takeley 4
That concluded the double header from Mayesbrook Park, thirteen goals and plenty of drama in the two Essex Senior League contests, a very enjoyable day indeed!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment