Thurlow Nunn First Division South, Wednesday 4th March
It was a second Thurlow Nunn South match up in two nights for me as I made my way over to The Hive in Gardiners Close for a game between Basildon Town & Barkingside, the hosts came into this one on a five match unbeaten run in all competitions and were looking to pick up more points to not only take themselves further away from the bottom three but also get themselves closer to a top ten position in the division.
Visitors Barkingside had more pressing matters on their minds, they sat bottom of the division and seven points from safety with nine games to go, obviously three teams may not go down when the season is all said and done, but they didn't want to take that risk and finish in those bottom three positions, a win could take them off the bottom of the table although second bottom Enfield Borough, who were a point ahead of them, have six games in hand, and were also in action this evening.
It was imperative then that Side started winning sooner rather than later, but they came into this one having lost five on the bounce and only netting one goal in those games in total, not brilliant form and not what you need when your fighting for your Senior status, and after just two minutes it had already become a difficult night as a thumping effort from range by Lucas Polyblank saw the keeper misjudge the effort and could only help it on its way into the net although their was a lot of power and swerve on the shot.
Foggy conditions had greeted the players from minute one, although conditions were not to bad for the majority of the opening forty five minutes, but after that early goal many expected the visitors to crumble and see Bas Town go on and take control of the contest, but this didn't materialise and a even first half ensued, Town did have a few moments where they fired balls across the box but were not converted, and Side had their moments too, the best one seeing home keeper Joe Durrant thwarting the visitors from a one on one situation.
The game then was in the balance at half time, but the increasing fog, which by the second half was becoming worse, meant that many of us could not make out what was going on when the play was on the far side of the pitch, although obviously the players and officials could see, which was the main thing, we could see enough to make out a superb save from Durrant to deny a superb effort from the visitors, whilst down the other end multiple blocks on one occasion denied the hosts a second goal to seal the game.
Both teams battled hard in the foggy conditions and it looked as though that early goal would be the only goal of the night, that was until the 87th minute when Bas Town did finally seal the points, a flick on saw Josh Davenport ghost in behind the back line to fire an effort beyond the keeper, thankfully I could see that just about, and it meant three points to the hosts which takes them 12th and only a couple of points off the top ten now.
For Side it's now six straight defeats and another game where they drew a blank, they played ok tonight but haven't got anyone to put the ball in the net, had they had this it could have been different, but they still find themselves bottom and with Enfield drawing this evening are now two points behind them and still seven off fourth bottom Dunmow Town, worrying times for Side then, their Senior Status hangs in the balance right now.
Full time Basildon Town 2 Barkingside 0
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