STATISTICS

Date: Saturday 3rd August 2024
Kick-off: 3pm
Competition: FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Venue: The Michael Anthony Stadium
Attendance: 192
Starters: Max Spence, Miles Smith, Jay Bacon, Sam Edwards, Teddy Stacey, Chris John, Jerold Cobblah, Andy Greenslade (C), Juwon Akintunde, Marcel McDonald, Izzy Bademosi
Substitutes: Stephen Stafford, Bradley Monks, Steven Wade, Kye Mitchell, Charlie Thomson, Colin Mugoya- Tabingwa, Nelly Martins
Substitutions:
68′ Martins for Akintunde
74′ Mitchell for Cobblah
90′ Stafford for McDonald
Goals:
Edwards 59′ 1-0
Gregory Deer Penalty 90+4′ 1-1
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None

REPORT

MISSED CHANCES COST BARKING DEER

Barking looked to be heading for the FA Cup Preliminary Round, but a late Gregory Deer penalty ensured a replay after a moment of magic from Sam Edwards in what was otherwise a fairly average game of football between two equal teams.

The ten minute mark saw the first chance of any note as Chris John headed wide from Sam Edwards’ corner and the Yellows went close once again after 18 minutes: this time Izzy Bademosi latched onto a through ball from Marcel McDonald, Izzy drove into the right wing of the box before cutting back and he saw his curling effort just creep wide of the post. The game became even more scrappy, a warm but not hot day, on a pitch with slopes and curves and that also contained its fair amount of hidden bobbles. It took 20 minutes for another chance, which went to Tring, deserved with their levels of pressure but a shot across goal by Benjamin Kakembo went wide of the goal and also just past the advancing Tring forward at the far post. 

It was a similar story at the start of the second half but Tring seemed to be the more threatening, firstly on five minutes a cutback from the right wing found an unmarked Tring attacker but his powerful effort just cleared the crossbar before Kakembo did the same minutes later. Just before the hour mark saw Barking take the lead, a clumsy foul on Jerold Cobblah gave the Yellows a free kick 25 yards from goal – Tring lined up a three man wall, simply offering the shot to Sam Edwards – he dutifully obliged, once the ball was past the wall there was only one place it was ending up as it flew past Luke Midwinter and smacked the net to give Barking the lead. 

Tring did continue to push – albeit scrappily and had the next chance after 72 minutes but a far post header from a corner was always going over the bar. They left space at the back however, and substitute Nelly Martins managed to set two different players through on goal in the matter of two minutes but neither could double Barking’s lead – first he played Marcel McDonald through on goal, he advanced comfortably into the box before holding the ball up and winding his foot back to shoot – he just wound slightly too far and his effort smacked against the crossbar. Neither Tring or Barking learnt their lesson a moment later, this time Martins set fellow substitute Kye Mitchell through on goal, he went for a side footed shot but it was palmed away by Midwinter – with the onrushing Greenslade just unable to reach the ball in time to get a decent angle on goal. Barking were made to pay for these misses, Tring had possession but didn’t test Max Spence in the Barking goal, but in the fourth minute of injury time, the ball pinged around the box before striking the outstretched arm of Chris John – there was no doubt that the handball wasn’t intentional but there was no denying the arm was in the air and the ball hit it. Tring captain Gregory Deer stepped up and, despite Max Spence guessing the right way, the ball hit the low roof of the net for a Tring equaliser and to ensure we will be doing it all again on Tuesday night at the Lawtech Stadium.

Report source: Trevor Gilbert/Barking FC
Please note that the opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to Barking Football Club.

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