STATISTICS

Date: Saturday 30th September 2023
Kick-off: 3pm
Competition: Essex Senior League
Venue: Lawtech Stadium
Attendance: 61
Starters: Miraldie Ndunzi, Kenedi Dariri, Henry Mabassa, Joe Clark, Aundre Sepencer, Harvey Brown (C), Jack Dickinson, Kai Haysman, Gael Kileba, Martin Tuohy, Yassier Nasor
Substitutes: Brad Rowland, Tom Troubridge, David Owiredu, Godwin Fuma, Ibrahim Kehinde
HT Rowland for Brown
HT Owiredu for Haysman
HT Kehinde for Kileba
HT Troubridge for Clark
80′ Fuma for Nasor
Goals:
Charlie Collis (Clacton) 18′ 0-1
Mekhi McKenzie (Clacton) 21′ 0-2
Teddy Collis (Clacton) 45’+ 0-3
Mekhi McKenzie (Clacton) 74′ 0-4
Teddy Collis (Clacton) 84′ 0-5
Yellow cards: Brown, Dickinson
Red cards: None

REPORT

Barking were convincingly and comfortably beaten at home by FC Clacton who scored five goals without reply. The Blues started promisingly enough but found themselves deservedly three goals down at half time before the Seasiders scored two late in the second half.

Barking actually had the first chance of the game after two minutes, Martin Tuohy saw his effort from Yassier Nazor’s cut back hit the bar after it flicked off the head of a defender. Clacton had their own chance two minutes later as a long ball was flicked on, the striker managed to beat Nduzi to the ball but his effort was blocked before rebounding back off the striker and past the goal. Barking kept the pressure up and had three powerful efforts from Nazor, Gael Kileba and Aundre Spencer were kept out by the Clacton keeper Michael Bett but it was Clacton who took the lead after 18 minutes: the Seasiders countered down the left wing with the ball cut back to Charlie Collis who shot low across Nduzi into the corner of the net. 

Clacton doubled their lead minutes later, Barking lost the ball in midfield and a lofted ball over the defence was met by Mekhi McKenzie who lifted the ball over the onrushing Nduzi.

Clacton made it three just before the half time whistle as Barking failed to deal with another direct ball over the defence and Teddy Collis slotted the ball home.

The Blues made four subs at half time with Rowland, Troubridge, Owiredu and Kehinde replacing Brown, Clarke, Kileba and Haysman. The substitutes didn’t seem to make a difference early as a vital deflection by Kenedi Dariri put an early effort over the Barking bar. The game was passing by with little of note until Clacton scored two goals late on: a counterattack on 74 minutes led to a cutback for McKenzie who rolled the ball home for his second. Further salt was added to the wound ten minutes later as with Barking depleted due to Henry Mabassa being sin-binned, a powerful effort from a narrow angle by Teddy Collis beat Nduzi despite getting a hand to the ball. Barking finished with nine men as shortly after Mabassa’s return in added time Rowland and Tuohy were both sin-binned for disputing a foul they thought should have been awarded to Barking.

We now move onto next Saturday and travel to Walthamstow to take on West Essex in our next league fixture, before that there is on Wednesday evening (October 4th) an exciting FA Youth cup second qualifying round tie at the Lawtech Stadium when our Under 18’s take on their counterparts from Dagenham & Redbridge with a 7:45pm kick off.

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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