STATISTICS

Date: Saturday 11th October 2025
Kick-off: 3pm
Competition: Essex Senior League
Venue: Millbank Stadium
Attendance: 315
Starters: Finn Rushton, Fahad Nyanja, Nathaniel Asiedu-Binney, Alfie Attrill, Charlie Thomson, Arthur Jeans, Ramiah Mills, James King, Kegan Caull, Rob Clark ©, Chaka Barnett
Substitutes: Abdul Saccoh, Leonardo De Carvalho Pedro, Lekan Osideko, Nelly Martins
Substitutions:
80’ Martins for Mills
82’ Osideko for Barnett
Goals:
Robbie Bennett (Halstead Town) 55′ 0-1
Marc Holland (Halstead Town) 67′ 0-2
Yellow cards: Attrill, King (Sin Bin)
Red cards: Attrill, Osideko, King

REPORT

Barking failed to maintain their place at the top of the Essex Senior League on Saturday after a bruising visit to Halstead Town that was completely overshadowed by unsavoury events both on and off the pitch.

Barking travelled without Sam Edwards and Tyreece Robertson, both of whom have been man of the match over our last two games, but both of whom had family commitments.

Barking were the better team in the first half. The visitors dominated possession and had a string of long throws and corners that caused problems for the home team but we failed to find the final touch to trouble the scorers. And while the pace of Ramiah Mills, Chaka Barnett and Kegan Caull caused all sorts of problems for the home defence it was a case of fantastic and speedy approach play that lacked the finishing touch.

With the game goalless at half-time the small Barking contingent in the crowd of 315 had plenty of cause for optimism without having a clue about the chaos that was to follow over the next hour or so.  Halstead were instantly more aggressive as the second half got underway and looked to get the ball forward at every opportunity. The home team took the lead on 55 minutes as a long free kick was flicked on into the box and Robbie Bennett slotted home from close range. At this stage Barking were still well in the game and immediately set about trying to find an equaliser. On the hour mark Mills surged forward and his deep cross found Rob Clark on the corner of the box but his curling effort just cleared the crossbar. Three minutes later Clarke’s free kick from just outside the box was well saved by Jack Cherry in the Halstead goal.

The first signs of the chaos that was to ensue came on 65 minutes. With Halstead on the attack Kane Gilbert appeared to elbow Barking full back Nathaniel Asiedu-Binney who went down holding his head. However Halstead played on and Gilbert’s cross bounced off the top of the crossbar and Marc Holland headed in from point blank range.  Immediately after the goal Gilbert jogged back to his own half and sat down on the halfway line and demanded treatment, delaying the restart by five minutes. Alfie Attrill was booked for trying to get the game restarted sooner. To their credit Barking looked to get straight back in the game and Barnett’s goal bound shot was deflected on to the cross bar with the rebound just evading the onrushing Caull and Clarke’s shot being saved.

Barking hit the crossbar again just a minute later, this time Mills found Clarke whose volley was inches too high. On 73 minutes Caull went on a mazy run that took him past three defenders before his cross was eventually blocked. These were the last real chances of the game and it became hard to focus on matters on the pitch as we were alerted to crowd trouble in the area where a large group of home fans who had been drinking all afternoon were congregated with a small number of relatives of Barking players close by.  On 89 minutes Attrill received a second yellow card and moments later Barking captain James King was sin binned for trying to get play started in the face of continued Halstead time wasting.

The referee blew the final whistle prematurely and immediately afterwards both sets of players squared off against each other.

Substitute Lekan Osideko complained of being racially abused and was clearly visibly distressed and was shown a red card. Shortly after that Barking Manager Craig Edwards tried to speak with the referee and was also instantly shown a red card.

In the aftermath of a game played in an increasingly hostile and intimidatory atmosphere for the visitors and with the police having been called to the ground it became clear that, alongside the alleged racist abuse on the pitch, both the father and the female partner of Barking players reported unwanted physical contact during the game.

It will now come down to the football authorities to sort out the mess that was not properly dealt with on the afternoon.

Barking is a proudly multi-cultural football club. We famously fielded a black footballer as far back as 1918 and have regularly had black footballers in the team since the 1960s.

We judge footballers, and people, on their attitude and ability and not their skin colour. We can only hope that in the future, when we go away to football clubs where there isn’t that level of diversity we will be afforded the same level of respect. 

Report source: Mark Harris/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.