STATISTICS

Date: Saturday 21st October 2023
Kick-off: 12:30pm
Competition: Essex Senior League
Venue: Lawtech Stadium
Attendance: 52
Starters: Harry Girling, Fahad Nynja, Tom Troubridge, Kenedi Dariri, Aundre Spencer (C), Brad Rowland, Jack Dickinson, Jake Gordon, Kai Haysman, Gael Kileba, Luke Hirst
Substitutes: Addae Papponette, Kelvin Boampong, Miraldie Ndunzie, Oumar Ndao
Substitutions:
61′ Papponette for Haysman
69′ Ndao for Dickinson
80′ Boampong for Spencer
Goals:
Harry Rawlins (Ilford) 1′ 0-1
Troubridge 30′ 1-1
Hirst 54′ 2-1
Gordon 57′ 3-1
Hirst 60′ 4-1
Kileba 90′ 5-1
Yellow cards: Spencer
Red cards: None

REPORT

ILFORD ARE GIVEN ANOTHER FIVER

Barking came back from a poor start to comfortably despatch Ilford by 5 goals to 1. The scores were level going into halftime thanks to Tom Troubridge’s equaliser before a brace from Luke Hirst and goals from debutant Jake Gordon and Gael Kileba for the second successive Saturday rounded off the day.

In winning this game it meant for the first time this season we recorded two league victories on the bounce and Luke Hirst after scoring a hat trick last season in a 5-2 victory to make it five in two games against the Foxes.

It didn’t seem like it was going to go Barking’s away after just one minute: Harry Rawlins latched onto a long ball and turned Fahad Nyanja, deputising at right back, before despatching the ball across the returning Harry Girling and into the bottom corner of the net. Ilford kept it right at the back and Barking struggled to make moments of quality but got a much needed equaliser on the half hour, a free kick from deep landed at the feet of Tom Troubridge who rifled a half volley from the edge of the box past the diving right hand of Tim Pitman and into the net.

After the break Barking looked very comfortable on the ball and hit Ilford with a three goal, six minute combo to knock the stuffing out of them. Luke Hirst put Barking in the lead after 54 minutes, latching onto Jake Gordon’s through ball before exquisitely dinking the ball over Pitman and into the net.

Jake Gordon turned scorer from provider moments later, as he received Jack Dickinson’s cutback, squeezed the ball past the defender and prodded the ball low past Pitman to make it 3-1.

Luke Hirst added his second and Barking’s fourth on the hour mark as Gael Kileba was found by a crossfield ball before squaring to Luke Hirst who had an easy tap-in from close range. 

Ilford were left shell shocked at Barking’s rampant phase and failed to land any punches on a comfortable Blues side who brought Addae Papponette onto the pitch, as well as debutants Oumar Ndao and Kelvin Boampong. Papponette managed to find Kileba through on goal but his side footed effort was over the bar. The Barking wide man did get his reward for a good performance on the 90 minute mark, Jake Gordon switched the play with Gael Kileba nodding the ball forward after it just evaded the defender then rebounding the ball off Pitman and half-volleying the ball into an empty net for Barking’s fifth with the full-time whistle following a few minutes later.

We leave the league behind on Tuesday evening for our next match as we travel to Buckhurst Hill in the second round of the Essex Senior cup.

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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