STATISTICS

Date: Saturday 30th August 2025
Kick-off: 3pm
Competition: Essex Senior League 
Venue: Memorial Ground
Attendance: 72
Starters: James Bransgrove, Amadeus Addotey, Abdul Saccoh, Alfie Attrill, Arthur Jeans, Charlie Thomson, Ramiah Mills, Max Harbrow, Charlie Morris, Rob Clark ©, Tyreece Robertson
Substitutes: Nathaniel Asiedu-Binney, Leonardo De Carvalho Pedro, Chaka Barnett, Fionn Murphy, Lekan Osideko
Substitutions:
35’ Murphy for Addotey
73’ Barnett for Mills
74’ Osideko for Clark
Goals:
Louie Arnold Penalty (Little Oakley) 31′ 0-1
Luke Hipkin (Little Oakley) 34′ 0-2
Clark 49’ 1-2
Barnett 81 2-2
Yellow cards: Addotey, Robertson, Saccoh
Red cards: None

REPORT

BACK FROM THE BRINK AT LITTLE OAKLEY

Barking found themselves two goals behind at the half time break but an excellent fightback gave them a deserved point in a tough windy away game against Little Oakley.

After an equal first quarter of the game Barking went close and felt they probably should have taken the lead on 26, Abdul Saccoh’s corner was nodded down by Arthur Jeans and it found Max Harbrow, he dragged his volley but if found Alfie Attrill but his sidefooted half volley was saved by the feet of home keeper James Askew, the danger was not over as the ball looped in the air, Charlie Morris rose highest and stretched his head to get something on it but he was denied by a combination of a goalline defender and the post. Barking felt even more rueful five minutes later, Amadeus Addotey making a at best rash tackle near the edge of the box but inside with the referee having no choice but to point to the spot. The referee did have a choice as Addotey had already been booked and should probably have been shown a second yellow but he wasn’t. The fortuitousness was clearly felt by all as Addotey was substituted very shortly after. Louie Arnold stepped up and drove the ball into the bottom left corner. 

The lead was then doubled minutes later as Luke Hipkin met a low cross from the right wing on the edge of the six yard box and drove the ball home.

Oakley kept coming forward and went close to a third after 35 minutes as a dipping volley went just over the bar.

Little Oakley had won the toss and had swapped sides at the start of the match and it was clear they knew what they were doing as the wind played to their advantage for the first half, the result of that of course was that Barking had the same advantage in the second and they took that advantage very quickly; four minutes after the restart Rob Clark latched onto a bouncing ball just outside the box and with a second thought unleashed a thunderbolt of a shot that flew past Askew into the net to half the deficit.

Barking did look dangerous but they were creating much of note and it was Oakley who went close next, after 68 minutes with James Bransgrove palming a stinging shot over the bar. Barking did get their deserved equaliser with nine minutes remaining – Chaka Barnett drove forward with the ball as the Yellows countered an Oakley throw in – he passed low into the box to fellow substitute Lekan Osideko who had space to shoot across Askew – he was equal to the effort but the rebound fell to Chaka Barnett who had continued his run into the box and he tapped the ball home to level the game. 

The last ten minutes were tense, both sides were stretched as they alternated from attacking to defending for their lives. In the end however, neither side was able to fashion any other chances to take all three points and two sides that occupy the playoff spots early will have to share the points equally.

We do not have a midweek fixture so our next match is at Mayesbrook Park where we meet Sporting bengali United with a 3pm 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.

Click above to open in a new window