STATISTICS

Date: Saturday 15th March 2025
Kick-off: 3pm
Competition: Essex Senior League 
Venue: Lawtech Stadium
Attendance: 64
Starters: Dan Purdue, Charlie Thomson, Caleb Dennis, Sam Edwards, Pat Ahern ©, Scott Doe, Akiljo Balliu, Teddy Stacey, Juwon Akintunde, Sam Shaban, Tyrese Sibanda
Substitutes: Lorenzo Saponara, Tony Martin, Fionn Murphy, Michele Maccari, Lusaed Kastrati
Substitutions:
HT Murphy for Sibanda
HT Saponara for Doe
HT Maccari for Shaban
82’ Martin for Dennis
Goals:
Elijah Grant (Sawbridgeworth) 32′ 0-1
Elijah Grant (Sawbridgeworth) Penalty 35′ 0-2
Balliu 72’ 1-2
Akintunde 83′ 2-2
Maccari 90+2’ 3-2
Yellow cards: Doe, Akintunde
Red cards: None

REPORT

MACCARI MAKES SAWBRIDGEWORTH PAY

Barking somehow staged an unlikely comeback to take all three points after an undercooked performance against Sawbridgeworth Town. Sawbo had a 2-0 lead at half time before goals in the final twenty minutes from Akilijo Balliu, Juwon Akintunde and a first for Michele Maccari in injury time secured a vital three points for Barking.

Sawbridgeworth were comfortably the better team in the first half and Barking had a warning of what was to come after two minutes as Joshua Fox volleyed over unmarked from a free kick. A Sawbo striker blazed over from the edge of the box after the half hour mark with Barking not at the races and they were eventually punished two minutes later as a Caleb Dennis pass to Sam Shaban was intercepted in the centre circle and the visiting player found Elijah Grant in space on the edge of the box, his powerful effort flew past Dan Purdue and into the net.

Sawbridgeworth doubled their lead just minutes later,  Charlie Thomson conceding a penalty after bundling over Morgan Arnold just on the line of the box. Grant stepped up and sent Purdue the wrong way as the ball nestled perfectly in the bottom left corner of the net. 

The second goal finally injected some life into Barking and they had a number of half chances before the end of the first half, culminating in the best chance of them all as Sawbridgeworth’s goalkeeper Jimmy Parker failed to clear a free kick, the ball eventually fell to Sam Shaban but he was off balance on the edge of the six yard box and his effort easily cleared the bar.

Barking got a rollicking and a series of substitutions at half time: Fionn Murphy, Lorenzo Saponara and Michele Maccari replacing Tyrese Sibanda, Sam Shaban and Scott Doe. Barking did come out of the blocks with renewed impetus as Sam Edwards and Murphy forcing Parker into saves he was expected to make but from thereon the game went quiet until the 72nd minute when Akiljo Balliu halved the deficit as he snuck in between goalkeeper and defender before prodding the ball from a difficult angle.

Barking started to believe and they were level eleven minutes later, pressure leading to a cross from Edwards and this found Juwon Akintunde in the box who turned and shot impeccably, his low drive went straight into the bottom left corner of the net giving Parker no chance, for number 26 of his season. 

The Barking pressure continued and they delivered the ultimate blow in injury time, Michele Maccari finding himself in space on the edge of the box near the left wing and his side footed curling effort taking a deflection that left Parker flat footed as the ball hit the frame of the goal once it was over the line.

The persistent Sawbridgeworth time wasting throughout the game meant there was a hefty period of added time but Barking saw it out comfortably and they took away three points from a situation where that at times never looked possible.

We return to action on Friday evening as we travel to Wadham Lodge to take on our previous tenants West Essex.

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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