MATCH CENTRE

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STATISTICS

Date: Friday 6th September 2024
Kick-off: 7:45pm
Competition: Essex Senior League
Venue: Lawtech Stadium
Attendance: 83
Starters: Max Spence, Miles Smith, Jay Bacon, Sam Edwards, Ryan Cosson (C), Teddy Stacey, Jerrold Cobblah, Andy Greenslade, Hassan Nalbant, Sam Shaban, Marcel McDonald, 
Substitutes: Anthony Folkes, Juwon Akintunde, Bradley McDonald, Nelly Martins, Colin Mugoya-Tabingwa
Substitutions:
61′ McDonald (B) for Greenslade
75′ Akintunde for Shaban
89′ Martins for Cobblah
Goal:
Edwards 69′ 1-0
Yellow cards: B. McDonald
Red cards: Martins

REPORT

THREE POINTS, CLEAN SHEET, JOB DONE

Barking continued with the good times after their FA Cup success in midweek with an important three points in a 1-0 victory against West Essex in only our fourth league fixture of the season. Sam Edwards scored the vital goal with substitute Nelly Martins seeing red late on.

West Essex were keen to sit deep and punish Barking on the counter, the tactic nearly worked after nine minutes as Teddy Stacey lost the ball in the middle – the ball was spread out wide to Yemi Adelani and he drove into the box but his shot from a narrow angle was well saved by Max Spence. Spence was again called into action after 21 minutes as he palmed away a free kick that threatened to break the deadlock. It was deja vu for that situation but with the roles reversed after 30 minutes, Hassan Nalbant was fouled on the edge of the box and Sam Edwards stepped up and curled his effort around the wall and again it looked to be a goal before the outstretched hand of his namesake Lewis Edwards clawed the ball away from the goal.

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Nalbant went close just before half time as he latched on to a defence splitting lofted ball from Marcel McDonald but his side footed effort cleared the bar at the near post.

Barking threatened again right at the start of the second half. Andy Greenslade played Jay Bacon into the box and his lifted ball to the far post was met by Jerrold Cobblah who poked the ball towards goal but it was just too close to the feet of Edwards who managed to stop the ball from going past him. There was no time to stop however as West Essex pushed forward and they made an effort that went just wide of the post. Barking grew more comfortable into the game and were rewarded for a period of pressure with 21 minutes to go: Jay Bacon’s corner was met at the near post by Stacey – his header down found Sam Edwards on the edge of the six yard box and he managed to power the ball home on the stretch to give Barking the lead. 

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Nalbant then went close twice immediately after as he attempted to double the lead, first he saw his curled effort blocked over the bar before he headed wide from the subsequent corner. Barking constantly looked the team more likely to score and there was another chance after 85 minutes as substitute Juwon Akintunde passed the ball over the defence – Nalbant went through on goal but Lewis Edwards did well to come out quickly to smother the ball – the rebound fell to Marcel McDonald but his effort was too close to Edwards. For the second game in a row Barking received a late red card as this time substitute Nelly Mallek was sent off for his role in a foul he conceded and the ensuing handbags. It was still Barking who went closest in the final moments as Nalbant was through on goal and attempted to round Lewis Edwards but he was pushed wide and the goalkeeper managed to deny him with his feet just before the final whistle.

We do not have a midweek match, so our next fixture is the FA Cup trip to Great Yarmouth to meet Gorleston on Saturday week.

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.

MATCH PHOTOS

Barking FC v West Essex FC - Friday September 6th 2024

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MATCH PROGRAMME

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