Vs Old Barkabbeyans

VS : Old Barkabbeyans
 
Date: 26/11/2011
 
Score: Old Barkabbeyans 2 - 0 Chingford Athletic Reserves
 
Venue: Away
 
Competition: League
 
Squad: Ulasan, Goodbun, Woolnough, Joseph, Livie, Middleweek, Cook, Clifton, Maduro, Reeves, Rene, Collins, Alderman, Kiernans, Brookes
 
Scorers: NONE!
 
Report:

Chingford travelled the short distance to Barking hoping to claim the top spot in the league with a win against a team just one place above themselves in the table. However, this hope was not matched by either the performance or the hunger to win the game in which Old Barkabbeyans ran out deservedly 2-0 winners.

The first half was a fairly tight affair with both teams creating chances, but with Barkabbeyans having by far the more possession and clear cut chances with several easy chances being blazed over/ wide from easy positions. Chingford were being outmuscled constantly in midfield with Barkabbeyans winning the majority of 50/50’s and headers with their 3 man central midfield. The game got to half time with the scoreline 0-0 flattering Chingford whom just didn’t seem to get out of first gear.

After a half time team talk where the entire squad agreed that the performance needed to be raised if we were to get anything out of the game; Chingford came out and briefly threatened to start playing good football, but this was in all too short spells and Barkabbeyans maintained the upper hand and limited Chingford to shots from 40 yards. On 65 minutes Barkabbeyans played a ball over the top of the Chingford defence and their nippy striker got in a shot from 22 yards that left Ulasan flat footed sailed into the right hand corner of the Chingford goal. Straight after that goal, Chingford had their best spell of the game with a slick passing move and then putting Barkabbeyans under pressure for a good 10 minutes but not being able to find that elusive shot on goal, with substitutes Collins, Kiernans and Alderman all coming on and impressing.

On 86 minutes with the game still in the balance, the referee made a very controversial decision and let a goal stand after there had been a clear infringement on a Chingford Defender. After a ball bounced on the edge of the Chingford area, the Chingford centre back attempt to head the ball which was shoulder high, whilst a barkabbeyens player kicked the ball over his head and then finished, in which surely should have been a free kick to Chingford, however the refs decision is final and the goal stood. This time the goal seemed to kill off Chingford, who’s heads dropped and want to win the game seemed to die. All in all a well deserved victory for Old Barkabbeyans who will surely be in the top 4 come the end of the season.

There will be no man of the match this week as nobody stood out in a fairly poor display from the whole team. In other news Catholic United who were top, lost to our next opponents Old Southendiens 1-0 therefore blowing the top spot wide open. This means now that everyone has to put in 100% at training and next Saturday to ensure we don’t slip behind and keep this title within our grasp with half the season left to play.

On a positive not Chingford welcomed back Collins and Kiernans after long injury lay offs and both looked hungry and impressive when coming on as second half subs, im sure if they keep putting in the same effort at training and on a Saturday the fitness will be back in no time. Chingford Athletc Reserves have a great side, it just needs to apply the effort and belief to put a run of good results together again.