Sunday, December 04, 2005
Barking 1, Waltham Forest 1 SFL 3-12-05
In an incident packed match, it seems strange that the score was only 1-1 but that’s how this local derby ended after 90 minutes of excitement and some pretty poor refereeing. Be in no doubt though, the four players who got their marching orders in the second half all deserved to go.
Barking started the game with the wind behind them both metaphorically and physically. They pushed up from the start and managed to cause more than a few problems down the Stags’ right flank.
Indeed, it was Barking who almost went ahead on 9 minutes when Ben Willis rose at the back post to meet a corner but headed onto the top of the crossbar.
A minute later Michael Lenahan had a good looping shot from 15 yards after the Stags’ defence failed to clear properly.
Barking were piling on the pressure for some time so it took nearly 20 minutes for the Stags to have their first effective attack. This came in the form of Wes Thomas who brought the ball down into the penalty area in the inside right channel. He managed to turn his defender and cross the ball to Didier Batunga whose fierce shot went just wide.
The half continued in the same fashion end Barking missed another chance on 40 minutes when they sent a free kick in from the left which their massed ranks at the far post all failed to get a touch to.
Barking must have felt somewhat dismayed when, in injury time in the first half, the Stags went ahead after winning a free kick on the left side of the Barking penalty area. Batunga swung the ball over and Leon Belton McKenzie was on hand unmarked to make space for himself and slam the ball into the net.
The second half started well for Barking when Woodards got through the Stags’ defence on 50 minutes and should have scored from about 7 yards out but contrived to blast over the bar.
Then the “Big Match” turned into “Fight Night”. It seemed that ex-Waltham Forest man Liam Baptiste had some kind of point to make when he followed in on ‘keeper Charlie Hasler after he had made an excellent save. Incensed by the treatment handed out by Baptiste, Hasler made the cardinal error of getting up and retaliating. As is normal, all 22 players then got involved in the brawl, some helping and some hindering. Realising that the best policy is to stay away from a brawl, even the home ‘keeper ran the length of the pitch to add his august weight to the proceedings.
When the handbagging was over, Hasler and Brown for the Stags and Baptiste and Palmer were extended the pleasure of the bathing and solarium area.
The game continued 9 a side and , as you would expect, became a very open affair.
Barking managed to pull a goal back when Carl Bruce headed home a Ben Wood corner on 70 minutes and they could have taken the lead were it not for an excellent left handed diving save from stand in ‘keeper Jason Willis.
However, it was the Stags who should have gone home with the spoils as they eschewed three gilt edged scoring chances in the last 10 minutes, home ‘keeper Tony Tucker making two superb saves, then Fola Orilonishe shooting wide on the stroke of time.
An exciting game which became even more exciting with fewer players on the pitch but a match also marred by some extraordinarily poor officiating from all three officials.
Barking started the game with the wind behind them both metaphorically and physically. They pushed up from the start and managed to cause more than a few problems down the Stags’ right flank.
Indeed, it was Barking who almost went ahead on 9 minutes when Ben Willis rose at the back post to meet a corner but headed onto the top of the crossbar.
A minute later Michael Lenahan had a good looping shot from 15 yards after the Stags’ defence failed to clear properly.
Barking were piling on the pressure for some time so it took nearly 20 minutes for the Stags to have their first effective attack. This came in the form of Wes Thomas who brought the ball down into the penalty area in the inside right channel. He managed to turn his defender and cross the ball to Didier Batunga whose fierce shot went just wide.
The half continued in the same fashion end Barking missed another chance on 40 minutes when they sent a free kick in from the left which their massed ranks at the far post all failed to get a touch to.
Barking must have felt somewhat dismayed when, in injury time in the first half, the Stags went ahead after winning a free kick on the left side of the Barking penalty area. Batunga swung the ball over and Leon Belton McKenzie was on hand unmarked to make space for himself and slam the ball into the net.
The second half started well for Barking when Woodards got through the Stags’ defence on 50 minutes and should have scored from about 7 yards out but contrived to blast over the bar.
Then the “Big Match” turned into “Fight Night”. It seemed that ex-Waltham Forest man Liam Baptiste had some kind of point to make when he followed in on ‘keeper Charlie Hasler after he had made an excellent save. Incensed by the treatment handed out by Baptiste, Hasler made the cardinal error of getting up and retaliating. As is normal, all 22 players then got involved in the brawl, some helping and some hindering. Realising that the best policy is to stay away from a brawl, even the home ‘keeper ran the length of the pitch to add his august weight to the proceedings.
When the handbagging was over, Hasler and Brown for the Stags and Baptiste and Palmer were extended the pleasure of the bathing and solarium area.
The game continued 9 a side and , as you would expect, became a very open affair.
Barking managed to pull a goal back when Carl Bruce headed home a Ben Wood corner on 70 minutes and they could have taken the lead were it not for an excellent left handed diving save from stand in ‘keeper Jason Willis.
However, it was the Stags who should have gone home with the spoils as they eschewed three gilt edged scoring chances in the last 10 minutes, home ‘keeper Tony Tucker making two superb saves, then Fola Orilonishe shooting wide on the stroke of time.
An exciting game which became even more exciting with fewer players on the pitch but a match also marred by some extraordinarily poor officiating from all three officials.
11:40 Posted in Match Reports | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
The comments are closed.