Barkingside’s wait for a trophy is over 07 May 2009 CUP OF CHEER: Barkingside celebrate. Essex Senior League Cup Final Barkingside 2 Burnham Ramblers 0 BARKINGSIDE picked up their first trophy in eight years when they won the Essex Senior League Cup Final against Burnham Ramblers at Southend Manor on Monday, writes Adam Dennehey.         Match report by Adam Dennehey Essex Senior League Cup Final - Barkingside 2-0 Burnham Ramblers 0 A long and hard season ended in triumph as Barkingside won the Essex Senior League Cup Final after a determined effort saw off Burnham Ramblers at Southend Manor's Southchruch Park ground. Side started the game well with some good possession in midfield but a spell of pressure saw Burnham on the offensive. Scott Pethers and Ashley Hawkins were looking good for Burnham. But Side's defence were holding their own and Joe Woolley was also impressing commanding his box well. Going forward Side didn't offer too much in the first half, as the visitors had the best of the chances. Martin Llewellyn almost presented the visitors with the lead but his cross was caught well by Woolley ahead of midfielder John Bradley who was sliding in. On the stroke of half time came the decisive moment in the game. A ball from midfield found Leon Diaczuk in the box and the talented midfielder was brought down by Rambler's  as he20was about to shoot. The referee had no other decision but to give Tony Fenn's team the penalty which Chris Lewis dully dispatched to give Side a vital half time lead. That goal arguably shifted the game Barkingside's way and with the confidence of a lead the players come out at the start of the second half with an extra step in their stride. Side's midfield came out well and with Jordan Tolan bossing the ball in midfield it allowed the likes of Diaczuk and Harkins the chance to use their pace to trouble Burnham's defence. After good work from Harry Stevens, Tolan shot at goal from outside the area, only a great save from Small in goal prevented the visitors from going two down. Burnham's boss Garry Kimble brought on Joe Bajowa on for some pace. The forward on loan from East Thurrock did well on his wing before feeding Hawkins into the box whose shot beat Woolley only to hit the top of the bar and away for safety. After that scare, Side's popular striker Bennett had a great chance to score but had his shot blocked after coolly rounding the goalie. How Ross Adams got back to block the chance only Bennett will know. Burnham were causing problems down Side's left side with Pethers again looking dangerous. He played a brilliant ball into the box which Stuart Fergus  took it in his stride forcing a good save from Woolley in goal. Burnham were getting frustrated and their right back Adam Dale was sent off for a second bookable offence after he hacked down Chris Lewis on the byline. In truth Dale was somewhat lucky to be on the pitch after he hacked viciously down Leon Diaczuk in the first half by the corner flag. Referee Stuart Franklin perhaps with the game being a final perhaps kept that in mind with that decision, but Dale's tackle on Lewis could offer no sentiment and the defender was off. Ten minutes after Dale's sending off, Side wrapped up the win when Julian Ashby struck home a fine shot from inside the box after good work from Lewis up front. Ashby timed his run perfectly into the box and finished well for a right back. The later stages of the game saw Side almost add a third but Diaczuk (who won the man of the match award) saw a shot go over after a mazy run into the box. Eight years without a trophy were ended at full time when Dom Harkins was presented with the trophy. A fitting end for Tony Fenn's first full season in charge of the club as manager. Side: Woolley, Ashby, Stevens, Callaway, Dennis, Golby, Harkins, Tolan, Lewis, Bennett, Diaczuk                     Barkingside 2 Barking 1 at the Oakside Essex Senior League   Adam Dennehey reports.......   In a fiery encounter it was Barkingside who emerged triumphant over rivals Barking, in a game that had everything.  It didn’t take long after that for the game to produce its first on the pitch talking point, when Jarrod Small scored after unleashing a shot from fully 35 yards out. The small forward picked up a ball at his feet perfectly before taking two touches and then shooting goal wards giving Barkingside goalkeeper Matt Cope no chance of keeping the ball out.   Barkingside were made to rely on Cope again when he kept out a fierce Matt Knight shot from inside the box, after the midfielder slipped past his marker Jamie Bly, which gave him the space to shoot goalwards.   Barkingside first chance of the game fell to Warren Bennett but the tall striker was unlucky to see Barking’s Craig Leader block his header, which may have been heading goalward. As the referee blew up for half time there was a feeling within the ground that the team that scored next would go on to win the game. Barkingside would surely come out after half time a more revitalised side.   Moments into the half a controversial decision by the referee gave Barkingside a free kick. From the free kick out on the left Danny Callaway headed the ball into the net, only for the officials to rule the goal out because of pushing inside the box. Barking were unlucky not to double their lead after a poor clearance from Matt Cope. Barking’s Sam Dennis shot from just inside the half only to see the ball go narrowly wide of the goal. The game was still quite a fiery encounter and in the space of a couple of minutes Barking’s Shamarz Darr was sent off for two bookable offences. The first booking came about when the midfielder failed to take a throw in quickly enough, although Darr was only waiting for his team mate Craig Greenwood to go and take the throw in himself. The second booking came minutes later when Darr hacked down Barkingside winger Leo Remy on the wing. That second booking brought a dangerous opportunity for Barkingside and after Barking cleared the initial free kick Barkingside skipper Jordan Tolan put a dangerous ball into the box, which Danny Callaway side footed home for the equaliser.   Barking’s management team were unhappy about this as they thought that the goal only came about as a result of Darr sending off moments before hand.  and Barking manger Neil Day was sent off as a result of his discussions with the match referee, which was a further blow for Blues. Moment’s later Barkingside astonishly grabbed the lead when Jamie Bly’s pass founds its way to Bradley Ross, via the aid of deflection and the in-form striker slotted the ball past Barking’s Mark Parker in goal to put Barkingside in the lead.   The remaining time left in the game was end to end stuff as both sides came close to scoring.  Barking’s Dave Armstrong was unlucky not to score when his shot from outside the box went narrowly wide. Deep into added time the referee was still getting stick from both teams when after a decision he made to award a free kick made both sets of players protest. At the end of the 5 minutes added on time when the whistle sounded to end the game both sets of fans thought there team had been the better of the two in this fiery encounter.

Barkingside 4 Southend Manor 2

Adam Dennehey reports

Tony Fenn's Barkingside certainly didn't make it easy for themselves in this encounter
as a late goal from sub Bradley Ross secured them the win after a brave fightback from
the visitors.

Side went ahead early on when Warren Bennett capitalized on a poor back pass in
Manor's defence to nick the ball off Manor's Keeper Adam Seal to score a simple goal.

Just after twenty minutes Side doubled their lead. A great run from Mark Steadman on the wing
was matched by a good run from Jordan Tolan who skillfully rounded Seal to score.

Side were not really troubled by Manor in the first half, so knew a calm outlook in the second half
would get them victory. Minutes into the half substitute Leo Remy won a penalty after good play on
the wing. Top goalscorer Chris Lewis made no mistake from the spot to seemingly kill of the game.

However that wasn't to be the case. With Side losing their grip in midfield Manor hit back with goals from
Chris Baddeley and Jon Wheatstone from corners to set up a tense finish. However sub Ross killed of the game
in the dying stages with a neat finish when through on goal.

Side: Cope, Hines, Stevens, Callaway, Dennis, Tolan, Langton, Thompson, Lewis, Bennett, Steadman
 

Romford 0 Barkingside 0 Essex Senior League.   Andy Tijou reports from Mill Field.   News broke from Barkingside late on Thursday night that club chairman and treasurer Chris and Alan Budd were voted off the board by the committee, many thought that they had gone as far as they could with the club, for now, Jimmy Flannigan will step into the role.   It seems that based on today’s performance, things may already be looking up for Barkingside, a nil-nil draw doesn’t sound terribly exciting, but when you consider it was against promotion contenders Romford, they does add something to the result.   Romford seemed to settle into the game almost instantly and show the sort of form that has given them the status of flying high in the Essex Senior League.   It was only a minute into the game that they had a free kick from the edge of the edge of the penalty area, Brian Suchley tapped the ball to Ricki Mackin who fired the ball along the ground to the left of the goal, but the Barkingside keeper Matthew Cope managed to block the ball in time.   In the 15th minute, Paul Kavanagh whipped a dangerous cross into the box, which Martin Heed fired goal bound, yet Harry Stevens was on the goal line to clear the ball.   In the 23rd minute, Barkingside showed promise of earning a goal, Mark Steadman beat the offside trap and ran 30 yards towards the Romford goal, keeper Danny Mulrooney came off his line and threw his body at Steadman’s shot, luckily managing to block the ball in the process.   As the half progressed, it seemed that Romford’s attempts to beat the Barkingside back four were becoming more and more lacklustre, Barkingside even managed to trouble Boro keeper Danny Mulrooney, though never with any ferocity.   Barkingside seemed to approach the second half with a bit more fight in their game, they held Romford in their own half for most of the first ten minutes.   Leonard Remy provided a difficult cross from the right wing into the box which Mulrooney failed to catch, luckily for Boro, it was also too long for Chris Lewis, waiting in anticipation.   Mark Steadman threw a chance to take the lead for Barkingside, he received the ball about 50 yards out and broke on goal, evaded a couple of challenges before finding him self on the edge of the penalty area with only the keeper, Danny Mulrooney on his line to beat, but he shot wide.   Six minutes from time, Jordan Tolan supplied a good cross into the Romford box, which passed inches in front of Christian Tzar who made good ground to get into the box, but not good enough to score.   The referee disrupted the game continuously in the second half, in the no man’s land that was stoppage time, Romford had one of just a few chances of the second half, Chris Barry breaking into the box, but shooting at the keeper under pressure from defenders.   A little further into stoppage time, Martin Heed missed a sitter from Paul Kavanagh’s inch perfect cross.   So a let off for Barkingside in the dying minutes and a well deserved – and much needed point, they stuck to their game plan, they gave Romford problems, a point against the Boro will be greatly received by Tony Fenn.   After the game, Andy Tijou spoke to Barkingside boss Tony Fenn who was delighted that his team was able to grind a point out of Romford, click on the microphone to hear what he had to say about the game and the departure of the clubs chairman and treasurer.

Match Details:     Barkingside: Matthew Cope, Jamie Langton, Harry Stevens, Danny Callaway, Craig Dennis, Domonic Harkins, Leonard Remy (Chrisitan Tzar 70), Gregg Thompson, Chris Lewis, Jordan Tolan, Mark Steadman. Subs Not Used: Billy Fairbanks, Barry Simmons, B. Zeniki, John Doyle

 

MATCH REPORTS