As mentioned in my match preview, Barking are having a good season, and this win kept them in play-off contention after a second-half performance that took the game away from the hosts in a classic game of two halves. Scoreless at half-time, I don’t think many people were expecting five second half goals but thanks to some clinical Barking finishing that’s what we got as the confident visitors romped to a convincing victory.

After wins against ESL league leaders Stanway Rovers and a London Cup victory over Erith Town, you would expect The Blues to have a bit of swagger about them, but for the first half of the match, The Bridge held their own and didn’t look outclassed.

Early chances came from the home side, although neither side was threatening to open the scoring, with a Beau Macdonald chip easily held by keeper Dan Purdue who also picked up a Louis Bragg effort and watched a Sam Carter header go wide before Hassan Nalbant broke through and lobbed well wide with Barking’s first attempt of the half.

The Bridge were struggling to get Darnell Williams into the game but when he did get a chance it was high and a long way over the bar. Laurence Whymark was looking untroubled in The Bridge goal as he comfortably caught a cross from Akilijo Balliu and then watched Teddy Stacey’s long range effort go wide. Stacey was in action again soon after when he supplied a cross for Henry Mabassa to head home but Barking celebrations were cut short by the Lino’s flag, wth offside being the correct decision. Balliu then had a shot easily saved by Whymark before Laurence saved again from a Sam Edwards free kick and as the half drew to a close, Juwon Akintunde was wide of the mark, leaving the score blank as the first forty-five ended.

The Bridge started the second half well and Darnell Williams got on the end of a Louis Bragg pass and found the net to put The Bridge one up, or so we thought, but the Lino’s flag was up again and it seemed another correct decision from where I stood. If that was disappointing, there was more to follow when Hassan Nalbant chased down a bit of a lost cause and, having won the ball back, crossed to find an unmarked Juwon Akintunde in front of goal. Akintunde wasn't going to miss the opportunity and he didn’t as Barking went in front.

Both teams then had attempts on goal that went wide before a foul saw Barking awarded a free kick from about 25 yards out. Sam Edwards struck the kick well and into the top corner, despite Laurence Whymark getting a hand to it and the Barking lead was doubled. In fact, it became a bit of a game of two free-kicks as the Bridge were awarded one soon after and Jake Wiggins clipped the top of the bar with his as opposed to the Edwards one going in. That old chestnut, fine lines, back again to haunt us.

Edwards was soon to have a further impact on the game, when The Bridge cleared a Barking attack, before the ball found it’s way to him and his cross found Hassan Nalbant in the Hullbridge box and his header came back off the post but to Juwon Akintunde who squeezed the ball home for his second and Barking’s third. To be honest, I thought this was a bit harsh on the Bridge. Barking deserved to be in front but 3-0 was a bit of a distortion on how the game had gone and soon it was back in proportion when Darnell Williams, who had just had a shot saved by Dan Purdue, had another one saved but this time Piers Hatclifff was following up and finished to make it 1-3, which seemed a bit fairer.

However, that scoreline didn’t stay fairer for long, as two of Barking’s substitutions combined to restore the three goal margin when Sam Shaban crossed to find the unmarked Tony Martin who wasn't going to miss from right in front of goal, and didn’t, as he tapped home for 4-1. There wasn’t too much time left to play, so the visitors added another good win to their recent run, leaving them in 4th place and The Bridge remain in 17th. Another tough day for The Bridge and, although deserving winners, 4-1 I thought was a bit harsh but that’s football for you, nobody ever said it was easy! Anyway, as always, we remain…


Good performances from Connor Hart and Callum Knowlden, but for sheer effort and determination to drag The Bridge back into the game, Piers deserves the MOM award for another tireless display, capped by The Bridge’s solitary consolation goal.