Greenwich Borough maintained their promotion charge this Easter Saturday as Jack Barham took the headlines once again helping himself to a first-half brace as The Borough came away comfortable 4-1 victors.

The young front-man took his tally to thirty-three this season in front of a crowd buoyed by the presence of a vocal Dutch contingent getting in a football fix of their own having seen their intended Charlton Athletic game postponed.

The Dutch fans still saw a Charlton link heavily involved in the game as Bradley Pritchard captained the side and inside ninety-eight seconds saw his low left-side cross tapped in from close range by The Borough’s goal-machine, Barham.

Barham was in the mood and almost doubled his and his sides tally soon after but despite racing clear on the right hand side saw his shot across goal fizz past the post.

The hosts were running riot and Kaka Dembele was unlucky not to add to his side’s solitary early goal dragging his low shot wide of the post after good work on and cutting in from the left hand touchline.

The Borough started with their new signing Junior Aikhionbare who saw an early strike on goal fly past the ‘keepers’ near post but as the half wore on he wasn’t to be denied.

The Borough were running the visitors ragged from both open play and from set pieces as Danny Fitzsimons was unlucky seeing his goal-bound header from a corner headed away from under the crossbar.

In the meantime the host’s custodian Michael McEntegart was almost feeling like he was having a day off watching on from his own half where very little of the game was taking place.

Aikhionbare and Nassim Dukali linked up well in and around the penalty area and the latter was unlucky to see a shot of his own again go narrowly wide of the post.

But on the cusp of the half hour mark the hosts made their incessant pressure pay as the visitors struggled to defend a low cross by Nathan Paul with Barham on hand to stab the loose ball home from close range.

With half time approaching the hosts continued to push as visiting ‘keeper Dan Smith got down well and cleared with his knees to deny Barham a first-half hat-trick but could do little as debutant Aikhionbare found the back of the net with the aide of a slight deflection.

However despite the pressure at one end for the entire first half period there was a sting in the tail as The Wasps got themselves a lifeline – Leo Mazzone looping a header home over the helpless McEntegart thirty seconds or so after the visitors had gone three-down.

The previous weekend had seen The Borough go in at half-time at South Park with three to their name, ending the game with eight however lightning wasn’t to strike twice inside a week.

With perhaps one eye on the top of the table promotion six-pointer clash with Cray Wanderers on Easter Monday manager Paul Barnes took the opportunity with the two-goal cushion and sheer dominance to make changes and keep players fresh.

The changes had an adverse effect on the game breaking up the flow as neither side could replicate the chances and dominance seen earlier although The Borough’s substitute Travis Gregory, on for debutant Aikhionbare at the interval and former Wasps players, looked to make a name for himself striking from thirty yards out only to watch Smith flying through the air to tip his goal-bound effort over the crossbar.

Gregory then missed the ball in front of goal to apply the final touch from Dukali’s right-wing cross.

The Borough’s substitutes Omari Delgardo-Hibbert and Ryan King-Elliott linked up well as the former used his strength and aerial abilities to the ball into the path of the latter but Smith got down and saved well.

As the game neared the inevitable conclusion Delgardo-Hibbert found acres of space in front of goal but perhaps had too much time to find his feet and apply the finishing touch as he poked his shot towards goal only to see it deflected wide.

And in the final throes of the game Pritchard ended the game as he began, as goal provider, dissecting the visitors back line for Dukali to race clear and slot the ball past Smith into the back of the net and with it the game ended upon the restart.

For a time in the first half with Carshalton Athletic going behind at Faversham Town The Borough were sitting pretty in the second promotion spot however with Carshalton coming away as winners Greenwich sit third going into Easter Monday, still one place better off than they were at kick-off.

Easter Monday brings about a huge game for Bostik League South as The Borough visit fourth placed side and local rivals Cray Wanderers – Despite weather reports suggesting snow in the UK Cray’s all weather surface will be the winner of that battle but on the pitch who will win the battle for three points and a step towards promotion?

 Greenwich Borough: McEntegart, Paul, Carlse, Fitzsimmons, McGeehan, Corne, Pritchard ©, Dembele (King-Elliott, 60), Barham (Hibbert, 68), Aikhionbare (Gregory, HT), Dukali

Subs (not used): McLean, Fuseine

Goals: Barham (2, 29), Aikhionbare (44), Dukali (90+5)

 

East Grinstead: Smith, Boulding, Miller-Neave, Thompson, Cooney © (Everett, HT), Springett, Hoare, Ferguson, Postance (Bombelenga, HT), Gaggin, Mazzone (Merees, 76)

Subs (not used): Hutchinson, Katikaza

Goals: Mazzone (45)

 

Att: 166

 

Officials:

Ollie Butcher (R)

Joseph Dann-Pye & Nicholas Fruin (ARs)