Barkingside exploded out of the blocks and were all over the home side like a rash for the opening 40 minutes and but for two fine saves from Rob Budd – one to deny Calvin Poku and one to deny Steve Carvell – added to the two free headers that sailed over the Mead bar from corners and the visitors should really have been out of sight by half time.
Yet despite all the pressure, the visitors only had Calvin Poku’s looping 19th minute header to show for their dominance.
It was an opening 40 minutes that baffled Thamesmead boss Keith McMahon, He said, “We looked nervous and I don’t know why? We were without (Lewis) Tozer and Derek (Duncan) and had Jack Hopkins playing his first football since the end of last season – he’s in for an op on his cruciate on Monday, but I just can’t explain it.”
“We were really poor first half and really could have gone in two or three down and if we have had we would have had no complaints.”
Yet incredibly, the home side came in level – Gordon-Young’s ball into the box was flicked on by Hopkins to the arriving Sean Roberts at the far post, and Roberts expertly steered his header wide of a statuesque Chris Clark in the Barkingside goal and into the corner of the net,
“It was the first time we strung three passes together and it was a good job for them that we scored when we did” admitted McMahon, “as it saved them from a monumental rollocking at half time. We still told them a few home truths and thankfully they listened to us and thankfully we improved after the break to dominate the game in a different way to which they dominated, but in the end we ran out I think deserved winners in the end.”
The second half saw the Mead as dominant in possession as the visitors had been in the first half without really testing keeper Clark – that was until Gordon-Young’s moment of brilliance on 77 minutes.
Cutting inside from the left, he held off two defenders before unleashing an unstoppable drive beyond the reach of the Barkingside keeper and into the net.
It would have been worse for the visitors as Clark pulled off a stunning save to deny sub Adem Ramadan following a great run and pass by Stuart Zanone and then in stoppage time, Barkingside’s afternoon was complete when Clark was given a red card by referee Crowhurst for handball outside of his area as he attempted to intercept another Zanone square ball.
From the resulting free kick, stand in keeper Joe Ellul made a decent block to deny Zanone’ drive as the rebound was sliced well wide.
“The goal was coming as we were just getting on top – he’s worked hard, he’s come inside and hit a good shot which has flown into the net and got us the winner. To be fair, I think we should have had another couple towards the end. But at the end of the day we’ve got to put the performance behind us and get the result which we did. There have been some funny results today again – its three points and we move onto Cheshunt on Tuesday,” McMahon said.
The Mead boss concluded, “It was hard to adjust back down to this level after a season in the Premier. With no disrespect to the teams that are in the division, its a lot easier as you get more time and you tend to get away with some mistakes which we didn’t last season, and that’s something that the players have got to get to grips with.”
“I was pleased that we kept going and didn’t stop and showed a little bit of passion to win but we’ve got to build on today and I’m sure we will!”
THAMESMEAD TOWN – Rob Budd, Michael Spencer, Ashley Probets, Jack Hopkins, Richard Butler, Farai Hallam, Sean Roberts, Simon Glover, Tyrus Gordon-Young (sub Adem Ramadan 88), Stuart Zanone, Leslie Thompson (Rob Carter 73)
Subs not used – Justin Ascheri, Josh James and Rashid Kamara
BARKINGSIDE – Chris Clark, Danny Haynes, Dan Callaway, Joe Ellul, Corey Ellis, Mo Medine (Chris Taylor 82), Dion Polious (Richard Oxby 76), John Bricknell (Jason Fontaine 63), Steve Carvell, Matt Gulfer, Calvin Poku
Subs not used – Gabriel Onbeji and Stefano Georgiou
Referee – Leigh Crowhurst
Assistants – Theo Parfitt and David Lunani