Green sends persistent Bloods up to 4^th

Kaleel Green was the match-winner on his home debut as Saffron Walden Town defeated fellow promotion contenders Barking FC to move up to 4^th place in the Essex Senior League.

It was the perfect response to an abject midweek defeat at Little Oakley for John Hughes’ side, who deserved their victory against a somewhat disappointing Barking.

Walden came flying out of the blocks and with barely two minutes on the clock, Solomon Ofori picked up the ball on the left-hand side. His teasing cross was diverted off the leg of Barking’s Teddy Stacey and, despite the efforts of goalkeeper Akan George, the ball found the back of the net to give the hosts a dream start.

The first ten minutes was all Walden and merely five minutes after the goal, a cross found the head of Ofori who knocked it down for Green to score, but referee Lee Jarvis had already correctly disallowed the goal for a foul on George.

After the flurry of chances in the first ten minutes, it became clear that the rain was starting to severely affect the Catons Lane surface, and neither side was able to find their rhythm, with misplaced passes, slips and mistimed tackles not uncommon throughout. The next chance of note came in first-half stoppage time when Ofori was sent 1 on 1 with George, his shot beat the Barking keeper from an angle, but also beat the far post, leaving the score 1-0 at half time.

The second half was much better from the visitors, who started to ask questions of the Walden back line. Immediately after being introduced as a half-time substitute, Juwon Akintunde, who scored a brace in the reverse fixture at Mayesbrook Park in November, found himself through on goal but was prevented from scoring by a sensational last-ditch Ricky Modeste challenge.

Midway through the second half, Akintunde once again found himself through on goal, Askew came out and tripped him, and referee Jarvis was left with no choice but to award the visitors a penalty. In the aftermath, Askew was booked for the challenge, and Modeste sin-binned for dissent. Sam Shaban stepped up and send Askew the wrong way to give Barking the goal they felt they deserved after 20 minutes of dominance.

Shortly after Askew had denied Akintunde with a fine save with his feet, Modeste was allowed back on the field, and immediately after, Barking’s Caleb Dennis was sin-binned after a foul on Ofori.

Despite Barking’s chances, Walden remained dangerous on the counter, and they made the player advantage count with ten minutes remaining. A through-ball was played to Green, who turned the Barking defence inside out before seeing his initial shot saved by George. Luckily the rebound fell at his feet, and he slid the ball into the net to secure his first goal for the club – and a potentially vital goal in the race for the playoffs.

Now Saffron Walden had to remain defensively stable. However, Barking never looked like getting back into the game and after six minutes of stoppage time (a meagre amount for a Walden game nowadays), the full-time whistle blew to secure a massive three points for a Walden side who had been depleted in recent weeks due to injuries and player unavailability.

Next up for The Bloods is an Essex Senior League trip to Halstead Town on the evening of Tuesday 11^th February – third time lucky for that fixture after weather conditions on the previous two dates the fixture had been scheduled for caused pitch issues at the Milbank Stadium. Barking, meanwhile, have another tricky away match on the same evening, this time at second-placed Takeley.

 

Saffron Walden Town: Askew, Elongo, Modeste, Eyong, J. Hursit, Turner (C), Ofori, Fischer, Green, Cobblah (L. Hursit, 86’), Knott. Subs not used: Deering, Hoskins, Mongwele, Banks.

Goals: Ofori, Green. Bookings: Askew, Modeste.

 

Barking: George, Thomson, Dennis, Edwards, Ahern (C), Attrill, Nyanja (Balliu, 88), Stacey, Martin (Akintunde, 46’), Shaban (Maccari, 72’), Sibanda. Subs not used: Mabassa, Nazor.

Goals: Shaban. Bookings: Thomson, Attrill.