Norton goal earns Barnston first point

 

 

A well-taken strike from Sam Norton earned Barnston their first point of the Essex Olympian Premier Division season, in a 1-1 draw at home to ACD United.

ACD had struck first through Shaun Goddard after 14 minutes, but Barnston grew into the game and got their deserved equaliser ten minutes after the restart.

Both sides were coming into this game having lost both their opening two matches – Barnston had suffered narrow defeats to Harold Wood Athletic and Old Chelmsfordians in their first fixtures, while ACD lost 4-1 to Shenfield on the opening day and 2-1 to Harold Hill last week.

Both sides took a while to find their feet on Saturday at High Easter Road, in warm conditions which meant drinks breaks midway through each half. The hosts had the opening chance from a corner which was delivered by talisman Lewis Sonnex onto the head of centre-half Carl Conway, who was unmarked, but he could only head wide.

However, ACD would take the lead shortly after with their first real chance of the match. A poor ball out of defence by Conway was pounced upon by lively midfielder Charlie Munns – he played a perfectly-weighted ball through to Goddard whose low shot was placed well into the far corner, beyond the dive of Barnston number 1 Harrison Mott.

Barnston were mostly disappointing going forward in the first half, much to the frustration of the home management team, but had a great opportunity to equalise on the half-hour mark. Sonnex played a delicious ball over the defence for striker George O’Connor to run onto, he caught the ball on the bounce but lashed his shot over the crossbar with just the goalkeeper to beat.

The visitors had a big chance of their own before the break – the ball was played over the top of the Barnston defence for Goddard, he tried to lift the ball over the goalkeeper on the half-volley but his shot was too high.

 

Whatever manager Matt Frew said to his players at half-time seemed to have worked, as the hosts were better going forward in the second period. Barely two minutes into the second half, first-half substitute Bryn Yapp picked the ball up in midfield and was allowed to advance as far as the edge of the penalty area, before striking the ball low and against the post.

The reward came on 54 minutes as the ball fell kindly to Norton on the edge of the box, he took a touch before unleashing a low, right-footed effort into the far bottom corner.

ACD were still dangerous on the attack though, and Goddard was causing Barnston problems. With 20 minutes to go, he got the ball from a short free-kick, he twisted and turned away from his marker and hit a goal-bound shot which beat Mott, but Conway did well to divert it away from goal with his head. On another day, Goddard could have had a hat-trick.

But neither side could find the cutting-edge required to steal a winner, and they were forced to settle for a point.

Barnston’s next match sees them travel to face Hashtag United Under 23s next Saturday, while ACD have the daunting task of going to the Len Forge Centre to face last season’s champions, Catholic United.