Barking & East Ham Utd 2 – 1 Wealdstone
Barking & East Ham United2 - 1
WealdstonePLAYING good football on a hard and bumpy pitch, with a strong wind blowing straight down an open stadium with minimal covering was always going to be a problem for both sides and so it proved.
As the home side battled to come to terms with the windy conditions, Stones continued to fail to find the net. Swaysland flicked another chance wide and, moments later, a free-kick from Martin Carter caught the wind where Ruston, at full stretch, can count himself fortunate to touch the ball onto the bar from where it was hacked to safety.
Stones, though, seemed to run out of ideas after that and Barking finished the half the stronger. A freak deflection left Allen with just Andy Carter to beat, but the Stones’ keeper stood his ground and brought off a smart stop.
The half ended with Black putting a good opening shot wide.
Now playing against the wind, it took just three minutes after the restart for Stones to fall behind. Walker, in trying to control the ball rather than just clear his lines, lost possession to Black who slotted past Carter from 15 yards. The equaliser did come though just after the hour. Danny Tilbury found Carter on the left side. The midfielder’s cross avoided a host of bodies until Bryan Hammatt smacked it in at the far post.
Parity lasted just two minutes. Carter failed to hold a shot and Black bundled the loose ball past him for his second and to restore the home side’s lead.
Wealdstone: A Carter, Shaw (Bryson), Hammatt, Walker (Perry), Bowen, Ramsay, Marie-Sainte (Hunt), M Carter, Swaysland, Morgan, Tilbury.
Harrow Times – Robin Clementson