Barkingside 4 Hullbridge Sports 1

I ventured out to Essex for this game in what can only be described as very poor conditions. So much so that a power cut, (caused by the weather apparently), meant i was stuck on the Central line for 20 minutes going nowhere. I even feared i may miss the game altogether having no idea how long it would take to restart. It would have been a huge annoyance having gone so far and only being 2 stations away.




I am a little confussed as to who owns the ground now, i was under the belief Barkingside used to, but it has now been sold to Redbridge (Ford United), who continue to let Barkingside play there as tennants. Similar to Kingstonian at AFC Wimbledon. Indeed the signage around the ground suggests that Redbridge owns the ground. However in the programme it states Redbridge are Barkingsides tennants. Maybe i got confussed or misunderstood something!

The ground itself is quite quaint with the only annoyance being that to get to it from the adjacent station you have to go around almost in a semi circle. There is ample terracing and a largish seated stand along one side. Segragation is possible if needed and it looked like the far side would be given to travelling fans. Barkingside seemed to have a nice set up with plenty of ideas in the programme that are clearly raising extra revenue for the club.


The game itself was quite an open one with both teams looking dangerous going forward. Hullbridge had ample opportunities in the first half however failed to convert them. Barkingside themselves also lacked that something infront of goal missing numerous chances. Hullbridge were however there own victims, with Barkingside 1-0 up with around 4-5 minutes until half time they scored an own goal as between 2 defenders and the goalkeeper no one made real claim to it, before it bounced off the second defender and in. Barkingside were then to score a second a minute or so later as the keeper charge out for a long ball he was never going to get.






The second half continued to present chances for both teams who couldnt hit the target. Hullbridge pulled one back before letting Barkingside get a 4th. In all a very entertaining (and wet) night.

Once again my apologies for the picture quality these were unfortunatly taken on my camera phone. If everyone stook still and the light wasnt so bright they would have been alot better ;-)