Friday night saw me come with a friend to visit the Lakeside Sports ground in Chafford Hundred, Essex, for an Essex Senior League (South Division) fixture between Barkingside Reserves FC and Sporting Bengal United Reserves.

The Lakeside sports ground is situated next to a go karting track on the busy Arterial road which leads upto the Dartford crossing. The ground boasts floodlighting and a fine 3G pitch. There is a clubhouse with a nice welcoming bar and a decent music selection playing throughout!

Barkingside reserves sat in fourth place coming into tonight’s fixture. Emeka Okafur (5 goals), Ben Agbakosi (4 goals) and Javonte Small (3 goals) have top scored for the home side this season. Manager Adonye Gogo-Ibiama would have come into tonight’s game urging his side to cause an upset, by defeating the higher placed opposition.

Sporting Bengal United Reserves were secure in second place, with little chance of closing the gap to leaders, Grays Athletic Reserves. They have found goals easy to come by this season and Rio Hicks (6 goals), Jose Mata (5 goals) and Toby Yeates (5 goals) have led the way. Managers Anam Hoque and Micky Southee would have been expecting a win against tonight’s opponents.

The game started with both sides attempting to gain the ascendency. Much of the opening 40 minutes of the game was played out in midfield, with few clear chances. As half time approached it looked as though the game would remain goalless at the break.

Then from nowhere in the 44th minute, a late challenge by a Sporting Bengal United defender, in the penalty area, led to the referee awarding a penalty to Barkingside. It was converted, with confidence, to put the home team 1-0 up at the half time whistle.

The second half continued to be a close run affair, and as the match became more and more close, inevitably tempers also frayed. The number 4 (no team sheets were available tonight) for Sporting Bengal United Reserves, got himself unnecessarily involved in a small fracas and earned a yellow card in the 65th minute. The significance of this in turning the game became apparent just minutes later when the same player mis timed a tackle to earn a second yellow card, receiving a dismissal which seemed to totally deflate the visitors.

In the 73rd minute Barkingside FC Reserves were 2-0 ahead, after a bundled finish from close range, following a corner.

In the 80th minute a rash last ditch challenge led to Barkingside’s second penalty of the evening, which was successfully dispatched to make the score 3-0.

There was still time in the 84th minute for the goal of the night when a beautifully struck finish made it 4-0 to the home team.

In the 87th minute, as the away side visibly surrendered, there was time for a fifth goal.

In the last minute of the game Barkingside FC Reserves rounded off a special victory with their sixth goal of the evening after yet another well worked finish.

At full time it was clear that the sides had been much closer than this score line gave credit for before the sending off. Sporting Bengal United Reserves will learn from this tonight, whilst Barkingside FC Reserves will draw pride form the clinical way they took their chances.