It was a disappointing end to The Bridge cup run in the Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy as Barking produced a very good home performance to end The Bridge’s cup hopes at the semi-final stage on a night when the home Blues were on their game and overall dominant.

You can see why Barking are play-off contenders, with some quality players who were on their game on the night, and it proved too much for The Bridge, who were in the game for half an hour but outgunned for the remainder of the match.

With Barking’s midfield trio of Charlie Thomson, Ryan Pickles and Saliu Lo Seye pulling the strings and wingers Nelly Mallek and Tyson Muaxambi causing all sorts of problems, plus Alfie Attrill up top, a danger all night, it was a very difficult night for The Bridge and the 3-1 scoreline could have been more if the home side had taken more of the chances they created.

Barking started the game well, and the aforementioned Nelly Mallek put in a couple of early crosses to mark his intent. He should have put Barking one up when he couldn’t quite get enough on a Tyson Muaxambi cross, and the ball rolled harmlessly to Lewis Greene. Barking continued to press, and Connor Hart, playing at centre-back, lost the ball to Mallek, but his shot went wide.

Murtada Lo Seye was having a bit of a battle with Archie McFadden and picked up a yellow card before Kamel Sassi’s free kick was headed away, and McFadden headed the ball goalward, but keeper Omer Ozer caught easily.

At this stage, Barking were on top, but The Bridge were hanging in there until a Ryan Pickles free kick bounced off Rowan Balestreri in the Hullbridge box and fell to Murtada Lo Seye, who placed his shot into the roof of the net past Lewis Greene, and the home side led 1-0.

The Bridge needed to stay in the game now, as Barking continued to press and create chances, with Saliu Lo Seye‘s shot cleared by Connor Hart and a Ryan Pickles pass to Charlie Thomson producing a shot saved by Lewis Greene. Greene saved well again, soon after, from Saliu Lo Seye, before Archie McFadden received a yellow card for a tangle with Pickles.

A Lewis Greene goal kick was headed forward from midfield by Charlie Thomson, and Alfie Attrill was on it and fired in a shot that deflected off Ollie Jenkins for a corner that Leo Clark headed clear. However, soon after, there was a carbon copy of the previous action when Greene’s kick was headed forward again from midfield by Charlie Thomson, only this time Tyson Muaxambi got to the ball first and toe-poked it past Greene for a 2-0 lead right on half-time.

The Bridge needed to start the second half strongly, but the opposite happened, and the excellent on the night Charlie Thomson played a nice ball over the top for Alfie Attrill, who calmly finished for 3-0, and it was effectively game over. If Bridge fans thought it couldn’t get worse, it could, and when Leo Clark played a ball forward, McFadden clashed again with Murtada Lo Seye and received a second yellow and then obviously a red.

Down to ten men, it was now an even more uphill battle for the visitors, but they did reduce the deficit when Rowan Balestreri’s cross was headed on by Ellis Devereux, who had never given up, despite a lone battle up front for most of the time, and Connor Hart headed home for 1-3.

Although now only a two-goal margin, the home side were still in control and knocking the ball around, making the most of the one-man advantage. Ryan Pickles should have made it 4-1 when another fine ball from Thomson found him in front of goal, but his shot was over the bar.

As Mallek and Muaxambi continued to torment on the wings, Barking went close a number of times, with Pickles, Attrill and the two wing men all involved, and Muaxambi had the ball in the net from Thomson’s cross but was flagged for offside. The Bridge were trying to get back into it, but the best they could muster was a Wyan Reid cross that bounced off a defender with the keeper flapping a bit.

Attrill had a couple more chances but failed to finish, and a late Sam Edwards shot went over the bar as the game petered out, and Barking were winners and through to the final to face Buckhurst Hill at Billericay Town. A disappointing end to The Bridge cup run, but Barking deserved it on the night, and The Bridge can look forward to the Errington Cup Semi-final and hope for better fortune and a cup final to end the season would be nice; it just won’t be the Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy.

A tough night for The Bridge and a tough night for Ellis, but he never gave up, often fighting a lone battle and always trying to rally the troops. For non-stop effort alone, he deserves this MOM award. Well played, Ellis!

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