Report
The Stags ended the month of December without losing a match and so signalled their intent to secure at least a play off place by the end of the season. However, without three of the players who’d contributed to the improvement, they were always going to find things difficult against a very determined Barking side. Starting the match with young star Nicky Stevens in the back line and Cashman, Karhu and Brown all missing, The Stags took the game to Barking right from the kick off.
The main danger for Barking was Papy Kanyuka marauding down the right and Ian Cooper’s constant harrying of the Barking defence more centrally. It was Kanyuka who made the first breakthrough after only three minutes when he cut in from the right wing, beat two defenders then crossed the ball which was two deep for the two Forest men who had not moved from the back post.
It was Kanyuka who caused the damage for the Stags’ first goal on 5 minutes when he made the same kind of run from the right but kept the ball till he was central on goal then shot under goalkeeper Tucker who managed to slow the ball down enough for Cooper to run through and plant the ball in the back of the net.
Barking knew they needed to get back on terms quickly and this they did by sending the ball long then following it out of defence, this allowed them to keep the Stags in their own half for long periods and meant that ex Stag John Morgan could exploit the weakness on the right side of the home defence.
On 19 minutes Guei tried to pass the ball up the line for Kanyuka but the pass fell short giving Kanyuka no time to control. The ball was sent straight back up the Barking left wing and fell to Haughton who slipped into the penalty box and shot right footed in at the near post.
For long periods in the rest of the first half the Stags had real difficulty in clearing the ball so it was down to the home defence to clear up the countless balls that came back in from the Barking midfielders. Then it became evident that Barking had realised that Kanyuka was the dangerman and so began to try to take him out whenever he had the ball.
Barking had their chances too with Morgan and Gorman having half chances which they should both have made much more of. Then, on 43 minutes the Stags won a throw in which was taken by Armand. The throw was intended for Kanyuka but he had no chance of getting it with Sam Taylor holding him down with both hands. As was to happen on two further occasions, referee Mr Overall failed to see the infringement.
The half ended with the Stags having a golden opportunity to pull ahead when Cooper managed to get the ball in from the left with the Barking defence wondering what was going on. Unhappily Carl Ashton was unable to profit from his chest trap giving Higgs enough time to clear the ball.
The second half could not have started in worse fashion for the Stags going down to a smartly taken Niall Ritchie goal on 46 minutes: he was allowed to cut in from the left wing. Home ‘keeper Eneke unable to keep the ball out of the net diving to his left.
It was not long before the Stags thought they were back on terms with Cooper scoring from close range after some more good work from Kanyuka but this time he was inexplicably ruled off side. Home officials are still wondering how this could be when the only explanation was proffered by the assistant referee who was judging the other end of the pitch.
On 56 minutes Aneke made another good save from Morgan but it was the home defence which was now on top with Tickner and Panayiotou having excellent games and Morgan also doing his bit. Then on 20 minutes the Stags should have been awarded another penalty when Taylor held down Dewayne Clarke in the box but, once again, the referee seemed incapable of making a hard decision.
The game continued in end to end fashion with Barking wavering at the back and Kanyuka and Morgan missing chances at either end. On 83 minutes Kanyuka played his last part in the match having been taken down in the penalty and being unable to carry on: penalty not awarded!
Down to ten men, all seemed lost for the home side but they were not going to give in and finally got the point they deserves after two minutes of time added on. The ball came to Clarke on the edge of the penalty area, he turned his man and passed to Paul Armand coming in at the left who slammed the ball into the net. The game ended with another penalty good call from the Stags and then Ian Cooper shooting past ‘keeper Tucker only for a defender to save on the line.
In truth, the Barking were the better team but with penalties not awarded and chances not taken, the Stags could have taken all three ponts.