By Peter Stephenson
A sunny Jack Thomas Reserve welcomed Barkers (fifth) on the traditionally tricky trip to Berwick (fourth), with the visitors keen to build some momentum following their 5-1 win over Doncaster. By contrast, after a flying start, Berwick had slumped to three consecutive defeats, but were buoyed by the signing of Jalil Nabizadah from Greater Dandenong. Barkers made two changes, with Ray Markley and Maxim Solovyev coming in for Ryan Smith and Jerome Valadon.
Barkers took time to switch on. On eight minutes, City’s Adam Hester hit a corner from the right to the far post, where Philip Hawkins had a shot blocked. Then a ball in from the left saw a glancing header from Nabizadah go just wide of the far post.
Barkers’ first threat came on 13 minutes, when Christian Porcaro crossed from the left to the far side of the box, where Markley turned and shot at keeper Kile Kennedy. Then Barkers pumped up a high ball for Geordie Scott, whose shot on the run went wide.
Just before the half hour, a Barkers handball allowed Berwick a free kick in the attacking half. It floated to the far post, Mark Naumowicz couldn’t hold on, and Ahren Angulo cleared desperately in front of an open goal. This only delayed the pain, however. On 31 minutes, a Berwick attack was headed clear, but fell to Nabizadah. Given space to shoot, the man with the sweetest strike in the league sent a beauty into the top left-hand corner of the net to give City a 1-0 lead.
Just before the break, City’s lead was almost doubled. Thay attacked from the left, and C.Porcaro lost sight of the ball in the sun’s glare, allowing Simon Mur a sight of goal, but he shot past the far post. Half-time: Berwick 1-0 Barkers – in a game of few chances, Berwick were deservedly ahead.
The first 15 minutes of the second half saw Berwick maintain their grip on the game without adding to the score. Six minutes in, John-Paul Cooper lost out in a tackle and Hester hit a long crossfield ball to the left wing, leading to a shot which hit the bar. Then Barkers almost hit Berwick on the break when Ross Clark fed Scott, who hit an angled shot which was beaten away by Kennedy.
On the hour, Berwick had three chances in two minutes as they pummelled Barkers. A long ball down the left wing led to a shot and a good low stop by Naumowicz. Then another left wing run, a cut inside and a shot deflected past the far post. Finally a corner on the right which Barkers cleared, but it fell to Emre Ozyurek, who hit a piledriver of a shot narrowly over.
However, Barkers survived all this, and then Clark weaved his magic, beating three or four players, and squeezing the ball to Scott. He struck his shot against a Berwick hand – penalty to Barkers. The Barkers captain blasted the spot kick into the corner of the net for the equaliser, setting up the usual tense finish at Jack Thomas between these sides.
Two minutes later, a low Berwick shot fizzed past the post, but then Cooper hit a lovely cross from the left to the far post. Liam Seaye soared, and headed over Kennedy, and the ball dropped for Scott, who scored a near post tap-in to give Barkers the lead.
Barkers spent the last 15 minutes defending against a Berwick siege. Hester hit a ripper free kick just beyond the post, and another forward volleyed over. With six minutes left, Barkers almost made the game safe when a long clearance fell for Scott, who ran on to the ball and shot at Kennedy. Full-time: Berwick 1-2 Barkers.
This was the first time this season that Barkers had beaten a higher-placed opponent. It was hard-earned, as they were under the pump for long periods against a side with some quality players. It should be noted, however, that Barkers at no stage looked down and out, and still have key players to return from injury. This could still turn out to be a very interesting season.
