Ryman North: Brightlingsea Regent 1 Barkingside 1

Barkingside battled to a well-deserved Ryman North point after a keenly fought contest at sunny Brightlingsea.

The visitors took an early lead through captain Matt Gulfer, but Regent were soon back on level terms and hit the woodwork either side of the interval.

Matt Frew’s men were good value for a share of the spoils, though, and can now look forward to their big Essex Senior Cup tie at Dagenham & Redbridge’s Victoria Road ground tomorrow.

Barkingside made a bright start on the Essex coast, with strong runs from Dion Polious and Steve Carvell on either flank.

And Gulfer forced a diving save from Andrew Plummer with a stinging drive on six minutes, before opening the scoring three minutes later.

A foul on Calvin Poku by the left touchline gave Gulfer the chance to deliver a free kick into the box, with Plummer spilling the ball over his own line under pressure from Poku.

Polious almost got on the end of a long Tim Pitman kick around the quarter-hour mark, but Regent squared matters on 18 minutes when centre-back Jake Holman timed his run well to meet Luke Millbourne’s right-wing corner and send a bullet header into the net.

The home side enjoyed a purple patch for the next 10 minutes, with Russell Malton’s header hitting a post after Phil Kelly’s shot had been blocked from a long Josh Gould throw-in.

Malton and Joe Ellul were booked after clashing off the ball, before Holman’s drive was kicked out by Pitman and Ellul blocked Ben Newson’s full-blooded follow-up with his chest.

Regent’s Jake Gould was shown a yellow card after a trip on Danny Hayes and Barkingside finished the first half well, with Carvell’s cross-cum-shot being tipped behind by Plummer.

The second period was barely two minutes old when Regent had a great chance to take the lead.

Another long throw-in by captain Gould fell at the feet of goalscorer Holman, with the goal at his mercy, but the big defender sent the ball high and wide of Pitman’s goal and Barkingside had a let-off.

Hayes was cautioned by referee Smart – who came in for some stick from the crowd – for a trip on Newson, but Millbourne’s free kick was straight at Pitman.

Malton fired wide of the near post just before the hour mark and was denied by a timely tackle from young Josh Anpana, who impressed along Ellul at the heart of Barkingside’s defence.

The visitors went close twice in a minute midway through the half as Gulfer’s free kick found the head of Ellul, who forced a diving save from Plummer before Carvell shot the loose ball into the side netting fromm an acute angle.

Then a poor clearing kick by the Regent keeper was seized upon by Tom Davie, who sent his chip onto the roof of the net from 20 yards.

Anpana was shown a yellow card for a foul on Malton – as Regent fans called for red – but redeemed himself with a vital clearing header from the resultant Ricky Griggs free kick.

Carvell then showed persistence on the left, but his cross could not find a team-mate and Regent escaped.

Frew sent Andy Edmunds on for Poku, shortly after the striker had his name taken for a foul, and the substitute raced onto a pass from Hayes to force a good save from Plummer at his near post.

Dan Jones then replaced Davie, who had linked up well with Gulfer and Dan Cossington, but the visitors had a reprieve when Matt Cripps found room on the right to cross and Gould volleyed just over.

Frew’s final throw of the dice was to replace Polious with Lewis Francis, five minutes from time, but Barkingside had a scare soon after as Pitman raced off his line and saw an attempted clearance blocked, before Cossington cleared the loose ball.

Carvell scuffed a shot wide at the other end from Edmunds’ pass and Francis fired the wrong side of the near post on a counter-attack, but the best chance for a Barkingside winner fell to Jones in the second minute of injury time.

Gulfer sent Carvell to the byline on the left and his cutback was perfect for Jones, but he sent his shot beyond the upright and Barkingside had to be happy with a share of the spoils.

Barkingside: Pitman, Hayes, Bricknell, Ellul, Anpana, Cossington, Polious (Francis 85), Davie (Jones 77), Carvell, Gulfer, Poku (Edmunds 72).