Monday make a bleak Wednesday for Barely

Easton Monday 2 Barely Athletic 1

Goal: Steve Pinnell

Defence: Ioan Williams, Tom Pinnell, Quentin Alsop, Sam Morrison

Midfield: Ritchie Cormack, Jim Fry, Rich Jackson, Nick Ambler

Forward: Manrouf Chanfi, Martin Remmers

No subs.

Barely can look back on this game and feel reasonably proud. It was, age gags aside, by no means vintage but against an obdurate and well-organised Easton they, for the most part, held their own. But the game started off in farcical fashion when Easton managed to smack home a goal before Barely had limbered up, which they prefer to do once the game starts to save energy. Cutting a swathe down the middle, Easton caused chaos in the Barely box before an attacker volleyed home from a narrow angle.

Against a team who battered Barely 5-0 last season, this wasn't the greatest omen. And sure enough, like vultures sensing the imminent demise of a footballer crawling across the desert, Easton continued to circle as Barely tried - and failed - to attack on the break. Twenty minutes in, it had been pretty much all Easton and Barely could only hope that as they swayed against the ropes taking body blows (this is a boxing analogy now, forget the vultures) they could find and opening and hit someone in the face (metaphorically, obviously) when the chance arose.

In the first half no such chance did, but after weathering that prolonged storm Barely started finding some inroads and began testing the Easton defence a little bit more, forcing a few corners and sprinkling some barnstorming breaks from deep by the impressive Tom and Quentin. One such foray from the latter forced a free kick some 25 yards out, and Sam, demonstrating an impressive speed of thought, quickly blasted it high and wide. After an earlier corner that he curled into touch, it wasn't the day to resuscitate a dead ball for the marauding right-back. But Barely took heart that after such a gruesome half they were only a goal behind and, possession-wise, back in the game.

Such optimism was shortly consigned to the dustbin of nostalgia though, when Barely replicated their sluggish start to the first half by conceding a second shortly after the break. Allayed to Ritchie's calf-strain and an absence of subs (the voluble Lee Douglas and less-voluble but still-there Rich Sloper aside, who were attendant but injured) this meant things looked a little bleak for Barely in terms of an Ali-style comeback.

But to be fair Barely carved out some chances. A decent move ended with a powerful Manrouf header flying narrowly wide, and the Gallic speedster, who caused concern with his direct running all afternoon, will be disappointed not to have connected better with a sidefooted effort shortly afterwards. Sam felt he might have had a penalty after he was "cynically chopped down" - his words - in the box, but no-one else appealed.

However Easton shaded the action, with the Barely defence the busier of the two outfits and Quentin and Tom in particular called upon frequently to stifle attacks before they bore fruit. When Easton did break through, they were denied by the safe hands of Steve, who even threw himself into a post at one point, such was his dedication to the cause. And Barely finally got a reward for their efforts when Jim slalomed © his way through midfield, exchanged a one-two with Ritchie and walloped the ball into the net. "It only goes in when I close my eyes" he confided later, presumably talking about the goal.

Barely had renewed hope, but renewed energy, alas, was beyond them, and as the sun disappeared behind the trees and the players shuffled about in the gloaming Bob Lynn sensibly called time on proceedings. Despite the result, an enjoyable game for Barely and a decent performance from which they can glean several positives. Once again the centre-back pairing were impressive and Rich Jackson offered a composed head in midfield amidst the blood and thunder, with some tidy passing. But if Barely could start each half at full-speed they might be looking at a draw in these types of games. That said, Easton were worthy winners and Barely look forward to crossing swords (or sparring) (or crawling across the desert in search of water) with them again.