Blues return to Parkside after two weeks on the road when they entertain Barking on Saturday. Back in December the two teams met with Barking coming out on top 2-1 after Blues produced a miserable performance only bursting into life when they found themselves two goals down on the hour mark. Last weeks confidence boosting win at Basildon on a difficult playing surface was the second for new Manager Jim Cooper who looks to have steadied the ship adding a more measured approach to Blues play. The corresponding fixture last season was abandoned with Blues leading after The Barking manager refused to leave the field after bein issued with a red card.
Barking sit in twelfth place just two places below Blues with two points separating the teams making tomorrows encounter a typical six pointer. Their ecent results have been mixed with three wins and three defeats in March, a notable 4-1 demolition of promotion chasing Heybridge Swifts contrasted sharply with a 9-0 thrashing at Champions elect Bowers & Pitsea suggesting inconsistency to be a key to their mid table position. Darrell Russell is their current leading goalscorer with six goals.
Blues form has picked up of late seeing them placed handily in ninth place, two wins, two draws and just one defeat has been the return since a change of management and a change of tactics. Last weeks win at Basildon featured goals from two young Blues, Robinson Wokoma making his full debut and on loan Jake Hutchinson but the win came at a cost with Joao Carlos and Wokoma forced off with injuries, hopefully they will both be available Saturday.The game will be another opportunity for manager Cooper to assess his squad as he looks to build for next season.
Form Guide
Blues
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Barking
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