Ryman North: Barkingside 0 Dereham 2

Barkingside suffered a seventh successive Ryman North defeat after going down at home to Dereham Town.

Matt Frew’s men had claimed a surprise win when the two sides met in Norfolk three and a half weeks ago.

But Dereham took the lead within two minutes of the return meeting at Cricklefield Stadium as centre-back Levis Sturman pounced after an initial effort from Frazer Blacks-Tracy from a corner.

Derehem were then awarded a penalty in the 30th minute after Aiden Lucas took down Luke Tuttle before he could get his shot away.

Tuttle picked himself up and calmly slotted the penalty into the bottom left hand corner, which gave Dereham a comfortable lead.

The visitors were forced to replace Michael Clunan with Haron Kay, after sustaining a pulled muscle in the 26th minute, and Barkingside’s only dangerous chance in the first half came from Reece Tranter’s drilled in corner which fell for Lee Weemes.

But Weemes saw his shot take a deflection, diverting the ball away from the target.

The second half was filled with chances that both teams failed to convert, Dereham having the best of them.

Tuttle’s through ball to Liam Wallace left him one on one with goalkeeper Chris Clark, but his chip was wide of the mark.

And Clunan also had a chance to extend Dereham’s lead as he slid and flicked the ball towards goal in a crowded penalty, causing Clark to make a save.

Barkingside created some chances, but were not as threatening. A long ball from the back found substitute Calvin Poku, whose shot made no real threat to Dereham keeper Andrew Wilton.

Jason Fontaine’s dangerous through ball to Poku troubled Wilton, as he was forced to come out and make a clean slide tackle to prevent the striker from getting through to goal.

Barkingside’s loss means they stay in 22nd place on 34 points, two behind Romford with two games in hand and with the two sides set to meet at Ship Lane on Wednesday.

Barkingside: Clark, Adebayo, Skeet, Lucas, Cossingtn, Ciddines, Tranter, Davie, Fontaine, Weemes, Akpele. Subs: Francis, Burees, Kabashi, Poku, Pitman.

Dereham Town: Wilton, Willis, Wallace, Kay, Sturman, Morphew, Bailey, Smith, Tuttle, Blacks-Tracy, Wales. Subs: Clunan, Pale, Upton.

*Redbridge suffered a second successive defeat as they slipped to a 1-0 loss at Thamesmead.

Beaten at home by a solitary Cray Wanderers goal in midweek, Motormen saw Aaron Scott’s own goal on 50 minutes prove the difference between the two sides at Bayliss Avenue.

They remain seven points above the relegation zone, though, and make the short trip to Aveley on Monday evening looking to complete a double over the Millers following a 2-1 success at Oakside in October.