‘Side left short at the back in 5-2 defeat

Barkingside manager Matt Frew said the departure of right-back Danny Hayes affected his side after their 5-2 loss away to Harlow Town.

Hayes left the Cricklefields side just days before their clash with table-toppers Harlow, joining Maldon & Tiptree.

The transfer left Frew with few options at right-back, with striker Lewis Francis taking Haynes’ place in defence.

“It was a little disruptive before the match. Danny Hayes announced he was leaving the club on Thursday and it didn’t give me time to bring anyone in,” said Frew.

“We started off on the front foot and went 1-0 up. When you take the lead, it’s important to keep it for the next five to 10 minutes, but we conceded in the next minute after scoring.

“After that, they kept exploiting Lewis Francis at right-back. Their goals were nothing special. For a few of them, we made mistakes in the build-up and that’s what cost us.”

‘Side went into the match with Harlow on the back of a four-game winning run that had not only boosted morale, but also their chances of avoiding relegation.

Frew believes the confidence they gained from their winning streak gave them confidence to believe they could get a result against the league leaders.

“With the squad of players we have, we can beat anyone. We won four games in a row prior to the Harlow match,” added Frew.

“Morale was high and we thought we could get a result. If you gift them chances, they’ll punish you but there were positives to take from the game.”

Despite the defeat, Frew believes it could have been different had his side had more chances.

“Harlow are dangerous going forward but if you can get at the back four, they’re not the quickest. That’s their weak point. But they’ve still beaten us.”