APSA upset Barkingside promotion dreams

Barkingside 1 London APSA 2

LONDON APSA derailed Barkingside's Essex Senior League title challenge with a shock win at Oakside on Monday night.

The east Londoners looked on course for a defeat when 'Side took the lead, but a Gregory Akpele free kick and a Tim Cole header dealt a huge blow to Barkingside's promotion aspirations.

APSA are now 14th in the 18-team division, with Tony Fenn's men sixth and 10 points behind table-toppers Burnham Rambers.

Monday's win was a stark contrast to the weekend's miserable result.

APSA travelled to Essex to take on second-placed Stansted and returned to London empty handed after a 4-0 battering.

Boss John Higley was forced to field a weakened line-up with many of his first team players absent or late.

The Terence McMillan Stadium chief praised his makeshift side, but expressed his disappointment at the lack of commitment shown by the other squad members.

"The boys who went out there gave me everything in difficult conditions," he said.

"Our starting 11 was weaker than I would have liked due to players missing and lateness on Saturday.

"Saying that, once we got to grips with things, we competed quite well.

"The problem is that is was too late by then, as we were already two nil down.

"We battled in the second half and really put them under pressure, so if we had started with a stronger side, it would have been a different game."

The home side took just seven minutes to seize the initiative with a header from Dan Cornwell.

The pressure continued as a weary APSA tried to find their stride.

An inability to keep possession cost them 10 minutes later when they fell two goals behind.

A much-improved performance in the second half by the visitors was only rewarded with two more goals for Stansted.

Terry Spillane's men hit APSA on the counter-attack to secure a 4-0 win.