Stansted 1 Barking 4 Stansted manager Terry Spillane was sent to the stands as his side were beaten by Barking on Saturday in the Essex Senior League. The manager was furious with the referee and linesman who he felt denied his side a deserved victory.

Stansted 1 Barking 4

Stansted manager Terry Spillane was sent to the stands as his side were beaten by Barking on Saturday in the Essex Senior League.

The manager was furious with the referee and linesman who he felt denied his side a deserved victory.

"You look forward to the game all week and when several major decisions go against you it's disheartening," he said.

"Casey Clarke was fouled outside of their box, but the referee played on and they scored their first goal. I was then sent to the stand for questioning the decision, but I wasn't shown the red card.

"Greig Taylor was fouled in the build up to their second goal as well. The linesman flagged but then took it down and the referee didn't see it.

"We got ourselves back into it, but then they score a third, which was miles offside.

"The referee was so bad and the lino wasn't up to it.

"They say these decisions even themselves out but I don't think we will get as many decisions in a game as Barking did on Saturday."

Despite the result, the manager was pleased with the way his side performed.

"If we had drawn or won they wouldn't have complained," said Spillane. "We were the better team for the first half and the first 20 minutes of the second half, with the first 25 minutes the best we have played all season."

Stansted started strongly on Saturday and Taylor and Clarke came close to giving them the lead in the first minute but the visiting keeper Adam Rafis pulled off some good saves.

Paul Seymour then hit a post for the Airportmen, while at the other end, a Wayne Vaughan shot also struck the woodwork.

It was Barking who made the breakthrough after 23 minutes when a Ben Bradbury cross was converted by Wayne Vaughan.

Stansted didn't let their heads drop and Danny Dow shot narrowly wide, as the Airportmen tried to get back into the game.

However, five minutes before the break, Ryan Doyle curled a free-kick past Matt Cope to give the visitors a 2-0 lead at half-time.

Stansted pulled a goal back in the second half, when Michael Palmieri headed in a great free-kick after 53 minutes.

Any hopes of a comeback were shortlived though, as the visitors restored their advantage when Jimmy Noakes converted at the second attempt, although there was a suspicion of offside in the build up.

Vaughan scored his second of the game for Barking with 15 minutes to go, to ensure his side left Hargrave Park with all three points.

Stansted boss Terry Spillane wants his side to forget Saturday's defeat against the second placed side and concentrate on this weekend's visit to strugglers Basildon United.

The manager knows the side second from bottom in the Essex Senior League are a team the Airportmen have to beat if they are to achieve their target of a mid- table position.

"They are one of the teams in our middle league and we are looking forward to going there and getting three points," he said.

"They are in disarray and have a caretaker manager, but I expect a tough game.

"These are the teams we measure ourselves against. Basildon, Beaumont and APSA are the teams we need to beat and it will be a good test for us on Saturday."

- Stansted striker Sam McCarthy has signed for Barking.

"They offered him money which we can't match," said Spillane. "They stuck in a seven-day approach and we didn't want to stand in his way so we left on good terms.