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In the tranquil setting of Mayesbrook Park, Barking, the Ducks began the new campaign in the VFL Premier, their third new league in three seasons. In this leafy part of Essex though, the players on arrival were greeted with a sparse ground, a hard bumpy pitch and in desperate need of cutting, making close control a near impossibility. Trevor Gould gave a debut to new signing Steve Ketteridge in midfield with Owen Wright moving to the bench.

Barking gave the lads a shock after just 40 seconds when a cross from the right found John Neal unmarked 6 yards out, he headed down but Tim Garner showed his agility by diving left and saving.

Both sides found the hard uneven surface difficult, and after 24 minutes a move similar to the 1st minute saw Garner make a similar save from a point blank header by Tony James.

United began to dominate midfield, and on 32 minutes Ketteridge lofted a free kick, Allan Pluckrose flicked on, and Graham Reed turned and volleyed from 12 yards which home keeper Lee Harmsworth did well to tip over the bar.

Ten minutes into the second half and Pluckrose shot weakly from a good position, then a cross from the same player saw Paul Hackett with a free header, but the ball lacked power and Harmsworth easily gathered.

Owen Wright and Brendan Phillips replaced Hackett and Steve Cox after 70 minutes, and 6 minutes later Ketteridge intercepted a short corner by Barking, passed to Pluckrose who fed Rob Smith out on the left. The youngster outstripped the fullback, but his low shot from 20 yards was tipped round the post by Harmsworth.

Five minutes from time Owen Wright, having lost the ball near the halfway line won it back, went past Lemoine and passed inside to Reed, but his first time shot was palmed into the side netting by the keeper.

With Tim Garner a virtual spectator in the second half the game ended scoreless, but this was rather a case of two points lost, rather than one gained.