THE SUPERB FORM of Barking & Dagenham girls’ U11s continued as they pulled off a string of top-class performances to earn joint first place at the Woking Festival. Three goals apiece for Pahris Cotterell and Makayla Smith, plus two from Millie Blythe, helped the district side to five wins from six matches – a record shared by equally impressive sides from Brent and Orpington.
Barking & Dagenham began brightly against Woking Reds. Gabriella Gomes assumed the captaincy from the rested Blythe and drove her side forward, testing the opposition keeper with a series of efforts from distance.
Confident
The winning goal came from confident play at the back by Alisha Johnson, striding out in to midfield to play in Jessica Ellum. On debut, Ellum then squirmed the ball through a crowd to the onrushing Smith whose desire and bravery saw her meet the ball ahead of her opponents to stab home from close range.
A one-nil scoreline also settled the next game against fellow London League title challengers Brent. It was Ellum again who spread play wide – this time to Blythe whose crisp finished left the North Londoners stunned.
Woking Blues were then brushed aside as Barking & Dagenham comfortably saw out another single goal victory courtesy of Cotterell’s confident fire-cracker from distance.
And when Smith and Blythe netted against West Kent to ensure a 2-0 win in the next game, it looked like Barking & Dagenham were all set to finish with a hundred percent record.
Sloppy
However a sloppy start against a strong Orpington side saw them concede two crushing goals in a matter of just seconds. It was a huge wake-up call for a side who had lost just once in seventeen matches and a reminder of the quality of opposition at district level.
Barking & Dagenham pushed to get back into the game and were given a lifeline when Smith’s free-kick proved too hot for the Orpington keeper to handle. But it was the Kent side who held on for a well-deserved victory.
Undeterred by the setback, Barking & Dagenham vowed to make amends in their final outing and duly got the better of Gloucester with a confident display that saw them back to their best. A dazzling solo effort from Cotterell showed maturity beyond her years as she danced clear of a series of challenges before a calm, deft finish gave her side the advantage.
Advantage
An innocuous deflection from an attempted tackle somehow found its way into the Barking & Dagenham goal to give Gloucester a way back into the match but any hopes of a further revival were dashed when Cotterell zig-zagged her way through straight from kick-off and re-established her side’s advantage.
Next up for the girls are their remaining London Girls’ League fixtures against Sutton, South London and Brent. Three wins from three would see them crowned champions however lessons must be learnt from their festival experience if that is to be achieved.
Barking & Dagenham: Babatunde (Richard Alibon); Embery, Blythe, Johnson (Valence); Gomes (St Joseph’s Dagenham); Cotterell (Manor Longbridge); Ellum (Hunters Hall); Smith (Henry Green)