Basildon 1-3 Barking & Dagenham

IT’S AN IMPRESSIVE TEN out of ten for Barking & Dagenham, who maintained their 100% record into the New Year with a latest victory over battling Basildon. Far from their fluent best, moments of magic from Simonette Johnson and Paloma Correia – aided by the craft and guile of skipper Aaliyah Felix – nonetheless made all the difference and ensured the visitors will enter 2025 at the top of the Essex Schools’ FA Girls’ League table.

It was scrappy though. And it was the home side who benefitted from Barking & Dagenham’s sluggish start as keeper Grace Attwood-Adams was down sharply to her left to deny an early Basildon opener in the first minute.

Composure

Going the other way, Correia signalled her intent with a series of raids down the right flank, with the first brace of sorties resulting in off-balance slices into the side netting.

But, on seven minutes, the George Carey winger demonstrated great skill, flair and composure to evade a succession of challenges before cutting back inside and centring to Felix.

The ball didn’t quite meet the captain’s stride at the right moment to take a shot, so she instead intelligently adjusted her weight and laid off to leading scorer Johnson, who duly stroked home her tenth of the season from the edge of the box.

It was the first real moment of quality that the away side mustered, but they continued to prod and probe with Theresa Ezea and Felix firing wide when one-on-one with the keeper.

It took until four minutes before the interval for the lead to be extended when Correia’s dancing feet conjured a chink of space, leaving two defenders in her wake before catching the keeper off-guard with a snapshot that was past her opponent and in the net before she realised it was coming.

Caught

But instead of pushing for more, Barking & Dagenham were caught on their heels. The lead was quickly halved when slow closing down and loose marking resulted in Basildon pulling one back with a looping effort that left Attwood-Adams with no chance.

Half-time brought harsh words – and an immediate response – with the two-goal cushion restored within thirty seconds. Felix was again the architect, slipping a ball through to Johnson, whose long stride took her clear – an unerring finish registering her sixth goal against Basildon across this season and last.

It should have been four moments later when Ezea fired firmly at the home goalkeeper inside the box.

And the industrious Bella Hines went close on several occasions, the best opportunity seeing her firm drive bounce back off the upright after the Northbury forward seized upon a loose pass from the back.

It was Basildon though who came closest, with Attwood-Adams again down well before Lily Imititikua affected an eye-catching Cruyff turn on her own goal-line to frustrate the hosts and calmly turn what seemed a certain second goal into another Barking & Dagenham counter-attack.

In the closing stages, Hines saw another effort tipped wide before combining with Correia to set up Ezea once more.

Festive 

It was a frustrating morning though, despite the win, for a Barking & Dagenham side that should have dominated had the performance matched their last outing against Chelmsford & Mid Essex.

A sign of a good team however, is that they find ways of winning even when not at their best. That’s twice in successive away matches the theory has been put to the test, and on both occasions, Barking & Dagenham emerged victorious.

Last time, it was via a dramatic penalty shootout. This time round, there was no such drama – but the ability to claim three points regardless is a pleasing habit to nurture and one they may have to call upon again in the future.

A month’s break for the Festive Season now beckons. May we take this opportunity to wish all the best to all the district family: staff, parents, players, brothers, sisters and all those who supports us in all we do. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

We go again in 2025!

Barking & Dagenham: Grace Attwood-Adams (The Leys), Jo Mecvari (Southwood), Paloma Correia (George Carey), Theresa Ezea (St Peter’s), Aaliyah Felix (Goresbrook), Lily-Mae Fisher (Roding), Bella Hines (Richard Alibon), Lily Imititikua (St Peter’s), Simonette Johnson (St Peter’s), Amelia Pike (Valence), Bella Yorke (Northbury)