Barking & Dagenham 3-2 Islington
BARKING & DAGENHAM WERE MADE to sweat in their Crisp Shield second round tie at Robert Clack – in a game that had looked at one stage like it could turn into a rout.
Buoyed by two straight wins, the hosts flew out of the traps. Within minutes the Islington goal was under threat, as Five Elms duo Michael Milburn and Jordane Thomas continued right where they had left off the previous week.
Slick passing and a quick one-two put Thomas through on the right-hand side. His low hard shot went just wide, but it was a sign of things to come. The rare forays into the Barking & Dagenham half were quickly turned into counter attacks, as the North Londoners were rocking.
Eghosa Ekhosuehi was pulling the strings in central midfield, and it was his intelligent through ball that led to the opener on seven minutes. The St Vincent’s man’s perfectly waited through ball found Milburn on the right edge of the visitor’s box. The Barking & Dagenham captain cut inside, and curled a stunning left foot shot into the top corner for 1-0 – with even the visiting support applauding.
Come Again?
Not content, the BAD Boys came again.
After sixteen minutes, George Carey’s Judah Blair-Charles picked up a loose ball at the heart of the hosts’ defence, and played a perfect cross field pass to Finley Hossack of Godwin. He and Ekhosuehi then put on a clinic of skill and flair – that had the crowd drooling – before crossing for Thomas to blaze just over. The home team were in the mood.
Minutes later it would be two. The North Londoners won a corner, that the hosts cleared up field. The ball fell to Thomas on the half-way line. His blistering pace left the Islington defence in his dust, and this time he made no mistake unleashing an unstoppable shot past the keeper into the roof on the net.
Blair-Charles then had a long range shot on the stroke of half time that went just wide – with the flood gates on the verge of opening.
The restart did little to halt the Barking & Dagenham momentum, and they went looking for the third.
Enter Milburn again. Ten minutes after the restart, the skipper picked up the ball on the left-hand side and began another one of his marauding runs and in the blink of an eye, he was level with the Islington box. He cut inside and then hit a low, hard right footed shot that flew in at the near post and it was game over.
Or so the BAD Boys thought.
Needless
Six minutes later, a needless free kick was given away twenty yards from goal. With everyone expecting a rifled free kick, the Islington man sprinted up to the ball – but decided to chip it at the last minute. His effort was perfection, and the ball looped over everyone and nestled into the net.
Game on.
With five minutes to go, the hosts conceded another free kick near their penalty area. This time, the ball was fired into the box – causing panic and mayhem in the home defence. Eventually, a low hard shot was deflected past everyone and into the BAD Boys’ goal. Barking & Dagenham were wobbling, and a game they had dominated was now 3-2.
Islington then laid a five-minute siege on the Barking & Dagenham goal – with supporters of both sides roaring and jumping with excitement. The North Londoners came from all angles in search of the equaliser – that would’ve sent the game into extra time.
Blair-Charles however held firm in the home defence. A slew of last-ditch tackles and clearances ensured that the BAD Boys would indeed progress into the third round, where they will meet Sutton, St Alban’s or Newham.
Next up for Barking & Dagenham is a home league game against Newham, where they will try and keep alive their slim hopes of winning the Essex League alive.
Barking & Dagenham: Freddie Cable (Grafton), Judah Blair-Charles (George Carey), Firdaus Bakare (Roding Cannington), Callum Salmon (Grafton), Jordanne Thomas (Five Elms), Kylan Okosi (Grafton), Michael Milburn (Five Elms), Owen Orhue (St Vincent’s), Oba Adetona (Valence), Elijah Armah (Richard Alibon), Oliver Grange (Roding Cannington), Finley Hossack (Godwin), Vasile Paul (Parsloes), Eghosa Ekhosuehi (St Vincent’s)