Barking & Dagenham – Winners
WITH A LESTER FINCH Trophy Final to look forward to on Wednesday, Barking & Dagenham travelled up the M1 to Hemel Hempstead for the Proformance District Under 11s Cup tournament. After a nervy start, the district side showed great character to lift their first silverware of the season, capping off a fabulous day’s football in fine style
Barnet 2-1 Barking & Dagenham
Brimming with confidence after seven straight wins – and three straight clean sheets – Barking & Dagenham got their campaign underway against Barnet.
The opposition were quickly on the front foot with dangerous skills and dribbling. A first minute warning was not heeded, and Barnet scored seconds later with a sublime shot from the right wing that flew into the top corner.
More dribbling caught the East Londoners napping at the back again, and a rash challenge led to a penalty being awarded. The spot kick was confidently converted, and the BAD Boys found themselves two down after three minutes.
A fantastic save from Grafton’s George Miller kept Barking & Dagenham in it, before a late Chibuzo Okoli consolation goal made the score line more respectable.
Barking & Dagenham 1-0 Chelmsford & Mid Essex
Next up were Lester Finch Trophy Final opponents Chelmsford & Mid Essex. As expected, it was a cagey affair with both teams feeling each other out in the Cup final dress rehearsal.
Another great save from Miller kept the scores level – as he tipped onto the crossbar – before the decisive moment arrived. A pinpoint Jahcorey Blair-Charles free kick from the right-hand side was deftly headed in by Captain Lesecond Yeutembip for 1-0.
Blair-Charles was giving the Mid Essex defence a torrid time, and his low cross was flicked narrowly over the bar by Okoli.
Still, it took another miraculous save from Miller – along with stubborn resistance from Ibrahim Msabah and Ruari Stanton – to preserve the victory, and the BAD Boys were off the mark and up and running.
Dartford 1-0 Barking & Dagenham
The hard work however immediately undone, as a long ball over the top gave Dartford an early lead.
From there, the Kent side built a wall in front of their goal.
Barking & Dagenham knocked at the Dartford door – with Okoli being the main protagonist – but try as they might they could not score. The game marked the first time this season that the BAD Boys were kept off the score sheet.
Barking & Dagenham 4-0 Tower Hamlets
With their participation in the tournament in jeopardy, Barking & Dagenham responded.
Blair-Charles was again tormenting the opposition full back, and his early cross was powerfully headed in by George Carey teammate Joel Ladegbaye. Not content with his growing assist total, Blair-Charles again danced past the Hamlets defence to tee up Ladegbaye, who rifled an unstoppable shot into the top corner for 2-0.
Ladegbaye nearly completed his hat trick three minutes later but blazed his shot just over.
He would however only be denied for so long, as Yeutembip’s slide rule pass found him one on one with the keeper. A calm side foot finish followed, and the game was up for the Hamlets.
There was still time for another mazey Blair-Charles run and cross, which was bundled home by St Peter’s Chinoso Ibeh to complete the scoring.
Luton & South Bedfordshire 0-4 Barking & Dagenham
With their tails up, the BAD Boys went about making amends for defeat at the hands of Luton in the National Cup.
A blistering start was capped off by a spectacular long-range effort by St Peter’s Denzel-Decardi-Nelson for 1-0. Barking & Dagenham’s top scorer had been quiet up until this point, but his left footed shot rocketed into the top corner for a dream start.
He then decided to one up himself, with an almost identical second – this time with his weaker right foot. Blair-Charles teed it up, and the St Peter’s man did the rest. It was 2-0 and Luton were shell shocked.
The Bedfordshire side still hadn’t recovered five minutes later, as the ever-dangerous Blair-Charles crossed for Decardi-Nelson to grab his hat trick.
With passage to the semi-final secured, Okoli darted down the right-hand side, before smashing his shot across the Luton keeper to seal an emphatic win.
Semi-Final: Luton & South Bedfordshire 1-3 Barking & Dagenham
The East Londoners continued right where they left off in the Group Stage and went right at the Bedfordshire side in the semi-final. Early forays yielded no goals, but the BAD boys could smell blood in the water.
It was only a matter of time before the goal arrived, and Okoli obliged by latching onto Yeutembip’s through ball and calmly slotting home.
As in the previous two games, Barking & Dagenham quickly landed the second knockout punch. Luton conceded a free kick on the edge of their own box, and up stepped Captain Les. The Northbury man powerfully curled his shot into the top corner, and the final beckoned.
Luton however, stirred and came back at the BAD Boys. For their efforts they were rewarded – and pulled one back to rattle the Barking & Dagenham cage.
Cue the siege. Furious attacks from the Luton had Barking & Dagenham firmly on the back foot.
A solid rear-guard action – led by Marvellous Oppong and Dexter Douglas – was called for, and the BAD Boys were hanging on.
With seconds to go, Blair-Charles orchestrated a counterattack. He fed Yeutembip, who laid on a one touch pass to Okoli. Past the full back went the William Ford man to the bye line, before unselfishly laying on the final act for Decardi-Nelson.
Final: Barnet 0-0 Barking & Dagenham (3-4 on penalties)
After a slow start to the competition, Barking & Dagenham suddenly found themselves in the final – and it was Miller time. Superman had proved his infinite value – with cameo saves in the earlier stages of the tournament – but this time he dusted off his cape and took over.
Barnet came at the BAD Boys just as they had done in the opening match of the tournament, but Miller would not be beaten. Two saves in the early stages signalled his determination and intent, but then the turning point arrived when Barnet were awarded a penalty after a handball.
Unphased, Superman stood tall in his goal. Another staggering save followed, and the entire Borough of Barking & Dagenham were officially on his shoulders and back.
Blair-Charles headed just wide from a corner, and Okoli flashed his shot from the right just wide of the far post.
The deadlock remained unbroken, and penalties would decide the winners of the competition.
Both sides scored their opening penalties – with Decardi-Nelson and Okoli converting – before Miller tipped Barnet’s third onto the post. The BAD Boys however missed their next penalty, and Barnet made it 3-3.
Captain Les made it 4-3, before Miller saved the day one last time with yet another incredible save – the best of the lot.
Against all the odds, Barking & Dagenham had won the Proformance District Cup 2021 – and the hordes who had made the trip up the M1 to cheer them on were in raptures. Silverware secured, and a Lester Finch Trophy Final to look forward to – as well as a semi-final in the Crisp Shield.
Congratulations to the BAD Boys!
Barking & Dagenham: George Miller (Grafton), Marvellous Oppong (Northbury), Ibrahim Msabah (George Carey), Dexter Douglas (St Vincent’s), Chinoso Ibeh (St Peter’s), Lesecond Yeutembip (Northbury), Denzel Decardi-Nelson (St Peter’s), Jahcorey Blair-Charles (George Carey), Chibuzo Okoli (William Ford), Ruari Stanton (Northbury), Joel Ladegbaye (George Carey)