Barking & Dagenham 4-0 Tower Hamlets

BARKING & DAGENHAM U11S BOOKED their place in the second round of the London Schools’ FA Crisp Shield with a comprehensive victory over Tower Hamlets. A brace from Favour Fawunmi and strikes from Joe Martin and Harry Millburn saw their side cruise through. The home side started brightly and nearly took an early lead. With barely a minute on the clock, Millburn’s dangerous corner flashed across the face of the Hamlet’s goal with no one able to apply a finishing touch.

However, from their next corner the home side went in front. Millburn’s in-swinger was only half-cleared and Martin met the ball on the half volley on the edge of the box and the ball nestled into the net.

The home side had their tails up and almost doubled their lead with their next attack. Fawunmi skipped past three challenges before seeing him firm strike pushed away by the Hamlets’ keeper.

Kien Connelly saw his follow up saved before Amin Karim drew another save with a snap shot from close range.

Barking & Dagenham looked likely to score every time then went forward and were soon 2-0 up with Millburn again involved. His wicked, in swinging corner was met by a glancing header from Fawunmi and the ball flew past the visiting keeper.

Fawunmi, buoyed by his goal, saw his fierce drive palmed away as the home side tried to kill the game off.

Inexplicable

The visitors offered very little going forward but missed a glorious chance to get themselves back into the game. A defensive slip allowed them Rocco in for the visitors as he broke free with the whole goal to aim at. However, inexplicably he put the ball over with the goal gaping.

Barking & Dagenham almost made Hamlets pay with their next attack. Karim was bundled over as he ran towards the penalty area and Connelly’s sweetly struck free kick was smartly saved by the impressive Hamlets’ keeper.

Brandon Dean, who up until this point had been a virtual bystander in the home goal, was finally called into action as Tower Hamlets finished the half on the front foot. However, the Dorothy Barley stopper dived bravely at the feet on the onrushing Rocco and the home side went in at the break two goals to the good.

Despite dominating the first period, the home side came out for the second knowing their lead was a dangerous one and immediately set about trying to kill the game. Emis Gasperavicius, who impressed throughout on the wing, sent a delicious cross across the face of the goal after his sped past four Hamlets challenges. Unfortunately, Amin was inches away from applying the finishing touch.

Gasperavicius then set up Connelly after another barnstorming run and cross but Connelly’s half volley drifted wide of the upright.

Millburn went closer still with a free kick moments later but the Tower Hamlets keeper produced a good save to tip the ball over.

Domination

The home side continued to dominate and scored a third with a well worked goal. The industrious Charlie Rich found Millburn wide on the right. There looked to be no real danger for the visitors but Millburn had other ideas. Showing great control, Millburn went past three challenges before cutting inside the Tower Hamlets’ centre back before coolly slotting the ball through the legs of the Hamlets keeper. It was a brilliant individual goal and the Five Elms man’s first for the Borough.

With the game over, the home side turned on the style and Connelly headed over from Mason Stanton’s free kick before Karim went close with a fizzing drive.

Karim was then fouled twenty yards from goal and up stepped Fawunmi to fire the free kick into the top corner to give the scoreline a fairer reflection of the game.

The home side continued to press forward and almost grabbed a fifth. Millburn’s marauding run saw him reach the touchline and his cut back was nearly bundled home by Jaqwaan Williams only for a defender to stop the ball crossing the line.

The victory saw Barking & Dagenham set up a home tie against Hackney in 2017 and they will be hopeful of an extended cup run in the New Year.

Barking & Dagenham: Dean (D Barley), Onajobi (Becontree), Karim (Parsloes), Milburn (Five Elms), Gasperavicius (W Bellamy), Williams, Connolly, Martin, Rich (Valence), Fawunmi Hunters Hall), Stanton (Eastbury)