Thurrock 3-0 Barking & Dagenham
BARKING & DAGENHAM U11S SUFFERED a 3-0 defeat against arch-rivals Thurrock in their latest Representative fixture on Saturday. However, the scoreline didn’t reflect a game that Barking & Dagenham dominated for long periods.
The visitors made a bright start and debutante Frankie Ismail whipped in an early corner but none of his team mates were able to get a final touch. Somfechi Ukuno then went close with a fierce drive that was well-held by Alfie Fitzearle in the home goal. Matas Klimas then went even closer with a shot from twenty-five yards but, once again, Fitzearle was equal to the effort.
Barking & Dagenham continued to dominate the proceedings and almost took the lead with their next foray forward. Nathan Solomon’s speculative effort beat Fitzearle but crashed against the crossbar. The rebound was slotted home by Okuno but the goal was disallowed for an offside decision.
Thurrock then enjoyed a spell of pressure and Joseph Omowanile went close twice. His first effort flew narrowly wide before his second was well saved by Abhi Pal in the away goal.
Agonising
Barking & Dagenham then had two chances of their own. Ukuno drew another smart save from Fitzearle before Amine Zafer saw his side-footed effort from the edge of the box go agonisingly wide of the target.
Thurrock ended the half on the front foot and broke the deadlock with a huge slice of luck. Kian Cocking’s corner was cleared into the path of Jamie Lartice. His shot was flying wide but caught the back of a Barking defender and fell into the path of Omowanile, who made no mistake from close range.
Ukuno created a chance for himself early in the second period as Barking & Dagenham tried to response to falling behind. His powerful run took him past the attention of three Thurrock defenders but his shot failed to threaten the goal.
Moments later, Ukuno went close again after some good work down the right by Emmanuel Mintah but Fitzearle got down well to push his low drive around the post.
Barking & Dagenham remained in control of the game but Thurrock almost doubled their lead with a swift counter attack. A long ball over the top released Cocking and his low centre was poked wide by the onrushing Omowanile.
At the other end, Ukuno bulldozed his way past two Thurrock defenders but screwed his shot wide of the target and within minutes Thurrock increased their lead. Once again, like their first, the goal was very unfortunate on the visitors. A corner was cleared and Flynn Warne’s shot was heading miles wide of the target only to strike a Barking & Dagenham defender and find its way into the net.
Denied
Barking & Dagenham continued to press forward and Romir Mann was denied by another smart save from Fitzearle. The Rush Green man showed great feet to fashion a chance for himself, only to see the Thurrock keeper get down well at his near post to deny the away side.
To their credit, Barking & Dagenham refused to give up but were caught on the break as Thurrock made the game safe with a third. With bodies pushed forward, a long ball over the top saw Omowanile race through and his cutback was stabbed home by Zakariya Khalique.
The scoreline didn’t reflect the game as a whole and, much like the Essex Finch league game a few weeks previous, Barking & Dagenham were left empty-handed from a game that they had more than matched their opponents.
Barking & Dagenham: Nathan Solomon (Southwood), Alamin Kosoko (Richard Alibon), Matas Klimas (Marsh Green), Somfechi Ukuno, (Dorothy Barley), Abhi Pal (Dorothy Barley), Ibrahim Bangurah (Valence), Emmanuel Mintah (Valence), Romir Mann (Rush Green), Aidon Shehu (Hunters Hall), Amine Zafer (Gascoigne), Frankie Ismail (Northbury)