St Albans 3-3 Barking & Dagenham a.e.t

(Barking & Dagenham won 5-4 on pens)

IN EARLY OCTOBER, Barking & Dagenham travelled to St Albans in the Southern Counties League Cup and were given the harshest of lessons in a 3-0 defeat that taught them exactly what was demanded of the fledgling district squad. Fast forward six weeks, and The BAD Girls travelled back to Hertfordshire as a very different team, full of character, guts, resilience and togetherness: all of which combined in spades to deliver success in a barnstorming English Schools FA Cup tie that was packed with excitement from beginning to end.

With regular striker Tolu Elufowoju ruled out, Jaydee Williams deputised up front and immediately registered her claim for a permanent forward role. It was Jasmine Amrane who provided the assist on four minutes, skipping down the right flank before centring from the by-line to pick out Williams six yards out. Her first effort was met by a brave goalkeeping block but the Goresbrook poacher stayed alert to scramble the rebound over the line and stun the hosts.

Fierce

A few minutes later, and Amrane was at it again, driving down the inside right channel to break into the box and unleash a fierce drive on goal.

That attempt was well-saved, but the Gascoigne playmaker was clearly in the mood, pulling the creative strings in an ever-improving central midfield axis with the combative Atene Skendelis ratting out St Albans’ possession time and again.

The hosts were playing the better football throughout. Several dangerous forays down Barking & Dagenham’s flanks brought a succession of dangerous balls into the box. But keeper Francisca Arhin was in inspired form with a plethora of blocks, saves and smothers-at-feet to repel any hope of an equaliser and typify the visitors’ resolve.

On twenty minutes, the lead was doubled. The origins lay in Alethea-Becky Adjoh-David’s right wing burst as she launched a one-woman counter-attack that carried play forward forty yards. An eventual halt to her thrust saw a clearance fall to Skendelis on the edge of the centre circle, keeping her cool to curl an exquisite through-ball to Williams in space twenty yards forward.

As the scrambled home defence struggled to recover their shape, Williams took full advantage, carrying the ball into the box, drawing the keeper, and finishing neatly into the bottom corner.

Opportunity

Barking & Dagenham could sense an opportunity to finish off their opponents.

Comfort Mazel and Amrane exchanged passes on the edge of the area before the former drove just wide of the post in only her second district appearance.

Mazel’s high press forced an opportunity for Amrane to force another save moments later.

Then Amrane’s dangerous corner was laid off by Mazel to the onrushing Dominyka Petrauskaite who blazed over on the half-volley from fifteen yards.

Barking & Dagenham had finished the half firmly on top, with the timid and hesitant display from the opening day of the season well and truly put to bed.

Problems

The second half though was a different story.

St Albans came out fighting, determined to force their way back into the game with their own display of spirit and belief.

Their passing and ball possession constantly caused problems as it prodded and probed at a tiring Barking & Dagenham rear-guard that stood firm throughout, except for two crucial moments.

The first came ten minutes from time when a wonderful piece of skill saw a dribbled burst split open the centre of the visitors’ back-line and a fierce drive burst through Arhin’s otherwise immaculate hands to draw one back.

And then the cruellest of blows. Two minutes into time added on, a low St Albans corner met an outstretched Barking & Dagenham leg which inadvertently deflected the ball across the line to the delight of the home support.

Extra-Time

By now, the district side were running on fumes. With the prospect of victory snatched from them in such circumstances, key players unavailable, and momentum clearly with the hosts, the depleted squad could have been forgiven for wilting under the pressure of such adversity.

Not this Barking & Dagenham though.

One minute into extra-time, defending a corner, Amrane’s flashing feet broke from within her own box in typical fashion to drive to the halfway line. But faced with the significant gradient of the home side’s sloping pitch – and carrying a knock to the ankle – having burst free of the last defender, she realised she just didn’t have the legs left to go any further.

“Why not?” Amrane concluded, letting fly from fully forty-five yards.

Not a single breath was taken by all assembled as the ball travelled the length of the St Albans’ half towards goal, dipping at the last second to wrong-foot the home keeper who had done so much to keep her side in contention. This time though, the ball pitched like an off-break, deflecting in and over the line to swing the lead back in the away side’s favour.

There was certainly an element of luck. But you make your own as they say, and Amrane’s moment of brilliance was a more than just reward for an outstanding creative display.

St Albans though had far from given up. Wave after wave of home attack came back at Barking & Dagenham as the angry lion roared.

And with just a couple of minutes remaining, they restored parity for a second time as a mazy dribble down the right flank drew three beleaguered missed tackles and a piece of individual quality to level things up.

Penalties

So… to penalties.

St Albans went first, converting their first two with confidence.

For Barking & Dagenham, Amrane – on one leg – stepped up first, pinging in off the left upright.

The next was saved though. And that left St Albans knowing that their third attempt would put them in pole position and through to the next round should the visitors miss.

But Arhin got down low to her left quickly, blocking the third home penalty and Skendelis – who had covered every blade of grass on the pitch – found the energy to convert with confidence.

The next two for both sides were duly slotted home, Raima Hossain and the effervescent Williams on target for Barking & Dagenham.

Then came the decisive moment.

A firm, well-directed St Albans spot-kick arrowed towards Arhin’s bottom right corner. Somehow though, an outstanding diving effort saw the Northbury stopper get two strong, defiant hands behind the ball and push it back away from goal.

William Bellamy’s, Rusne Rimkeviciute then put her head above the parapet to walk up to the dead ball and become the unlikely hero, the left-back drilling home to put her side through amid jubilant scenes.

Tough

It was tough on St Albans, as it would have been for Barking & Dagenham. Both sides’ mettle was well and truly tested and both came through with flying colours.

Ultimately though, it was Barking & Dagenham who made it to the last sixteen, thoroughly deserving their passage through as they await to discover their January opponents after next week’s Round Two deadline.

Barking & Dagenham: Ajewole (George Carey), Skendelis (Godwin), Williams (Goresbrook), Arhin (Northbury), Hossain (Northbury), Petrauskaite (Richard Alibon), Adjoh-David (George Carey), Ameny (Valence), Rimkeviciute (William Bellamy), Amrane (Gascoigne), Mazel (Godwin)