Sutton 0-7 Barking & Dagenham
THE DEFENCE OF BARKING & Dagenham’s London Girls’ League title began in fine style with a comprehensive victory in the snow over Sutton. Dominating from the first whistle to last, the visitors were always on the front foot with Kaltrina Ibrahimi, Ellie Mai Morgan and Kayla Grain all claiming braces while Miquellah Meade wrapped up the scoring with a definitive finish late on.
Barking & Dagenham were 1-0 up inside a minute when Meade scavenged possession in midfield. The ball was cut inside to Grain who switched play intelligently to Ibrahimi, cutting in from the left flank. A touch to control and an arrowed shot from the edge of the box and the district side were ahead.
It was two inside five minutes as Grain again orchestrated proceedings with a pinpoint through-ball to leading scorer Morgan. The skipper burst clear of the backline and finished with great aplomb, slotting into the bottom corner.
Chances
The chances continued when Meade found the side-netting two minutes later before Morgan’s half-chance almost found its way under the home keeper – only to be grabbed on the line.
Even when the hosts advanced into enemy territory, Barking & Dagenham threatened on the break; Ibrahimi’s goal-kick out left to Grain saw the latter run half the length of the pitch before hitting the post to be denied her team’s third.
Moments later though, Grain seized upon a further chance, picking up possession in central midfield, gliding forward and beating the home keeper for power from twenty yards to stretch the advantage.
A quick blink later, it was 4-0 when Meade drove into the box and delivered a cross that was on its way in before Ibrahimi made sure, smashing in for her fifth of the season.
Comfortably ahead, Barking & Dagenham made several changes: at first the momentum continued as Ruby Abela ran riot on the right, forging opportunities at will and flashing several crosses through the box – just out of reach of Violette Sharpe and Ibrahimi.
Ragged
As the game continued though, momentum was lost. Twenty minutes of ragged play interrupted the scoring as the hosts reorganised at half-time and looked to take a foothold in a game that was running away from them.
With eight minutes remaining however, Grain grabbed hold of the game, intercepting a goal-kick before firing home her second of the game into the vacant net before the goalkeeper could return.
Meade then offered a couple of sighters before Ibrahimi’s inswinging corner brought chaos in the box, with Morgan stealing in to stab home her fourteenth district goal.
A sublime solo effort from Meade made it seven, moments before the final whistle, to complete a highly satisfactory morning’s work.
Next up, is a local derby with LGL debutante’s Thurrock on Saturday 9th February. Another three points will see Barking & Dagenham consolidate their position at the top of the table and in the first of several meetings with their near neighbours in the coming weeks.
Barking & Dagenham: Mei Wang (Henry Green); Miquellah Meade (Henry Green); Kirsten McNaughton (George Carey); Ellie Mai Morgan (Henry Green); Violette Sharpe (Gascoigne); Kayla Grain (Richard Alibon); Elishah-Oliviae Mintah Adarkwah (George Carey); Kaltrina Ibrahimi (William Ford); Ruby Abela (Dorothy Barley)