Barking & Dagenham 4-1 Greenwich

AS TEMPERATURES SOARED by the Thames, Barking & Dagenham secured passage into the quarter finals of the Crisp Shield with a hard-fought win against Greenwich at their Barking Riverside fortress.

Early on, the BAD Boys were into their stride. With the hosts in their pomp spraying passes around the field, chances soon followed. Chibuzo Okoli was the first to give the South Londoners a scare, as his mazy run and cross come shot flashed across the penalty area.

Next up it was the turn of top scorer Denzel Decardi-Nelson, whose long-range effort flew just over the visitor’s bar.

Missing

For ten minutes, Greenwich barely got into Barking & Dagenham territory, and the only thing missing for the hosts was the opening goal.

Okoli once again beat the full back to cross for Chinoso Ibeh, but the St Peter’s midfielder shot straight at the visitor’s keeper.

With the hosts becoming increasingly impatient, they found the key to unlock the South Londoners’ defence. On twelve minutes, a quick two touch move from right to left – involving no less than five players – found Decardi-Nelson up the line. His first time cross found Okoli unmarked, and he made it 1-0.

The goal however caused the home side to relax, and Greenwich hit back straight away.

With the BAD Boys still patting themselves on the back from the goal, Greenwich launched a sneak attack. Before the hosts could react, the visitors were down the right-hand side. And when Barking & Dagenham finally did make a decision – it was the wrong one and the South Londoners had converted the cross to make it 1-1.

The home side had once again conceded straight after scoring themselves.

Big Les

More pressure on the Greenwich goal yielded a corner on twenty-seven minutes. Enter Captain Lesecond Yeutembip – who decided to take matters into his own hands. Trotting up from the back, big Les got his head onto Okoli’s corner and flicked it in at the near post to regain the lead. This time, the hosts would stay alert until half time.

The second half started with the BAD Boys trying to put away Greenwich for good.

Okoli was moved into a central role, and Chinoso Ibeh was given the task of the right-hand side. The St Peter’s winger began to supply Okoli with crosses, and chances soon followed as the William Ford striker was denied his second on thirty-three minutes.

Confident

Four minutes later, Greenwich made a wrong turn, and hand balled an Ibeh cross in the penalty area. The St Peter’s winger took it himself, and confidently placed it into the top corner for 3-1.

The goal effectively knocked the stuffing out of the leg weary visitors, and they were mostly restricted to long range efforts thereafter.

George Miller, Dexter Douglas and Ibrahim Msabah stood guard at the back, and took the sting out of the Greenwich attacks – determined not to allow the visitors a path back into the tie.

With five minutes remaining, a long ball over the top from St Vincent’s full back Douglas found Decardi-Nelson charging towards the visitors’ goal. A neat near-post finish provided further insurance for the hosts, ending any lingering doubts about the result.

Another fine display from Barking & Dagenham against high-quality opposition. They can now look forward to their second group match against Tower Hamlets in the Lester Finch Trophy, with the winners progressing to the quarter-finals.

Barking & Dagenham: George Miller (Grafton), Ruari Stanton (Northbury), Ibrahim Msabah (George Carey), Jahcorey Blair-Charles (George Carey), Chinoso Ibeh (St Peter’s), Captain – Lesecond Yeutembip (Northbury), Marvellous Oppong (Northbury), Denzel Decardi-Nelson (St Peter’s), Joel Ladegbaye (George Carey), Dexter Douglas (St Vincent’s), Chibuzo Okoli (William Ford)