Basildon 2-7 Barking & Dagenham

BARKING & DAGENHAM U11S SECURED their second successive Essex Finch League win with a comprehensive 7-2 win away at Basildon on Saturday. Somfechi Okuno’s four-goal salvo along with strikes from Amine Zafer, Aidon Shehu and Matas Klimas saw Barking & Dagenham run out comfortable winners. 

Attacking Intent

The visitors signalled their attacking intent early in the piece with Romir Mann stinging the palms of the home keeper with a long range effort.

Ukonu and Fabamifobee then almost combined to open the scoring but the former  fired narrowly wide.

Basildon were unable to cope with the power and pace of the Barking & Dagenham offensive player and it was no surprise when they finally took the lead. Mann’s drive was too hot to handle for the Basildon keeper and Zafer was on hand to tap home the rebound.

Moments later, the visitors doubled their lead with a well-worked goal. Shehu’s quickly taken free kick caught the Basildon defenders off guard and Klimas raced onto the ball, before exquisitly chipping the ball over the onrushing keeper.

Rampant 

Barking & Dagenham were now rampant and looked likely to add to their tally every time they went forward. Nathan Solomon was denied by a good save from the home keeper and Zafer’s follow up header went narrowly over the crossbar. Ukonu then raced through but saw his effort dragged wide before Fabamifobee hit the side netting after a flowing move with Klimas, Mann and Solomon all involved.

Barking remained in the ascendancy but were caught out as Basildon pulled a goal back agains the run of play. A swift counter attack saw them create a chance for their striker and he gave Rio Inayat no chance with a neat finish.

Dismissed

However, any hopes they had of getting back into the game were quickly dismissed as Barking scored twice in quick succession. Firstly. Inayat’s goal kick wasn’t dealt with by the Basildon backline and Ukonu accelerated away before deftly lofting the ball over the onrushing keeper.

Three soon became four with another good goal – Shehu’s free-kick was hammered home into the top corner from fully twenty-five yards.

Thwarted

Mann then went close from the edge of the area as Barking & Dagenham looked to kill the game off before the interval.

Ukonu almost doubled his tally only for the Basildon keeper to tip his drive around the post.

Solomon almost grabbed a fifth with a well-struck effort but a deflection diverted the ball wide.

Fabamifobee was then thwarted by a smart save by the home keeper getting down well to deny the George Carey man at the near post.

Pinpoint

Barking & Dagenham continued to press and added a fifth just before the break. Alamin Kosoko’s pinpoint pass released Ukonu and the Dorothy Barley man skipped round the Basildon keeper before rolling the ball home for his seventh of the season.

Basildon, to their credit, refused to lie down and reduce the arrears with a penalty in first half stoppage time. The striker nipped in behind the Barking rearguard before being brought down. He picked himself up to fire the ball home and give his side a glimmer of hope.

Smashed

Basildon started the second period brightly but it was Barking & Dagenham who created the first chance of the half. Fabamifobee did well on the right-hand side, finding Solomon on the edge of the area but his well struck effort crashed against the post.

The same player was then denied yet again by the woodwork. Mann’s corner was only half cleared to the edge of the area and Solomon’s sweetly struck half volley smashed against the crossbar with the Basildon keeper rooted to the spot.

However, from the resulting corner, Barking & Dagenham added a sixth. Mann’s inch perfect corner was met by Ukonu, the Dorothy Barley man rising highest in the box before powerfully heading the ball home to complete his hat-trick.

Powerful

The goal killed the game as a contest and Barking & Dagenham looked keen to add to their tally. Kosoko was denied after a powerful run and a give-and-go with Kilmas and Fabamifobee was denied a goal by the post, the George Carey man racing through from his own half, rounding the keeper but his finish rolled against the post.

At the other end, Basildon almost scored a consolation but Inayat produced a brilliant reaction save to keep out a low flick from a corner.

Neat Finish

Okuno then almost scored a brilliant fourth. Running from the edge of his own area, Ukonu went past five challenges but his shot was pushed wide of the upright.

However, he wasn’t to be denied and scored his fourth, and his side’s seventh, with a neat finish after Mann’s corner fell kindly for him in the area.

There was time for Barking & Dagenham to create another chance: Fabamifobee, who on another day could have scored hat-trick, got in behind the Basildon backline but his shot was once again saved by the home keeper.

Victory

The victory sees Barking & Dagenham move into second place in the league, three points behind leaders Newham but with a game in hand. Barking & Dagenham know that two wins from their final two league games could see them secure their first Essex Finch title since 2013.

Barking & Dagenham: Nathan Solomon (Southwood), Alamin Kosoko (Richard Alibon), Matas Klimas (Marsh Green), Somfechi Ukonu, (Dorothy Barley), Rio Inayat (Valence),  Ibrahim Bangurah (Valence), Romir Mann (Rush Green), Aidon Shehu (Hunters Hall), Amine Zafer (Gascoigne), Tolu Fabamifobee (George Carey)