Stevenage 1-2 Barking & Dagenham
A BLISTERING START TO Barking & Dagenham’s latest London Girls’ League tie saw them grab the goals they needed to claim the points against previously unbeaten Stevenage. Strikes in the fourth and seventh minute from captain Ellie Mai Morgan and Miquellah Meade respectively, were the least the district U11s girls could have taken from a breath-taking opening salvo.
With the game barely underway, Barking & Dagenham were into their stride. Kayla Grain’s shot after thirty seconds was blocked in the area, with the rebound falling to Meade on the edge of the box. Her early effort brought a save from the home keeper, however a fumble almost presented Morgan with a chance as the visitors registered three shots on goal inside the opening minute.
Spectacular
Shortly afterwards, more incisive play resulted in Kayla Grain finding space on the right flank. Her cross was met inside the box by the onrushing Kaltrina Ibrahimi who showed great awareness to fire away a first-time right foot attempt from eight yards.
That effort was tipped over spectacularly by the home keeper, but she was powerless to stop Morgan’s opener seconds later. Ibrahimi found the skipper with a neat pass into the box, before Morgan lashed in for her eighth of the season.
A trademark burst from Meade almost doubled the advantage as Barking & Dagenham continued to press.
The industrious midfielder got her just reward shortly afterwards though when Ibrahimi’s short corner to Grain caught Stevenage’s defence off-guard. Grain then centred to Meade who took a heavy first touch but reacted quickest the convert the loose ball and make it two.
Dominating territory and possession, Barking & Dagenham continued to press – however, the more the half wore on without further goals, the more Stevenage grew in confidence.
Grain and Ibrahimi tried speculative efforts from distance but the space inside the box that Barking & Dagenham exploited early on had now disappeared, thanks in part to the redeployment of Stevenage skipper Sarah Bai into defence.
Stunning
And it was Bai who dragged her side back into the game on the stroke of half-time with a stunning solo goal. Intercepting a Barking & Dagenham corner by her own goalpost, she sprinted the length of the pitch with great purpose, evading two challenges, and firing into the bottom corner via a deflection.
That gave the home side the foothold they needed in the game as they spent much of the second half laying siege to the Barking & Dagenham goal. A volley of high balls rained down on the visitors’ defence as Stevenage ruthlessly looked to exploit any hesitation or weakness they could find.
However, Grain dropped back from midfield into the backline to help Barking & Dagenham cope with the threat and Meade’s endless running helped to shut out any half-chances created. Keeper Mei Wang was sharp to clear up any loose balls inside her box and Meade cleared defiantly off the goal-line the one time the ball proved evasive.
Unprecedented
Three games remain in the London Girls’ League for Barking & Dagenham and a 100% record will guarantee them finish top for an unprecedented second season in succession. Croydon, St Albans and Wokingham await with the title up for grabs and anyone capable of beating each other on their day.
Barking & Dagenham: Mei Wang (Henry Green); Miquellah Meade (Henry Green); Kirsten McNaughton (George Carey); Ellie Mai Morgan (Henry Green); Lily Mae Elsey (Northbury); Kayla Grain (Richard Alibon); Kaltrina Ibrahimi (William Ford); Ruby Abela (Dorothy Barley)