Chelmsford & Mid Essex 2 – 4 Barking & Dagenham

AFTER TAKING A FOUR-GOAL lead against the Essex SFA Girls’ League holders, Barking & Dagenham were given a late scare – but held on to secure another three points and move one step away from the first silverware of the season. Inspirational skipper Aaliyah Felix led from the front with a brace, sandwiched between Bella Hines’ opener and Jo Mecvari’s thirty yard free-kick. The margin of victory could have been greater had the visitors taken their chances, but that would have been cruel on a spirited Chelmsford & Mid Essex side who caused plenty of problems for their unbeaten guests.

In fact, Chelmsford were unlucky not to take the lead when a series of forays down their right hand side caught Barking & Dagenham off guard. The BAD Girls had to thank the firm hands and pinpoint positioning of keeper Grace Attwood-Adams who was down sharply to make three fine saves in the first five minutes.

Bit-by-bit though, Barking & Dagenham weathered the storm (and the vocal home support) and began to take control.

On their first attack of note, Mecvari slipped a pass inside to Felix, who drove clear inside the box and unleashed a fierce drive that was desperately blocked by the sliding defender.

And in the ninth minute, the lead was taken.

The Barking & Dagenham press worked once again, with Felix steeling in to rob a home defender before forcing the ball forward to Theresa Ezea. The district’s leading scorer instinctively drove a left-footed snap-shot but the ball was repelled by the keeper who got down low quickly.

The loose ball fell into the path of the onrushing Hines, speeding in from the left and burying a deadly finish into the bottom corner.

Recovering

The goal certainly came against the run of play, and whilst the home side were still recovering, Barking & Dagenham struck again. Less than sixty seconds had passed when Mecvari’s corner caused panic inside the six-yard box with Felix making no mistake when a loose clearance found her in space.

And a third goal inside four minutes rubbed further salt into the Mid Essex wounds.

This time, Lily Imititikua’s long throw penetrated the heart of the hosts’ defences and Felix sprinted clear through the middle to drill into the bottom corner as the keeper advanced.

Barking & Dagenham’s ruthless finishing was a welcome response from the profligate nature of last week’s display, especially considering the playing conditions. Heavy overnight rain left a claggy and difficult surface that disrupted the visitors’ playmakers and limited the effectiveness of their running power.

The commitment of a proud Chelmsford & Mid Essex – who were intent on defending their title with valour, also proved a tricky obstacle with challenge after challenge flying in during a combative midfield battle.

Flick

But none of that appeared to matter on the stroke of half-time, when Mecvari’s long range free-kick from a central position flicked off the top of a home defender’s head to clear the crowd on the edge of the box and slip under the keeper’s hands for the fourth.

Barking & Dagenham continued to push for more.

Simonette Johnson found Mecvari in space down the right, with the Southwood winger moving possession on to the overlapping Paloma Correia who burst into the box before firing wide.

Mecvari then burst clear and sprinted from the half-way line before being denied by the advancing keeper who got down smartly to block.

Ezea and Johnson both had chances to add to the tally before the visitors were presented with a lifeline – almost out of the blue.

A simple ball behind the Barking & Dagenham backline looked to be meat-and-drink for the visitors, but a moment’s hesitation saw Bella Yorke take a correct decision to shield the ball through to keeper Attwood-Adams. In doing so, slight contact was made with the Chelmsford & Mid Essex keeper and the spot-kick was duly converted. 

No Chance

Moments later, Chelmsford & Mid Essex were in again – but this time Yorke left nothing to chance, executing a wonderful last-ditch sliding tackle that fellow district centre-half Bobby Moore would have been proud of.

Ezea’s power and pace saw her run clear from her own half, but the run of the ball never really fell in her favour, with her toe-poked attempt falling the wrong side of the post.

Similarly, Felix showed wonderful determination, drive and balance to skate through on the slippery surface, before rounding the keeper inside the box. Agonisingly, the extra care needed to maintain balance meant the ball ran wide and the resulting attempt found the side netting.

And from the other side, Hines could have had her second of the game, but for the intervention of the keeper’s heels which deflected her goal-bound shot onto the post and out for a corner.

Instead, it was the home side who completed the day’s scoring with a well-placed free-kick giving the score-line the respectability their endeavour deserved.

Juggernaut

But nothing could derail the BAD Girls’ juggernaut as it rumbled on for a fifth successive month and one win away from a first Essex Schools’ FA title since before Covid. Three points from either of their remaining fixtures against Havering will seal the county crown for sure, although other results going their way beforehand may lessen the task.

Next week sees their final London Girls’ League tie at Fortress Parsloes against Woking. If they can win again, they will go into the Super Six in pole position.

All to play for.

Barking & Dagenham: Grace Attwood-Adams (The Leys), Paloma Correia (George Carey), Theresa Ezea (St Peter’s), Aaliyah Felix (Goresbrook), Lily-Mae Fisher (Roding), Bella Hines (Richard Alibon), Lily Imititikua (St Peter’s), Simonette Johnson (St Peter’s), Jo Mecvari (Southwood), Bella Yorke (Northbury)