Barking & Dagenham 3-0 Tigers Black 

TOLU ELUFOWOJU’S NINETEENTH of the campaign broke the record for the most goals in a debut season for Barking & Dagenham girls as the Rush Green striker added to Jasmine Amrane’s earlier brace against Tigers Black U12s. The devastating duo have now racked up and incredible eighty-four percent of the district side’s goals in 2022-23 – and they show no sign of stopping with just five more Saturdays ahead of them in the weeks to come.

Both had to be content with a place on the bench for the first third of the match as Barking & Dagenham took the opportunity to rotate their talented squad against club opposition.

Nonetheless, the home side carved out multiple chances, the first of which was blocked in the fifth minute by the keeper at the near post as the lively Dominyka Petrauskaite chanced her arm from an acute angle.

Tricky

From the resultant Jaydee Williams’ corner, a misplaced clearance made its way to Sasha Stoute, only for her attempt from fifteen yards to spiral wide of the post.

Two minutes later, keeper Francisca Arhin’s drop-kick found Stoute in space on the left of midfield. Afforded the time to control and turn, Stoute swivelled and played a perfect ball for Petrauskaite to skip free once again. This time, her well-struck effort was held onto by the visiting keeper, but the tricky forward’s influence was growing – even if Barking & Dagenham’s finishing remained profligate.

And in the ninth minute, another golden chance to open the scoring was spurned when Raima Hossain’s direct running down the right saw her centre to Williams eight yards out, with for the subsequent shot nestling once again in the arms of the well-positioned keeper.

Control

As the half progressed, Tigers began to get a foothold in the game however and rallied well to stem the tide of Barking & Dagenham attacks.

Step-by-step, Tigers wrestled back control in midfield and increased their threat.

Arhin was called into serious action for the first time in the twentieth minute when she was down low to repel a firm effort at her near post before snaffling up the rebound with a second fine stop.

Cue the introduction of Elufowoju and Amrane with nine minutes of the first half remaining. Less than a hundred seconds later, Barking & Dagenham were ahead.

It was the skipper who provided the spark, finding Amrane with a delightful backheel to wrongfoot the Tigers’ backline.

Next Amrane did what Amrane does, taking a touch to set before pinging a low drive from twenty yards into the bottom corner for her tenth goal in eleven games since Christmas.

Strength in Depth

Petrauskaite and Williams both had chances to add to the lead before the break as the hosts’ strength in depth impressed.

Also in impressive form was Chloe Ajewole in the heart of the home defence. Her pace, strength and recovery tackles provided staunch resistance to Tigers’ forays into her side’s half, with the George Carey defender defiant to the end.

Rusne Rimkeviciute and Laura Ameny provided solid support, with the midfield tenacity of Atene Skendelis providing the screen for Barking & Dagenham’s attacking players to flourish.

Skendelis showed that she can provide chances too and it was her calm distribution in possession that provided the second. After a typical robust challenge, the Godwin midfielder’s measured lay-off found Amrane in space on the edge of the box.

And when that happens, there is only ever one outcome.

Havoc

With the lead doubled, Petrauskaite’s reintroduction on the left flank wrought havoc.

Immediately, she found space on the edge of the box, unleashing a swerving, dipping effort from twenty yards that almost yorked the visiting keeper on the line.

Another marauding run down the left dazzled shortly after.

And a couple of minutes later, Petrauskaite’s influence finally told.

Under late pressure from a dangerous Tigers’ corner, the alert Stoute cleared to find Petrauskaite on the edge of the hosts’ box. The winger twisted expertly and sprinted clear, with only the last two defenders, Elufowoju and acres of open space ahead of her.

Driving forward, Petrauskaite waited and waited until there was no choice but to close her down. Then, before the challenge arrived, a perfectly slipped ball was rolled into Elufowoju’s path.

Mission

There was still much to do, with defenders charging back to pressurise a mistake.

But Elufowoju was a woman on a mission, having seen two further attempts ruled out for offside in the preceding two minutes.

Pace, power and precision combined as she honed in on the target and finished her sixteenth goal in her last ten games to wrap up an excellent return to action for the district side.

Barking & Dagenham: Ajewole (George Carey), Skendelis (Godwin), Arhin (Northbury), Petrauskaite (Richard Alibon), Williams (Goresbrook), Stoute (Rush Green), Rimkeviciute (William Bellamy), Elufowoju (Rush Green), Hossain (Northbury), Ameny (Valence), Amrane (Gascoigne), Hussain (Richard Alibon), Adjoh-Davoh (George Carey)