Luton & South Beds 4-3 Barking & Dagenham

AFTER AN INSPIRED COMEBACK, Barking & Dagenham boys narrowly lost to the odd goal in seven – and crashed out of the ESFA National Cup in Dunstable.

An uncharacteristically slow start to the game put Luton & South Bedfordshire on the front foot from the outset, and the visitors struggled to come to terms with the hosts’ busy central midfield. As the pressure mounted, frequent crosses were being delivered into the Barking & Dagenham box, and a shot against the cross bar was a warning of things to come.

Positive Energy

With fifteen minutes of pressure falling to yield a goal, Luton became frustrated, and allowed the visitors back into the game. Chinoso Ibeh, Denzel Decardi-Nelson and Chibuzo Okoli all began to cause problems for the home defence, with the latter hitting the post after a sweeping move. More positive energy followed, and Decardi-Nelson flashed just wide after another dangerous attack.

The home side, however, would turn the tables with two goals in a minute. On twenty-seven minutes, Barking & Dagenham needlessly gave a free kick away on the edge of their own penalty area. They then failed to clear the resulting curling shot off the line, and it was 1-0 to the hosts.

A minute later – with the visitors still reeling – Luton & South Bedfordshire won a corner. The East Londoners failed to mark up, and it was two.

Tactics

Needing a goal urgently, Barking & Dagenham changed tactics and pushed Captain Lesecond Yeutembip into central midfield, and the ever-dangerous Okoli up front. It worked. Within a minute of the restart, Okoli had nearly pulled one back shooting just wide from a narrow angle.

For the next ten minutes, the visitors laid siege to the Luton & South Bedfordshire goal, only to find the home keeper in inspired form. With Okoli being the main protagonist, it seemed only a matter of time before a goal would come, with the home side content to sit back. 

With fourteen minutes to go, the goal did arrive, but at the wrong end. The hosts caught Barking & Dagenham out with a quick counter-attack, and a foul in the box resulted in a penalty for the home side. They converted confidently, and it was 3-0.

All Over?

The game appeared to be over, but the East London side had other ideas.

They dug deep and began a furious frenzy of attacks to try and overwhelm the home defence.

With nine minutes to go, the hosts finally cracked. A foul on Okoli in the penalty area led to the game’s second penalty, with Okoli converting himself.

Three minutes later, Decardi-Nelson ended a jinking run down the left-hand side with a low shot that hit the post.

A quick recovery of possession led to a carbon copy shot from Decardi-Nelson, only this time the ball seemed to have eyes as it found its way into the bottom corner of the net. It was 3-2 and game on again.

More relentless pressure yielded another chance for Okoli a minute later, but his shot was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by the home keeper.

Undeterred

Not to be deterred, Barking & Dagenham came again. This time Theodore Mintah was put through, and his attempted lob was once again repelled by the inspired home keeper – who tipped the shot onto the post.

Just as it seemed that the equaliser would never come, the visitors won a corner in the last minute. The curling delivery was met by Decardi-Nelson, who powered his header past the hapless Luton keeper for the equaliser. An incredible come back from three-nil down with nine minutes to go was complete, and extra time loomed.

However, during the wild celebrations, Barking & Dagenham forgot one of the golden rules of football: you are at your most vulnerable after you have just scored.

Finished Off

With the visitors still on high from their comeback, Luton & South Bedfordshire caught out the East London back line with a long ball over the top, which was brilliantly finished off by the home striker for an injury time winner.

Defeat was hard on Barking & Dagenham, who had fought tooth and nail to rescue a seemingly lost cause. They can feel proud of their efforts and would do well to carry their fighting spirit with them for the rest of the season.

Barking & Dagenham: George Miller (Grafton), Jayden Ikechukwu (St Vincent’s), Lesecond Yeutembip (Northbury), Jahcorey Blair-Charles (George Carey), Chibuzo Okoli (William Ford), Marvellous Oppong (Northbury), Ibrahim Msabah (George Carey), Denzel Decardi-Nelson (St Peter’s), Chinoso Ibeh (St Peter’s), Theodore Mintah (Valence), Dexter Douglas (St Vincent’s), Shayne Pickering (Richard Alibon)