Barking & Dagenham 0-2 Basildon
BARKING & DAGENHAM’S HOPES of silverware in 2024 were dealt a blow as they exited the Essex Girls’ League at the semi-final stage with defeat to Basildon. Although the hosts had edged the earlier meeting of the two sides in November through Simonette Johnson’s breakaway goal, they were unable to wear down their resilient opponents on this occasion with a combination of fine saves, stout defending and missed chances contrasting with the visitors’ clinical finishes.
Things could have been very different if Barking & Dagenham had been able to capitalise on their excellent start. The hosts were all over their opponents at the opening whistle, buzzing with energy and intent.
Johnson almost registered a stunning opener before sixty seconds had elapsed, latching onto an early throw-in down the left before cutting in to curl a wonderful effort just wide of the far upright from twenty-five yards.
Pressure
And a minute later, heavy Barking & Dagenham pressure saw four separate players have efforts blocked at close range inside the box during an almighty scramble before the ball eventually broke to Malaika Uwandji left of the centre of the goal. A neat curling effort had every chance of finding its way into the top corner until a finger-tip save denied the leading scorer at the very last second.
And midway through the half, Abbie Blewitt’s whipped free-kick was met by Johnson’s faint flick – the connection not quite clean enough to direct ball into the net.
During that opening half, Barking & Dagenham played some of their best football of the campaign. Full backs Amelia Hussain and Paloma Correia particularly caught the eye with their calm defending and intelligent ball-play. The latter enjoyed her best performance in a district shirt, twisting and turning, smashing into challenges and launching a flurry of attacks from her deep lying left-sided position.
Meanwhile, her right-sided counterpart read the play like a cheap novel, cutting out any threat down the Basildon left-flank and intervening to cover her team-mates whenever danger lurked.
Frustration
So, it was both a surprise and a frustration when Barking & Dagenham’s defences were breached as a succession of unfortunate events gifted possession to their opponents inside the box, presenting them with all the time in the world to pick a spot and fire in front.
Still Barking & Dagenham pressed.
Blewitt picked out Zainab Touray down the right, but her first touch took her wide, narrowing the angle for a fierce effort that found the side-netting under pressure.
And on the stoke of half-time, Uwandji whipped a wicked ball across the face of goal which Johnson almost connected with to tap home, but brave goal-keeping denied her the opportunity as the Basildon stopper got down well to deflect clear.
At half-time, there was no need to panic. Barking & Dagenham had been the better side and just needed to hold their nerve before further opportunities would present themselves.
However, they were unable to replicate the same intensity with which they began the first half and faded noticeably, culminating in a second goal for the visitors which sealed barking & Dagenham’s fate.
Cameo
There were pockets of resistance. Blewitt lead by example in the middle of the pitch and debutante Keira Ly caught the eye with a composed cameo late on.
Most of all, Uwandji dazzled down the right wing: a box of tricks who provided a constant threat, using a street magician’s sleight of hand to misdirect opposition challenges and leave her opponents scratching their heads as she danced past them like a shadow on the wind.
There was no way through though. The moments of quality that Barking & Dagenham produced were in isolation and the cohesion and solidity of the first half never really returned, leaving Basildon the victors, fully deserving of their place in the final against Chelmsford & Mid Essex in May.
There are still opportunities for Barking & Dagenham to bring home a trophy this season. Their faint hopes of lifting a sixth successive London Girls’ League title remain.
However, the best opportunity surely comes in the Southern Counties League Cup at Woking on the 27th April. Last year, they left the competition unbeaten, lifting the title with a hundred percent record and no goals conceded. That must be the aim once again.
Barking & Dagenham: Emily Peka (Valence); Jona Islami (Roding); Gilda Hasani (Northbury); Abbie Blewitt (Hunters Hall); Paloma Correia (George Carey); Grace Attwood-Adams (The Leys); Malaika Uwandji (Roding); Amelia Hussain (Richard Alibon); Simonette Johnson (St Peter’s); Zainab Touray (Northbury); Maria Mateus (George Carey); Keira Ly (Manor)