Thurrock 5-2 Barking & Dagenham
BARKING & DAGENHAM U11S FELL to a defeat against arch-rivals Thurrock in their opening Essex Finch game on Saturday. Second half strikes from Joe Martin and Favour Fawunmi were in vain as the title favourites recorded an emphatic victory.
Thurrock started on the front foot and could have taken the lead inside a minute, Oliver Plunkett firing narrowly wide after some good work from Jaxon Brown. Brown then teed up Maeson King but the latter’s low drive went inches wide of the target.
Reward
However, the home side didn’t have to wait long for their opening goal as their early pressure was finally rewarded. Jaxon Brown was instrumental in the goal. His clever through ball found King, who made no mistake from eight yards.
The same combination then almost fashioned another goal for their side but Brandon Dean produced a brilliant save to keep out Brown’s header.
Barking & Dagenham slowly edged their way into the contest but they soon found themselves further behind. Kyle Arnold’s goalbound effort, after a swift counter attack, was blocked on the line by a hand and the referee had no choice but to point to the spot. King stepped up and gave Dean no chance with a firmly struck effort.
Riot
Things could have been much worse for the visitors had it not been for Dean. The Dorothy Barley stopper thwarted Brown, King and Arnold with good saves as Thurrock threatened to run riot.
Barking & Dagenham began to exert some pressure of their own but they were twice denied goalscoring chances by interceptions by Charlie Williams. They continued to press for a way back into the game but were limited to half chances and the half ended with Thurrock increasing their lead. Brown picked the ball up twenty-five yards from goal, skipped past three challenges before finishing past Dean with real aplomb.
Three almost became four with the last action of the half but King’s thunderous drive hit the upright.
No Chance
Barking & Dagenham started the second half brightly and were offered a way back into the game with a spot kick of their own. Kien Connelly found Fawunmi in the area and he was tripped. Martin took the penalty and gave Max Spence no chance with a firmly struck shot.
However, any hope Barking & Dagenham had of getting back into the game was quickly extinguished as the home side restored their three goal advantage. Another quick break forward cut the Barking & Dagenham defence apart and Tommy Hookins’ ball was lifted over the advancing Dean by Jayden Robinson to end the game as a contest.
The home side continued to press and went further ahead when Josh Brown pounced on a defensive mistake to put his side 5-1 to the good.
Rampant
Thurrock were now rampant and Dean had to be at his best to keep the scoreline down. He first denied Josh Brown a second goal with a smart save with his feet before an even better save kept out Jaxon Brown’s low drive.
Barking & Dagenham, to their credit, continued to battle and almost reduced the arrears when Emis Gasperavicius burst through on goal, after a clever through ball from Mason Stanton but he was denied by a brilliant tackle from Ronnie Lovegrove.
Fletcher Hubbard, Connelly and Amin Karim then combined to put Karim through on goal but Danny Clarke was on hand to block his effort.
The visitors continued to battle and were rewarded for their efforts when they grabbed a second goal with the last action of the game. Harry Millburn’s towering defensive header from a Thurrock corner was flicked on by Hubbard. Fawunmi raced onto the ball and nonchalantly lobbed Spence from twenty-five yards.
Well Beaten
It was no more than a scant consolation as Barking & Dagenham were well beaten on the day by the better side. However, they can draw some positives from a battling second half display and will be looking to bounce back when they entertain Potters Bar next week.
Barking & Dagenham: Dean (D Barley), Onajobi (Becontree), Karim (Parsloes), Milburn (Five Elms), Gasperavicius (W Bellamy), Connolly, Martin (Valence), Fawunmi (H Hall), Hubbard (Five Elms), Stanton (Eastbury)