Barking & Dagenham 6-1 Swale
WITHOUT FOUR KEY due to injury, Barking & Dagenham shrugged off any doubts with a resounding victory over Swale in the ESFA National Cup first round.
The first two games of the shortened season had begun with the hosts on the back foot in the early stages.
This time though, the BAD Boys were on the attack from the outset. Wingers Chibuzo Okoli and Man of the Match Denzel Decardi-Nelson created havoc for the Kent side’s defence with lightning speed and quick feet.
Blistering
Cross after cross was delivered into the danger area, and Decardi-Nelson had the home side’s first effort on goal brilliantly saved by the Swale keeper. The St Peter’s winger was in blistering form, having quickly settled into the team following a late call up due to injuries in the squad.
Okoli then flashed a shot across the Swale penalty area after another speed rush, but the effort fell narrowly wide.
Marvellous Oppong burst through midfield shortly thereafter, but again found the Swale goalkeeper in top form. I
The home side’s domination however had not yet resulted in a goal, and Swale nearly took the lead – against the run of play – after a mix up in the home defence resulted in the visitors being given an indirect free kick in the home penalty area. A low shot went just wide & Barking and Dagenham survived.
Lead
After twenty-three minutes of frustration, the deadlock was finally broken: another all too frequent raid by Decardi-Nelson down the left-hand side caused panic in the Swale defence, and the ensuing scramble resulted in Decardi-Nelson being fouled in the penalty area.
The St Peter’s winger dusted himself off to take the spot-kick himself and blasted the hosts into the lead.
Inevitably, the floodgates duly opened. Barely a minute later, Decardi-Nelson again charged at the Swale defence, before a low cross found his St Peter’s teammate Chinoso Ibeh who made no mistake from eight yards.
The Kent side were rocking, and two quickly became three when Okoli’s corner from the left was nodded in at the near post by captain Lesecond Yeutembip.
Not content with a three-goal lead, the home side went in search of the fourth which arrived on the stroke of half-time courtesy of Decardi-Nelson’s right footed finish.
Torment
The second half started as the first had ended, with Decardi-Nelson again tormenting the visitor’s defence. Barely a minute into the second period, the winger took on and beat the hapless Swale back line, before smashing a low and hard left foot shot past the keeper into the bottom corner for his hat trick, and the goal of the day.
It was at this point the home side started to nod off. They were caught out by a sublime Swale free kick chipped over the home defence midway through the half, for a consolation goal.
The loss of the clean sheet seemed to irritate the hosts, and they immediately kicked it back into high gear. A slick passing move found Benjamin Oluyemmy on the edge of the Swale penalty area, and he rifled a powerful shot into the top corner to compete the scoring.
Darting
Okoli nearly made it seven with another darting run, but the William Ford winger would again be denied by the Swale keeper. Northbury trio Yeutembip, Oppong and Oluyemmy would also come close again, but it wasn’t to be and ended 6-1.
Next up for Barking & Dagenham is Newham at home on Saturday 1st May, with the 2nd Round National Cup tie at home against Croydon the following week.
Barking & Dagenham: Lucas Marney (William Ford), Jayden Ikechukwu (St Vincent’s), Dexter Douglas (St Vincent’s), Chibuzo Okoli (William Ford), Denzel Decardi-Nelson (St Peter’s), Ibrahim Msabah (George Carey), Shane Pickering (Richard Alibon), Chinoso Ibeh (St Peter’s), Benjamin Oluyemmy (Northbury), Marvellous Oppong (Northbury), Ruari Stanton (Northbury), Lesecond Yeutembip – Captain (Northbury)