Barking & Dagenham 3-1 Tower Hamlets

Barking & Dagenham U11s secured their fist win of the season with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Tower Hamlets. A brace for Basilio Rieno-Socoliche and Junior Ngala’s first of the season gave the team a welcomed win.

The home side started brightly and David Osei-Kaffour stormed through the visitors defence with less a minute on the clock but was thwarted by a good challenge from Tirel Batista just as he was about to shoot.

From the resulting Kye Calvey corner Alex Towse was denied on the goal line by a brave Ciaren Connaly header. The Tower Hamlets’ goal was leading as charmed life in the opening exchanges and Osei-Kaffour saw his dipping volley from eighteen yards fly narrowly wide.

Power

The same player then drew smart save from Ishan Sattar in the visitors goal, the Hamlet’s keeper brilliantly tipping Osei-Kaffour’s powerful drive over the bar.

The home side remained in the ascendancy but they were almost stung by a sucker punch as Tower Hamlets managed a rare foray forward. The lively Taizo Dilaver drifted past two challenges before releasing Ishaq Amin but Owen Duggan was able to keep the strike out with a smart save.

The home side responded to the scare with a number of efforts on goal. Firstly, Harry Brown went close with a free kick, which had Sattar scrambling across his goal. Brown was then teed up by Ethan Wenayeto but his final effort was well held by Sattar.

Barking went even closer with their next attack only to be denied by some desperate defending. Brown set Titas Sveikauskas up on the edge of the area but Sattar was able to turn his shot over. From the resulting corner Calvey’s effort was blocked on the goal line before the follow up was deflected wide.

Volley

With such dominance it was only a matter if when rather than if the home side would take the lead and the goal finally arrived with half time approaching. Sattar’s poor clearance fell at the feet of Ngala. The Monteagle man took a good first touch before expertly volleying the ball back past Sattar, giving his side the lead with his first ever district goal.

Things almost got even better for the home side and Ngala as he almost doubled the lead with the next attack. Wenayto showed excellent control to skip past three defenders before laying the ball into Ngala’s path but his shot flew inches wide.

Then, with the last action of the first half, Barking doubled their lead. Ngala set up Connor Galvin on the edge of the box who’s shot was too hot for Sattar to hold. Rieno-Socoliche was the first to react to slam the loose ball home to send his side in at the break two goals to the good. It was no-more than the home side deserved as they dominated the whole of the first half.

The second half started in the same vein and the home side immediately had chances to stretch their lead. Calvey went close with a curling free kick before Brown saw his snap shot blocked by Shelvon Robinson on the goal line.

Desperate

Wenayto was then denied a goal when his shot was somehow turned over the crossbar by some desperate defending. Towse was then presented with a fantastic chance when Rieno-Socoliche’s corner fell at his feet but the Henry Green striker saw his shot fly over. Rieno-Socoliche then set up Wenyato on the edge of the area but Harry Lawrence produced an outstanding save to keep his side in the game.

Despite their dominance, there was always a risk of Tower Hamlets getting back into the game and that was the case as the visitors reduced the deficit with eight minutes to go. A free kick was well struck by Amin and the ball evaded everyone to squeeze in at the back post and give Hamlets a chance of getting something from a game that they scarcely deserved.

The home side, who had suffered three successive defeats before this game, were then indebted to keeper Kieran Pougoue who produced an unbelievable save to preserve his side’s lead. Dilaver got to the byline before picking out Amin on the penalty spot. His effort was crisply struck and looked destined for the bottom corner of the net but Pougoue flung himself full length to turn the ball round the post.

Dispatched

Tower Hamlets now sensed they were on top but the home side killed off their threat with a third goal. Osei-Kaffour’s surging run, right at the heart of the visitors defence, opened up space and his inch perfect cross was dispatched by the onrushing Rieno-Socoliche, who had made a perfectly timed run into the area.

The relief was clear for all to see and the home side could have made the result more emphatic with the last attack of the game. Towse’s excellent through ball to Sveikauskas set the John Perry winger free but his finished ws narrowly too high. However, it didn’t matter as the final whistle sounded moments later and Barking had their first victory. One that no one could argue they fully deserved.

Next up for the District side is the Essex 7-a-sides at Chigwell School where the squad will be looking to emulate the side of 2011 that went on to secure the National title.

Barking & Dagenham: A Young, A Towse, J Atoki, T Sveikauskas, O Duggan, E Wenayeto, K Pougoue, J. Modza Smith, C Gavin, K Calvy, H Brown, D Osei-Kuffour, J Ngala, A McCrae-Alexiou