Barking & Dagenham 1-0 Basildon
A COMMANDING PERFORMANCE FROM skipper Jona Islami ensured Barking & Dagenham kept a crucial clean-sheet to shut out battling Basildon in their maiden Essex Schools’ FA Girls’ League tie of the season. The Roding defender was the rock upon which her team’s performance was built, laying the foundations for Simonette Johnson’s second-half solo strike and a potentially vital three points, leaving the hosts joint top of the fledgling league table.
Barking & Dagenham should have been one up in the second minute. It was Johnson who was the creator, using her physicality to force a chance for Malaika Uwandji, skipping in from the right with typically dancing feet.
However, the eventual shot needed more power to trouble the excellent visiting keeper who showed alert handling and a sharpness off her line throughout.
Imperious
It was nearly twenty-five minutes later before the home side troubled their opponents’ goal again when Islami strode out from the back in imperious fashion before switching play wide to the Uwandji on the right.
The resulting attempt again picked out the keeper, with Abbie Blewitt chancing her arm from the edge of the box after a quickly taken goal-kick was chased down by Paloma Correia and Aaliyah Felix.
At the other end, keeper Emily Peka swept up any loose balls and dealt competently with all that was asked of her.
But Islami’s backline, marshalled by able deputies Amelia Hussain and Gilda Hasani repelled almost constant pressure directed through the centre of the pitch as Barking & Dagenham’s midfield struggled to get to grip with their opponents’ overloads.
With Basildon pressing forward, Barking & Dagenham always carried a threat on the break through the power and pace of Johnson.
Calm
And so it was midway through the half when Peka’s kick out wide was intelligently collected by Felix, cutting in from the left before committing strongly to the challenge. The ball was forced forward into Johnson’s path, with the St Peter’s striker showing her marker a clean set of heals and calmly slotting in her second goal of the season.
It was almost two five minutes later when Peka’s long punt downfield set Johnson away, only for a brace of attempts to be saved well on the edge of the box.
Victory was almost assured with three to go when Maria Matteus’ throw-in saw Johnson spin and turn in behind once again, with the shot under pressure firing narrowly wide.
Fittingly though, Barking & Dagenham sealed the win on the backfoot, defending a corner. Under heavy pressure, with the organisation, commitment and bravery demanded by Islami, Barking & Dagenham clinched the win to conclude the first leg of a run of county league games in the weeks before Christmas.
Barking & Dagenham: Emily Peka (Valence); Maria Mateus (George Carey); Jona Islami (Roding); Gilda Hasani (Northbury); Zainab Touray (Northbury); Abbie Blewitt (Hunters Hall); Paloma Correia (George Carey); Amelia Hussain (Richard Alibon); Malaika Uwandji (Roding); Aaliyah Felix (Goresbrook); Simonette Johnson (St Peter’s); Comfort Mazel (Godwin)