Southern Counties League Cup

IT WAS THE 12th October 2024 when Barking & Dagenham began their season with a 1-0 win over Wycombe in the Southern Counties League Cup Eastern heats. That day, four successive victories booked their passage into the Champions Tournament in Bath, where another impressive string of performances resulted in a highly creditable runners-up spot. 0-0 draws with Merton, Newport and Wokingham were topped up with wins against Bridgend, Swansea and Dacorum until the long, twenty-five game unbeaten run from that very first fixture finally came to an end. It was Welsh Schools’ FA national champions Cardiff that eventually triumphed, with two unanswered breakaway goals, to sink hopes of a potential BAD Girls’ double.

Merton

Although Barking & Dagenham had beaten Merton twice already this season, the South Londoners had proven tricky customers to deal with, and so it proved once again in the opening rubber with small goalposts and twelve-minute matches limiting the potential for goals.

Still, Barking & Dagenham pushed.

Johnson threaded a pass to St Peter’s team-mate Theresa Ezea in the first minute, the latter powering her way through in trademark style before demanding a full-stretch save with her well-struck effort.

The same pair combined to good effect in the tenth minute, before Jo Mecvari stung the keeper’s palms with a curler from the left flank and a twenty-five yard dipping free-kick that was tipped over.

However, it remained at 0-0 and Barking & Dagenham had their first point of the day.

Bridgend

There was no way through though, so the next match against Bridgend would require a win.

Barking & Dagenham duly delivered.

It was Mecvari again who was pulling the strings, her away-swinging corner meeting the chest of Johnson five-yards out, who diverted the set-piece goalwards, cannoning back off the post and across the six-yard box. The waiting Paloma Correia pounced, stabbing the loose ball home and setting her team on their way.

The next Mecvari corner was volleyed wide by Abbie Blewitt who also went close three minutes from time when she connected with a Correia throw-in to blast just past the post.

Instead, Blewitt turned provider as she slipped in Aaliyah Felix in the closing stages, the skipper lobbing the keeper to wrap up the points and take Barking & Dagenham to the top of the fledgling table.

Newport

Meanwhile, Newport were thumped by Merton – meaning victory against the Welsh side looked a forgone conclusion for Barking & Dagenham, whose formidable form made them clear favourites.

However, lethargy in the ranks left Barking & Dagenham leaden-footed, taking too many touches and lacking the energy to press their opponents with any real effect.

It was left to the bench to liven things up, with Lily-Mae Fisher and Ezea providing impetus in the closing stages with their energy and verve.

Indeed, Ezea was unlucky not to wrap up the three points as she struck a post with a low, curling effort from Correia’s pin-point through-ball.

Ultimately though, the slow start and lack of urgency meant the opportunity had passed.

Wokingham

That meant the odds of qualification were significantly reduced, especially with English Schools’ FA national finalists Wokingham up next.

The Berkshire side were the first to really threaten the BAD Girls’ goal, forcing Grace Attwood-Adams to save with the tips of her studs to divert an early effort wide.

In response, Barking & Dagenham’s attacking strength forced their opponents back – although only one clearcut chance was created when Ezea centred for Johnson who forced the save of the day to deny her a sixteenth goal of the season.

Swansea

So going into the final group game against Swansea, the aim was clear: win the game and qualify for the semi-finals. That had to be the mission.
The decisive moment came midway through the match when Ezea produced a moment of magic to split the Swans’ rearguard in two.

With a turn and drive, the leading scorer muscled her way through three challenges to stumble into the box, thrusting an outstretched leg to send the ball goalwards.

The Swansea keeper got down well to repel the attempt, but Mecvari scavenged herself a seventh district goal, sweeping left-footed from close range into the bottom corner.

Dacorum

Safe passage into the last four was secured, setting up a showdown with Dacorum – a team beaten in the Eastern heats by Barking & Dagenham at the start of the campaign.

And they were beaten again.

It was classic counter-attacking football that did the damage, when heavy Dacorum pressure was disrupted by Correia’s tenacity, the George Carey wide-player sprinting out from the back to reach the half-way mark before prodding the ball out to Felix on the left flank.

The captain has been in fine goal-scoring form of late and showed why once again, cutting inside the last defender with a great first touch, advancing on goal and producing a great finish to put her side through.

Cardiff

But by now the demands of the day were starting to show. Six games down and the effects of a three-hour minibus journey from East London were noticeably visible, sagging shoulders and heavy legs to the fore.

Meanwhile, final opponents Cardiff had needed a short hop across the border and were still sat at home when the BAD Girls were stretching their legs in the car park.

The Welsh were fresher, sharper and full of running, creating overlaps and dropping onto spaces that Barking & Dagenham were unable to cover.

The offside trap went AWOL for the first, with a split back-line gifting Cardiff the space they needed to edge in front.

A second followed a few minutes later, a series of missed opportunities to clear Barking & Dagenham’s lines spurned.

Ezea had the BAD Girls’ best chance, volleying Mecvari’s centre over the bar from eight yards.

And Cardiff survived strong penalty appeals when another Mecvari cross seemed to strike a hand inside the box.

Cardiff were deserved winners though, playing the better football in the final and taking their chances. And there is no disgrace in losing out to a capital city with a population over twice the size of their opponents.

Remarkable

Thirty-one teams entered the Southern Counties League Cup at the start of the season – a competition open to all the district teams in Southern England and Wales. To battle through to the final is a remarkable achievement for Barking & Dagenham and one they should be rightly proud of. The Essex champions will dust themselves off from their disappointment knowing they have three more trophies still to fight for.

There are plenty more medals on offer. Next time, they will be gold.

Finally, congratulations must go to Aaliyah Felix who passed became only the fourth player to ever reach 50 appearances for Barking & Dagenham. She was pipped by Simonette Johnson who just got there before and now stands as the association’s all-time leading appearance-maker, currently standing on fifty-five with six games remaining.

Barking & Dagenham: Grace Attwood-Adams (The Leys), Jo Mecvari (Southwood), Paloma Correia (George Carey), Theresa Ezea (St Peter’s), Aaliyah Felix (Goresbrook), Lily-Mae Fisher (Roding), Bella Hines (Richard Alibon), Lily Imititikua (St Peter’s), Simonette Johnson (St Peter’s), Abbie Blewitt (Hunters Hall), Bella Yorke (Northbury), Whitney James (Rose Lane)

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ames (Rose Lane)