Lewisham 0-1 Barking & Dagenham

DOMINYKA PETRAUSKAITE’S THIRD goal of the season propelled Barking & Dagenham to the top of the London Girls’ League Super Six, with three wins from three and two to play. But the holders were made to work hard for their points with hosts Lewisham providing fierce resistance. However, inspired keeper Francisca Arhin pulled off a fourth penalty save of the campaign to protect her clean sheet and ensure the visitors left SE6 in pole position for a fifth successive title.

Petrauskaite struck early, with less than two minutes on the clock.

It began with Jasmine Amrane’s hopeful punt up-field, which looked to be comfortably dealt with by the home rear-guard. Skipper Tolu Elufowoju had other ideas however, chasing down a lost cause through the inside right channel to maintain possession before keeping her cool to centre into the danger zone from the right wing.

A deflected clearance then fell to Petrauskaite on the opposite flank, who took a touch to cut inside before rifling into the back of the net from fifteen yards to provide an ideal start for Barking & Dagenham.     

Drilled 

It took ten minutes for the next chance.

The indomitable Atene Skendlis robbed possession in the centre of the pitch, forwarding the ball to Amrane, who spread play to the onrushing Raima Hossain out wide on the right. Expecting  a cross, the home keeper was almost caught out by Hossain’s drilled finish, but just about shuffled across in time to divert the ball out for a corner.

From the resulting set-piece, Petrauskaite almost doubled the lead, before Elufowoju drilled a low shot on target from the edge of the box.

The goal didn’t come though. And for the rest of the first half, Barking & Dagenham’s momentum waned, with Lewisham gaining territory and possession, without forcing Arhin into any real action of note.

The action drifted for over half an hour with a scrappy performance from both teams typified by bravery and commitment rather than any creative quality of note.

A snap of the fingers came with nine minutes remaining however, when a trip in the Barking & Dagenham box gifted Lewisham a cheap penalty that would register their first attempt on target. It was a tough blow for the visitors, but there was a sense of the inevitability about its award with Barking & Dagenham failing to put the game to bed.

Thankful

Arhin has form though for this sort of situation, with spot-kick saves at Woking and St Albans (twice) already under her belt from the Autumn term. Holding her ground, the Northbury stopper made herself big as she rose to block with two firm wrists, before her thankful outfield team-mates reacted first to scramble away the loose ball.

The drama snapped the visitors out of their slumber as they exposed the space behind Lewisham’s tiring midfield who were pushing forward to make amends.

Petrauskaite replaced Elufowoju up-front, and the goal scorer’s dynamic drive almost saw her lob the keeper on the run, only for her lifted effort to fall over the crossbar to gasps of agony from the sidelines.

A minute later, Amrane’s blistering free-kick was grasped at the near post as it curled towards goal.

And with the home side throwing numbers forward, Elufowoju’s late return almost paid dividends when Laura Ameny slid a ball out from the back down the right flank to Hossain. In turn, the winger switched play inside to Amrane who sent the captain off and running into the empty space.

Twice she was denied by smart saves, before an even better stop denied her in the closing minute, with Hossein’s follow-up crashing off the bar for what would have been a deserved maiden district goal.

Doughty

Although it never arrived, the second was ultimately not needed with another doughty defensive display securing the points for the reigning champions.

Woking and Wokingham remain for the Essex runners-up, with the Southern Counties League Plate finals and Southern Counties Cup final in between. And with four Saturdays of the season remaining, Barking & Dagenham are firmly in contention for all three trophies, thanks to the heroics of Petrauskaite, Arhin and their talented team.

Barking & Dagenham: Ajewole (George Carey), Adjoh-Davoh (George Carey), Skendelis (Godwin), Williams (Goresbrook), Arhin (Northbury), Hossain (Northbury), Hussain (Richard Alibon) Petrauskaite (Richard Alibon), Elufowoju (Rush Green), Stoute (Rush Green), Rimkeviciute (William Bellamy), Amrane (Gascoigne), Ameny (Valence)