Hackney 1-3 Barking & Dagenham

WITH THE CURTAIN ABOUT to fall on yet another sensational season, Barking & Dagenham collected their second piece of silverware with a routine victory in the Stuart Feakins Trophy final. The Essex champions took their time to get going, but were more than good value for their win as goals from Lilly-Mae Fisher, Abbie Blewitt and captain Aaliyah Felix gave breathing space despite Chardonay Taylor-Green’s consolation briefly offering the hosts a way back into the game.

After a scrappy start, Northbury’s Bella Hines registered Barking & Dagenham’s first attempt on goal when she cut in from the left flank, only to see her goal-bound shot deflected for a corner.

From the ensuing set-piece, Simonette Johnson’s attempt suffered a similar fate before Johnson combined with Paloma Correia to lay off for a further blast from Hines which whistled high and wide.

Influence

Blewitt, Felix and Johnson all had sighters as the half wore on.

But it was the introduction of top-scorer Theresa Ezea eight minutes from the interval that had the biggest influence on the half.

Straight away, the forward’s dangerous running brought an attacking fizz that had hitherto been absent – and the fury of her chaos impacted straight away.

Within sixty seconds, Ezea registered her first shot.

And moments later, the energy spread, with right-back Correia bombing forward to the by-line, before centring a teasing cross that was parried the home keeper’s outstretched fingers.

Arriving at the far post was the determined Fisher who stole in to convert from close range for a much-deserved third district goal.

Control

Now Barking & Dagenham settled, and their midfield began to take control, shifting the ball through midfield and retaining possession as they probed for gaps in the home defences.

It was from one such move that Felix, Johnson and Blewitt all exchanged passes before Ezea’s run made space for the latter. Blewitt strode forward into the space that opened up, before picking her spot from the edge of the box to double the lead on the stroke of half-time.

The break interrupted Barking & Dagenham’s momentum though and a loss of concentration saw them fail to clear their lines, leading to an unmarked Taylor-Green sprinting clear before burying an unstoppable finish past Attwood-Adams in the visitors’ goal.

It proved to be Hackney’s only attempt on target during the second half though, as Barking & Dagenham pressed to extend their advantage.

Fisher fired wide after Ezea’s tremendous hold-up play, before Johnson ripped one past the post with twenty minutes remaining.

Skill

Johnson then tore down the left, showing great skill to cross for Ezea. Her left-foot effort was saved at close range, with Johnson drawing another block as she swooped in on the follow-up.

Blewitt fired one in low which was fielded by the keeper but Felix’s speculative effort midway through the half crept underneath the dive to restore a two-goal lead that never looked like being relinquished.

Instead, it looked more likely the away side would stretch their advantage.

Fisher rose highest to nod Blewit’s in-swinging corner over the bar.

A minute later, Blewitt and Felix’s interplay carved an opportunity for Ezea to side-foot wide.

Then Blewitt and Bella Yorke one-two-ed their way out from the back until sliding a pass inside to the onrushing Correia who sprinted through the middle for the best chance of the closing stages. Off-balance though, the attempt fell the wrong side of the post and the chance was spurned.

It did not make a difference though as Barking & Dagenham shuffled their pack, showing their strength in depth as they lost Jo Mecvari and Lily Imititikua to illness and injury respectively.

Impressive

It was an impressive display form the BAD Girls who bounced back from dropping London Girls’ League points against neighbours Havering last time out to reassert their position as one of the top teams in the country.

Felix’s strike was their ninety-first goal of the season and capped off the BAD Girls’ twenty-fifth victory in thirty-one games. Just twenty goals have been conceded, with four draws and two defeats along the way.

There is now just one more game to go.

The result will determine whether Barking & Dagenham will make it a historic treble as LGL holders Wokingham visit Parsloes Park in what is likely to be a winner-takes-all title showdown.

A twenty-sixth win for the hosts would do nicely.

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