Basildon 0-8 Barking & Dagenham
BARKING & DAGENHAM SECURED safe passage into the second round of the National Cup, with a convincing win away at Essex rivals Basildon in Billericay.
As with their previous game, the BAD Boys started brightly and put the hosts on the back foot from the outset. This time however, there would be an end product.
The central midfield pairing of captain Michael Milburn – and Grafton’s Kylan Okosi – began pulling the strings from the kick off. Their endeavour fashioned an early chance for Oba Adetona, but the Valence man shot just wide.
The engine room was humming, so wingers Jordane Thomas and Owen Orhue decided to get in on the act. A series of raids down either side – and dangerous crosses – caused panic in the home defence, and Basildon were hanging on.
Opener
It didn’t take long for the opener to arrive, and it would be Orhue who would get the goal on nine minutes. A corner from Okosi was met by the St Vincent man’s head, and it nestled into the bottom corner for 1-0.
With the deadlock broken, the floodgates opened.
A four pass move saw Milburn running onto Okosi’s through ball, and the captain made no mistake as he rifled his shot into the side of the net for the second.
Brimming with confidence, the BAD Boys came for more. Orhue’s St Vincent’s team-mate Eghosa Ekhosuehi made a fine challenge on the edge of his own box, before launching a swift counter attack.
The ball found its way to the feet of Okosi, who charged forward and unleashed an unstoppable shot from twenty-five yards right into the top corner of the home net – for the goal of the day.
Sublime
Three quickly became four, as Thomas’ neat dribbling and sublime cross led to the second for Five Elms team mate Milburn
Half time arrived and gave Basildon some much needed respite. The break also stunted the momentum of the visitors, who eased off considerable in the early stages of the restart.
The Barking & Dagenham defenders were however in no mood to allow Basildon a route back into the game. Ekhosuehi led the way, followed by Firdaus Bakare, Judah Blair-Charles, and Callum Salmon – and between them they built a brick wall in front of the visiting goal.
With the back door firmly shut, the midfield once again kicked into high gear. Milburn and Okosi played a one-two, before the former played in Ekhosuehi down the right hand side. The full back’s pin point cross was met on the half volley by Adetona, and the Valence man had opened his account for the season.
Showtime!
From there it would be the Milburn and Okosi show. The two combined yet again, and Okosi smashed a low left foot shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner for his second and the BAD Boys’ sixth. The Grafton midfielder would compete his hat trick minutes later, as he got on the end of another dangerous Thomas cross for the seventh.
Not to be outdone, Captain Milburn would also grab his hat trick – by getting on the end of yet another Ekhosuehi masterclass at right back to wrap up the scoring.
A fine display in their first competitive match of the new season; Barking & Dagenham now have a home draw against Greenwich to look forward to in the next round.
Barking & Dagenham: Freddie Cable (Grafton), Judah Blair-Charles (George Carey), Firdaus Bakare (Roding Cannington), Callum Salmon (Grafton), Jordane Thomas (Five Elms), Kylan Okosi (Grafton), Michael Milburn (Five Elms), Oba Adetona (Valence), Finley Hossack (Godwin), Oliver Grange (Roding Cannington), Owen Orhue (St Vincent’s), Elijah Armah (Richard Alibon), Eghosa Ekhosuehi (St Vincent’s), Cezar Curbet (William Bellamy), Vasile Paul (Parsloes)