7/1/17 – Representative Fixture

Barking & Dagenham 4-1 South London

Double Bubble

BARKING & DAGENHAM GIRLS KEPT up their hundred percent record with a hard-working 4-1 victory over South London. Pahris Cotterell’s second half brace built upon earlier strikes from Ella Eskelson and Grace Young to make it two wins from two going into the league campaign.

Captain Cotterell had a golden chance to give her side the lead in the fifth minute but was denied by the excellence of the visiting keeper who frustrated Barking & Dagenham for much of the game.

Undetered, the hosts continued to apply pressure as Layla Duffield shot wide from Nour Khalfaoui’s low cross.

Pounced

Two minutes later, the same combination brought a great save out of the South London keeper however Duffield’s effort was palmed across goal where Eskelson pounced first to poke home.

Fifteen minutes of deadlock followed, with home goalkeeper Kaydee Bhavnani alert to snuff out any South London counter attack, sharply breaking from her line to cut out several long balls and dangerous breaks.

With half-time looming, and a penalty saved, Barking & Dagenham’s pressure finally paid off. The visiting keeper’s decision to tidy up play in the left-back position saw her lose out to Emily Brown who was alive to the emerging situation. A quick centre to the back post picked out Young who stole in to double the lead.

Brilliance

The second period saw lots of huffing and puffing from the hosts as several great opportunities went begging.

However the half was book-ended by two pieces of brilliance from Cotterell. The first saw her dance around three challenges before leathering in from an acute angle. And in the dying stages, a thirty-yard howitzer picked out the top corner to make it four.

South London took advantage of a lack of concentration at the back to earn a second half consolation but it was the hosts who were stronger throughout setting things up nicely for the visit of Woking in two weeks’ time.

Barking & Dagenham: K Bhavnani (Parsloes); A Young (James Cambell); L Duffield, E Brown (Godwin); T Mutuale (Henry Green); P Cotterell (Manor Longbridge); E Eskelson, N Khalfaoui, G Young (Hunters Hall)