Croydon 1-1 Barking & Dagenham (Barking & Dagenham win 3-1 on pens)
A STUNNING INDIVIDUAL display between the posts from Dalia Wyszczelska saw Barking & Dagenham edge nervily into the last eight of the English Schools’ FA National U11s Cup following a fraught 1-1 draw (after extra time) against Croydon. On the back of a string of saves, the Hunters Hall keeper then repelled three of the home side’s four spot-kicks during an agonizing penalty shootout, to set up a quarter-final tie with either Gloucester or St Albans.
Barking & Dagenham went into the game with three dominant wins from three straight-forward games under their belt. But, in Croydon, they came up against a side that was not content to lay down and have their bellies tickled in the tough conditions.
Under Siege
With the inclement weather behind their backs, the home side duly lay siege to the Barking & Dagenham goal for the majority of the first half.
Time and again Wyszczelska was tested as the visitors conceded a raft of free-kicks around the edge of the box, which whipped and curled towards goal in the wind. Strong wrists and safe hands kept all attempts at bay, but it seemed only a matter of time before something would eventually find its way into the Barking & Dagenham net.
Somehow though, Barking & Dagenham hung on until half time and benefitted from the opportunity to regroup.
For the first time this season, the district side were truly tested and, bit by bit, they began to rise to the occasion.
Tested
Seven minutes into the second half, Rehema Okungu’s well-struck effort was converted by Rihanna Zaman only for the vice-captain’s final touch to be adjudged offside.
And midway through the half, Marcheri Sherriff’s long-range set-piece whistled just past the upright with the home keeper rooted to the spot.
Two minutes later, it was the sharp-shooting Sherriff who once again provided the danger with another free-kick, this time just inside the Croydon half. Aided by the gale blowing in from behind her, the skipper’s long-range effort swirled towards goal, dipping at the last moment so that it met the keeper on the half-volley. Unable to grasp the ball at the first attempt, it bobbled straight into the path of the alert Aysia Matabaro who stole in to hungrily gobble up her reward.
The lead didn’t last for long though. With ten minutes remaining, a powerful surge down the centre of the pitch saw the Croydon scorer ride a host of challenges before slotting the ball into the bottom corner for a deserved equalizer.
Stubborn
From then on, it was all about the appetite for the battle. And Barking & Dagenham raised their hands to be counted as their stubborn backline of Sherrif, alongside Tobe Edoka and the outstanding Chi-Chi Musa-Onyeka held firm for the rest of the half and throughout extra-time.
That brought about the drama of penalties, with Sherrif, Matabaro and Ganiyat Jimoh all converting. As Wyszczelska blocked the first, second and fourth Croydon attempts, victory was sealed for the visitors in their hardest-fought win of the season so far.
Barking & Dagenham: Tobechukwu Edoka (George Carey), Ganiyat Jimoh (Northbury), Gracie Jones (Grafton), Aysia Matabaro (Roding), Chi-Chi Musa-Onyeka (St Peter’s), Rehema Okungu (George Carey), Marcella Sibbons-Setal (Monteagle), Marcheri Sheriff (Grafton), Dalia Wyszczelska (Hunters Hall), Rihanna Zaman (Hunters Hall)