Barking & Dagenham 4-0 South London
IN THEIR FIRST full outing of the season, Barking & Dagenham girls’ district U11s sent out a clear message to their rivals with a comprehensive victory over South London. Two goals in each half settled a match in which the scoreline could have been much greater but for the heroics of the visitors’ goalkeeper.
The home side showed their intentions right from the start, with Nour Khalfaoui siezing possession in midfield before sliding in Mariam-Daisy Ngobo Azeez who fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box.
Influential
Barking & Dagenham continued to press, with Makayla Smith heavily influential on the left. On two minutes, the Henry Green forward showed great balance and skill to open up for a shot from distance that ultimately lacked the necessary power to give her side the lead. The same player then initiated a flowing move involving Khalfaoui and Ngobo Azeez before firing into the side netting when well placed.
It was no surprise then when, on seven minutes, Smith grabbed the first goal of the game. Rachel Babatunde began the move in her own half, passing on to winger Ngobo Azeez. The latter’s cutback from the byline picked out an unmarked Khalfaoui whose goal-bound shot was blocked well by the rushing keeper. With the ball looping into the empty net, Smith ghosted in from the left to tap in and earn herself a well-deserved opener.
At the other end, Hannah Embery remained untroubled in the Barking & Dagenham goal, snaffling any lose balls that made it past resolute defensive duo Babatunde and Alisha Johnson.
Opportunity
Instead, the game continued to be played in the South London half with Smith and Pahris Cotterell having opportunity to double the advantage.
When a second goal did arrive, with five minutes to go before half-time, it was skipper Millie Blythe who provided it – sending a dipping, swerving near-post corner into the danger area for Gabriella Gomes to pressure the ball into the net.
Blythe’s presence continued to be felt throughout the second half as the district skipper stamped her authority on the game. A lung-bursting run and shot nearly made it three straight after the restart before the Valence playmaker created chances for Khalfaoui, Cotterell and Smith that were all well-saved.
Emphatic
It was fitting therefore when the same player took advantage of hesitant defending to stab home Gomes’ through-ball with fifteen minutes left before doubling her personal tally five minutes later when a weak clearance was emphatically punished to make it four and put the seal on a fluent team display.
Barking & Dagenham’s competitive season begins with their next game, away to Woking in the London League. Playing like this, they will enter into that campaign full of confidence and purpose.
Barking & Dagenham: Babatunde (Richard Alibon); Johnson, Embery, Blythe (Valence); Gomes (St Joseph’s Dagenham); Ngobo Azeez (Godwin); Cotterell (Manor Longbridge); Khalfaoui (Hunters Hall); Smith (Henry Green)