Barking & Dagenham 1-0 Chelmsford & Mid Essex
A SECOND HALF STRIKE from Amelia Hussain clinched victory for Barking & Dagenham in a closely fought early-season encounter with Chelmsford & Mid Essex. In a game that could have gone either way, keeper Emily Peka kept a fifth clean sheet in six matches, although the home goal lived a charmed life at times, with the visitors hitting the post and failing to convert a first-half spot-kick. The hosts though created plenty of chances in a game of contrasting styles and were more than good value for their win.
Chelmsford & Mid Essex began brightly, knocking the ball around with confidence and looking sharp down the flanks. This was a step up in opposition for the home side and the difference in expectation from last week’s first steps into district football was stark.
Proud
However, Barking & Dagenham stood proud and fashioned the game’s opening chance when the Y5 pair of Aaliyah Felix and Paloma Correia combined for the latter to curl a first-time effort from the edge of the box that fell just wide.
And eleven minutes later, Simonette Johnson burst down the inside left channel; the resulting shot lacking the power to provide any real threat.
In between, the visitors struck the post – but it was Barking & Dagenham who continued to penetrate their opponents’ penalty area with both Malaika Uwandji and Comfort Mazel spurning chances to open the scoring.
Seven minutes before half-time, skipper Jona Islami looked to have timed her tackle inside the box perfectly, reaching out a toe to poke the ball out of her opponents’ path and deny her a certain strike on goal. However, the angle of the challenge and contact in the follow-through invited the referee to make a decision: one that went in favour of the attacker and a penalty was duly awarded.
Had it been converted, Barking & Dagenham’s uphill task would have been all the steeper, falling behind against a talented opposition bursting with confidence and vigour.
However, the resulting strike flashed wide of the upright and the hosts went into the interval with Peka’s clean sheet intact.
Arm Wrestle
The second half proved more of an arm wrestle. Islami shrugged off her earlier setback to lead the backline with distinction and the work-rate of the BAD Girl midfield crowded Mid Essex, restricting them to speculative efforts and set-pieces.
Barking & Dagenham always looked dangerous on the break. Their physicality and pace in the final third proved problematic for the opposition, with first Johnson, then Zainab Touray prodding away at the Mid Essex defences, seeking out any vulnerability or weakness.
In the end, it was the energy and doggedness of the Barking & Dagenham high-press that sought out the pressure point. Charging down her opposite number on the left flank, Felix seized possession inside the box before showing great composure to flash a dangerous ball across the box. Touray reached out to touch the ball on, with Hussain sweeping in from the right for her first goal of the season, and her third in total wearing district colours.
It was a first win of the season for Barking & Dagenham, building upon their five low-scoring draws in the previous week’s Southern Counties League Cup tournament. But it was deserved. And hopefully the first of many.
Barking & Dagenham: Emily Peka (Valence); Maria Mateus (George Carey); Jona Islami (Roding); Gilda Hasani (Northbury); Zainab Touray (Northbury); Abbie Blewitt (Hunters Hall); Paloma Correia (George Carey); Amelia Hussain (Richard Alibon); Malaika Uwandji (Roding); Aaliyah Felix (Goresbrook); Simonette Johnson (St Peter’s); Comfort Mazel (Godwin)