Barking & Dagenham 1-5 Thurrock

BARKING & DAGENHAM U11S STARTED Essex Finch campaign with a defeat at the hands of arch rivals Thurrock.  To coin a well-worn cliche, the scoreline was not a fair reflection of the game but it was Thurrock who left with the points despite Ethan Wenayeto’s third of the season. 

The hosts suffered a nightmare start as Thurrock took the lead with just twelve seconds on the clock. A misplaced pass from the kick off teed up Freddie Hesketh, who gave Kieran Pougoue no chance with a neat finish.

Pougoue was then called into action moments later when David Roberts stung his palms from distance. Barking slowly grew into the game and Harry Brown drew a neat save from Samuel Griek in the Thurrock goal with a rasping drive.

Thwarted

Kye Calvey then went close after Thurrock failed to clear a corner but Griek managed to tip his effort over the crossbar. Wenayeto was almost set free by a Brown through ball but the impressive Kaelan Casey was on hand to thwart the lively Gascoigne striker.

Despite being on top, Barking were unable to find an equaliser and were punished for some hesitant defending as the visitors stretched their lead just before the break. Joseph Ogundipe-Cole’s quick throw in wasn’t cleared and Adam Pankhurst nipped in front of Pougoue to put his side two goals to the good going in at the break.

Barking & Dagenham started the second period brightly and nearly got back into the game when Alex Towse released Basilio Rieno-Socoliche who managed to get to the byline but Wenayeto was unable to steer the ball home and the chance went begging. Rieno-Socoliche then skipped past three Thurrock challenges but his shot lacked any real power and Griek was able to save comfortably.

Calm

Then, as in the first half, Thurrock scored when the home side were on top. Toniyi Kuku’s inch perfect ball behind the Barking defence released Bobby Root, who calmly slotted the ball past the despairing dive of Owen Duggan in the home goal.

Barking had an even better chance to get back into the game. Alex Young’s searching ball found David Osei-Kaffour who sprinted away from his marker but he was unable to keep his shot down and it flew over the crossbar.

With the next attack, Thurrock made sure of the victory with a fourth goal courtesy of a huge slice of good fortune. Roberts stormed past two tackles in the middle of the park but his shot was horribly scuffed but it fell into the path of Cailan Johnston, who gleefully fired the ball home.

Body Blow

The goal was a body-blow and Thurrock sealed their victory with a fifth. Barking failed to clear their lines and Ogundipe-Cole was on hand to fire home from close range.

To their credit, Barking continued to press for a consolation and it arrived with the last kick of the game. Once again Rieno-Socoliche was at the heart of the move, running from the halfway line past three desperate challenges and then his whipped cross was expertly flicked home by Wenayeto who had made a great run towards the near post. The goal was no more than the home side deserved for their endeavours but they were left to reflect on Thurrock’s superior finishing as the visitors left with three points. 

Barking & Dagenham: A Young, A Towse, J Atoki, T Sveikauskas, O Duggan, E Wenayeto, K Pougoue, J. Modza Smith, C Gavin, K Calvy, H Brown, D Osei-Kuffour, J Ngala