Barking & Dagenham 5 – 2 Newham
FREE-SCORING BARKING & DAGENHAM continued their unbeaten start to the season, with another hat full of chances – and a hat full of goals – in their win over neighbours Newham at Riverside.
Buoyed by their National Cup success the previous week, the hosts came out on the front foot from the outset. The central midfield pairing of George Carey’s Ibrahim Msabah – and Northbury’s Marvellous Oppong – kept the Barking and Dagenham engine humming. Meanwhile, Denzel Decardi-Nelson and Chibuzo Okoli were ripping down the wings giving the hosts total control over the midfield.
Chances
Chances soon followed, with Okoli testing the Newham goalkeeper early on. Decardi-Nelson’s St Peter’s team-mate Chinoso Ibeh then had a one-on-one saved, with Oppong shooting just wide shortly thereafter.
The hosts were in fluent form, with captain Lesecond Yeutembip in command at centre back. And, midway through the first half it was a through ball from the Northbury skipper that caused panic in the visitor’s ranks, as Ibeh side footed home a left foot finish for 1-0.
As with the previous game, the floodgates opened.
Four minutes later, the visitors conceded a free kick on the left hand edge of their penalty area. Decardi-Nelson stepped up to curl a sublime second into the Newham net with the visitor’s keeper rooted to the spot.
Perfect
Two became three on the stroke of half time, with Decardi-Nelson again at the heart of things for the hosts. The St Peter’s winger delivered a perfect corner from the BAD Boys’ right hand side, and Ibeh towered above all to powerfully head the hosts into a 3-0 half time lead.
With fixture congestion on the horizon, the hosts then began to shuffle their pack to rest legs for upcoming matches. The changes slowed down the flow of attacks, and gave Newham a foot hold in the game.
A long range shot was brilliantly turned around the host by keeper Lucas Marney. The William Ford stopper was playing his second match in a week, and saved another point blank effort from the visitors a minute later.
The visitors did manage to pull one back five minutes later, as another long range effort this time squeaked into the bottom corner.
Irritated
Irritated by the loss of their clean sheet, the hosts gathered their breath and launched a series of attacks on the Newham penalty area.
Okoli, Decardi-Nelson and Yeutembip all came close, and Ibeh was denied his hat trick – by the post – from a free kick.
Okoli was again left frustrated by the visitor’s keeper, with Richard Alibon’s Shayne Pickering nearly getting in on the act at the far post.
The pressure eventually told, as Jahcorey Blair-Charles charged up the left hand side. The George Carey full back’s low cross found Okoli all alone in the penalty area, and he tapped home for 4-1.
Not content with this however, the hosts came right back a minute later. Okoli – despite having his shirt pulled – grabbed his second with advantage being played.
Sleeping
More changes followed, and the hosts were once again caught sleeping at the back as Newham grabbed a second consolation goal with a minute left. One last attack, and it was Okoli who would be denied his hat trick this time. The William Ford winger’s jinking run and low shot flashed accross the Newham goal, and just wide.
The BAD Boys won’t have long to rest, as their National Cup Round 2 match at home against Croydon has been rescheduled to Monday 3rd May, and will take place at their new Riverside home.
Barking & Dagenham: Lucas Marney (William Ford), Jayden Ikechukwu (St Vincent’s), Captain – Lesecond Yeutembip (Northbury), Dexter Douglas (St Vincent’s), Chibuzo Okoli (William Ford), Marvellous Oppong (Northbury), Ibrahim Msabah (George Carey), Denzel Decardi-Nelson (St Peter’s), Chinoso Ibeh (St Peter’s), Jahcorey Blair-Charles (George Carey), Shayne Pickering (Richard Alibon), Ruari Stanton (Northbury)