21/3/09 - Lester Finch Trophy
Barking & Dagenham 8 (Gelston 2, Odelusi 2, Ocran, Phillips, Boyce, Turner)
Haringey 1
BUOYED BY THEIR cup exploits against Croydon, Barking & Dagenham put Haringey to the sword, demolishing their opponents 8-1 in the London SFA Lester Finch Trophy.
The home side went goal crazy with Luke Gelston and Siju Odelusi grabbing a brace apiece. Louis Phillips, Daniel Boyce, Reno Turner and Brendan Ocran also found the net in a game that was only ever going to have one outcome.
No Surprise
The home side started brightly and quickly had Haringey on the back foot. The front pairing of Daniel Boyce and Ernest Okoh were putting the Haringey defence under pressure and, with Ernestas Allionis and Luke Gelston dominating the middle of the park, it was all one way traffic.
It was no surprise when Barking & Dagenham took the lead. A wicked Reno Turner corner caused panic in the Haringey box and Gelston was on hand to head home from six yards.
The lead was soon doubled from another corner. This time Gelston picked out Brendan Ocran on the edge of the area and the St Vincent's man gave the Haringey keeper no chance with a sweetly struck volley.
Haringey were struggling to get out of their own half and the home side could have increased their lead but Turner and Allionis both saw shots go the wrong side of the post.
Whenever Haringey did manage to break out of their own half, they found Alec Monk in impressive form, ably backed up by full backs, Ross Durban and Samuel Franklin.
Pressure
Barking & Dagenham continued to pressure the Haringey goal and a third strike arrived just before half time. Gelston was again at the heart of the move - his driving run was halted but the ball fell kindly into the path of Phillips who fired home from the edge of the box.
The second half had much the same feel as the first, with Barking & Dagenham having the lion's share of possession and creating chances.
Siju Odelusi extended the lead, pouncing on a defensive error to grab his fourth of the season.
Haringey were being put to the sword and Gelston then grabbed his second of the game. A typically robust run from the Monteagle man was halted by a brave tackle but Gelston managed to fire the ball home despite being flat on the floor.
Odelusi then scored his second of the game when he exchanged passes with McDermott and gave the goal keeper no chance with a neat finish.
Confident
Haringey continued to battle away gamely but they were unable to live with some impressive football from a confident Barking and Dagenham side.
Six soon became seven with an outstanding goal. An Okoh cross was superbly met on the volley by Boyce for his twelfth of the campaign.
Barking and Dagenham made it eight when Turner stormed forward, took on two players and hit an unstoppable shot from fully twenty five yards.
With time running out, Haringey were rewarded for their efforts when the hard working forward cut inside the Barking & Dagenham defence and gave Connor Gray no chance with a superb finish.
However, that was the last action in a game dominated from start to finish by a buoyant Barking & Dagenham. The side finish their Lester Finch campaign on Saturday when Islington are the visitors.
