Mayor's Cup 2008
THE INAUGURAL GIRLS' District team, after 113 years of the Barking & Dagenham Schools’ FA history, trail-blazed their way to glory, lifting the Mayor’s Cup at the first time of asking. A solitary strike in the final, from Manor’s Mollie Rose, took the title in one of only two competitions run in the entire country.
From the outset, Barking & Dagenham impressed, quickly establishing their dominance in the first match against Islington. Chelsea Martin went close early on, her well-struck shot tipped around the post by the keeper. Eventually, the breakthrough was made by fellow Rush Green player Georgia Faires, whose speculative effort was deflected in for 1-0.
In the second half, Barking & Dagenham turned on the style, with Rose firing her first of the afternoon. She added her second shortly after, following Lauren Wells’ exquisitely weighted through-ball. Meanwhile, Fatimoh Popoola and Sarah-Jane Williams remained steadfast at the back, setting the tone for the day.
Next up, were hot favourites Tower Hamlets. In a game of few chances, defender Carly Walllington starred, marshalling the back-line in a 0-0 draw that meant a victory over Lewisham in the final game would ensure Barking & Dagenham won their round-robin group.
The girls’ District side duly delivered after a tense first half display. With the deadlock unbroken at the interval, they relaxed into a slick passing game in the second period, with Faires once again influential. After two minutes of the restart, Rose finished off a passing move involving five Barking & Dagenham players to gain the lead. And a left-footed strike from distance, by the same player, made up for an earlier missed penalty and booked a place in the semi-finals.
The draw brought more South London opponents in the shape of a strong Sutton team. Rose’s early strike looked to have set up another win but a late equaliser took the tie into extra time. Heroics from keeper Nicola Mtetwa kept her side in the game as penalties loomed. But with a minute remaining, Rose took a quick throw-in on the right wing, looking for the skills of St Joseph’s Elicia Wells. She controlled a difficult ball, threading a pass back to the onrushing Rose who struck clinically to finish off a well-crafted move.
That in set up a nervy final against Lambeth. Mtetwa had once more to be on top of her game and only a last-ditch goal-line clearance by skipper Williams prevented Lambeth taking the lead.
Chances fell at both ends, with Rose, Martin and Wells all going close.
In the end, a piece of individual brilliance by Chelsea Martin, proved decisive. On the right flank, Martin dragged the ball with the outside of her foot, ghosted past her marker and swung across a dangerous cross. In slippery conditions, the Lambeth keeper spilled to the waiting Rose who tapped in for her seventh goal of the tournament with only fifteen seconds remaining.
There was barely time to restart the game, before the final whistle sounded and an ecstatic Barking & Dagenham side won their first ever silverware in thoroughly deserved fashion.
Team manager Chris Wilding said, “The performance today shows how far girls’ football has progressed in Barking & Dagenham over the last couple of years. Our schools are competing regularly in Essex and London Cup finals and our representative team have had an historic win today. Previously, we have wanted to run a girls’ District side but never had anyone to play. That’s all changed now and this win will hopefully be the first of many.”
Barking & Dagenham: Faires, Martin, Wallington (Rush Green); L Wells, Popoola, Tiriboyi (Godwin); E Wells (St Joseph’s); Williams (Beam); Rose (Manor); Mtetwa (The Leys)
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