Five Elms Primary School

The home side started brightly and nearly took a lead with barely a minute on the clock, as Millburn’s dangerous corner flashed across the face of the Hamlets goal with no one able to apply a finishing touch.

However, from their next corner the home side went in front as another Millburn corner was only half-cleared and Martin met the ball on the half volley on the edge of the box and sent the ball into the bottom corner.

Barking & Dagenham had their tails up and almost doubled their lead with their next attack as Fawunmi skipped past three challenges before seeing his firm strike pushed away by the Hamlets’ keeper.

Kien Connelly saw his follow-up saved, before Amin Karim drew another save with a snap shot from close range, but they went 2-0 up when Millburn’s inswinging corner was met by a glancing header from Fawunmi and flew past the visiting keeper.

Fawunmi, buoyed by his goal, saw a fierce drive palmed away as the visitors offered very little going forward in reply.

But Hamlets missed a glorious chance to get themselves back into the game when a defensive slip allowed them to break free, but the ball was fired over with the goal gaping.

Barking & Dagenham’s Karim was then bundled over as he ran towards the penalty area and Connelly’s sweetly-struck free-kick was smartly saved by the impressive Hamlets’ keeper.

Brandon Dean, who had been a virtual spectator in the home goal, was finally called into action as Hamlets finished the half well and the Dorothy Barley keeper dived bravely at the feet on the onrushing striker to keep it at 2-0.

The second half began with Emis Gasperavicius, who impressed throughout on the wing, sending a delicious ball across the face of the goal after speeding past four challenges, with Amin inches away from applying the finishing touch.

Gasperavicius then set up Connelly after another barnstorming run and cross, but his half volley drifted wide.

Millburn went closer still with a free-kick moments later, but the Tower Hamlets keeper produced a good save to tip the ball over.

The home side continued to dominate and scored a third with a well-worked goal as the industrious Charlie Rich found Millburn wide on the right and the Five Elms pupils went past three challenges before cutting side and coolly slotting home for a brilliant first goal for the borough.

Connelly then headed over from Mason Stanton’s free-kick, before Karim went close with a fizzing drive and was then fouled 20 yards out.

Fawunmi stepped up to fire the free-kick into the top corner and the hosts almost grabbed a fifth when Millburn’s run and cutback was bundled goalwards by Jaqwaan Williams, but stopped on the line by a defender as victory earned Barking & Dagenham a home tie against Hackney in the new year.

Barking & Dagenham: Dean (Dororthy Barley), Onajobi (Becontree), Karim (Parsloes), Milburn (Five Elms), Gasperavicius (William Bellamy), Williams, Connolly, Martin, Rich (all Valence), Fawunmi Hunters Hall), Stanton (Eastbury).