Non-League and Academy football writer

Aveley’s Under 23 side hosted top of the Essex Alliance League Senior Division table; FC Baresi, on Friday night at Parkside, in a league fixture. Aveley Under 23’s sat in 11th place in the league standings before the start of the match on Friday, with FC Baresi sitting at the top of the table, 14 points ahead of next placed Woodford East, who had two games in hand, going into this match. This match would finish in a 1-1 draw. A good early move from the away side, FC Baresi, resulted in Erol Hassan finding Noyan Tajbakhsh at the back post of the Aveley penalty area, with a cross from the right side of the pitch. Noyan Tajbakhsh met the ball on the volley, and his low effort deflected off of the Aveley goalkeeper Oliver Johnson, before bouncing off of the crossbar. Shortly after that chance, FC Baresi took an early lead in the match. Lewis Jones’ fine forward pass from midfield found Junior Appiah, who was through on goal on the edge of the Aveley box. He would take the ball into the penalty area, before calmly finding the bottom right hand corner of the goal, 0-1. Murat Karagul would hit an effort over Johnson’s goal, on the half volley, following a cross from Erol Hassan towards the back post, shortly afterwards, as FC Baresi continued to impress.

Lewis Jones hit an effort just wide of the Aveley goal from the edge of their penalty area, before John Silva whipped a good effort just over the FC Baresi goal, from the right edge of their penalty area. The game continued to be played at a good pace, and after some good persistence from Lewis Jones on the edge of the Aveley box, the midfielder hit an effort just wide of their goal. After Freddie Madle had a free-kick effort from the edge of the FC Baresi box saved by Eric Andoh, Hasan Acar headed an effort wide of the FC Baresi goal. Then, a couple of minutes later, Noyan Tajbakhsh had an effort from the halfway line gathered comfortably by Oliver Johnson, just before there was a pause in play because of an injury to an Aveley player, who was thankfully fine afterwards. After Murat Karagul had received Edson Lami’s pass inside the Aveley penalty area, the experienced FC Baresi forward hit an effort just wide of the goal. Following a quickly taken FC Baresi free-kick, Abadilla Kousairi delivered a good low cross into the Aveley penalty area. However, Edson Lami’s effort at the back post from close range, hit the crossbar.

Early on in the second half, Junior Appiah hit an effort wide of the Aveley goal after meeting Abadilla Kousairi’s cross inside their penalty area. Freddie Madle then hit an effort wide of Eric Andoh’s goal from distance, before the influential Lewis Jones, at the opposite end of the pitch, would have a side-footed effort from distance saved by Oliver Johnson. Aveley Under 23’s had improved during the second half. Amari Kpodo headed a Freddie Madle corner-kick onto Eric Andoh’s left hand post, before a loose FC Baresi pass into their penalty area saw them almost give away the lead. With Airon Paul hitting an effort from the centre of the penalty area just wide of the goal. Both sides went in search of the decisive next goal in the match. Aveley player Airon Paul hit an effort wide of the FC Baresi goal, from the edge of their penalty area, and then, a couple of minutes later Aveley did get the equalising goal. A low cross from the left side of the pitch, found the sliding Abdikarim Sheikh, in the centre of the FC Baresi penalty area, from where the Aveley substitute clinically finished into the goal, 1-1. Neither side could find a winning goal, with the match finishing 1-1.

FC Baresi had two important players substituted off during the second half because of injury, which disrupted their rhythm in the game. However, Aveley Under 23’s, in my opinion, deserved to get a point from the game, because of their second half performance. FC Baresi midfielder Lewis Jones was my player of the match. He was influential for FC Baresi in midfield, getting an assist, but also making a good impression on the pitch, particularly with his passing. The Aveley Under 23 side played well as a team, they defended well and they worked very hard both in and out of possession.