Non-League and Academy football writer

Bakers693 faced CSM London at Parsloes Park Hub, on Friday night in an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture. Bakers693 started this match in 15th place in the Senior Division standings (after 28 matches played), ahead of their penultimate fixture of the 2024/25 season. CSM London started this match in fourth place in the Senior Division standings, after 27 matches played. Will Brobby’s side were looking to finish a really good season in style. This step 7 league fixture would finish 4-0 to CSM London. After quite an even start to the early stages of this game, CSM would go on to create the first three goalscoring chances of this game. After Luke McElroy had received a pass on the turn, he would travel forward with the ball for a couple of yards, towards the edge of the Bakers693 penalty area, before his whipped effort went narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. A couple of minutes later, and Mubaarak Hameed would receive Rafael Da Mata’s short pass, and following a good bit of skill with the ball, his low effort on goal (from 20 yards out) was gathered by James Traynor. Around five minutes later, and following a well worked CSM move, the visiting side would have a goal ruled out for offside.

Shortly after Bakers693 player’s Jake Hughes’ low effort on the CSM goal, from 20 yards out, was gathered by Ryan Thompson, CSM would go forward with the ball well. This move would end with Luke McElroy skilfully controlling a lofted pass on the left-hand side of the home team’s penalty area, before hitting a powerful effort across the face of the Bakers693 goal. Soon after, and as the game picked up pace, McElroy would see an effort, under pressure and at the near post of James Traynor’s goal (following a low cross) be well kept out by the Bakers693 goalkeeper. And then, Tylan Balli would head an effort just wide of James Traynor’s goal, after meeting a well delivered corner-kick inside of the penalty area.

Just before the end of the first half, the outrushing Ryan Thompson would do well to keep out Nico Macaia’s effort from the left-hand side of his penalty area, and then at the opposite end of the pitch, James Traynor would parry a decent effort on his goal. During the early stages of the second half CSM would take the lead. As after Gideon Sonko had received a pass on the left-hand side of the pitch, in the final third, he would cut inside with the ball, before whipping a fine effort (from the edge of the home team’s penalty area) into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 0-1. And soon after, CSM would double their lead. But, not before Bakers693 had created a really good chance to draw level from, following a good move forward, with the ball. The move ended with Dami Thomas passing the ball across to Daragh Moroney, on the right-hand side of the CSM box, but, his first time curling effort would go just over Ryan Thompson’s goal.

That second goal of the game for the away side would arrive courtesy of a well crafted move. As Paul Mendes received the ball on the edge of the home team’s box, before lifting the ball in behind the Bakers693 defence, and towards the run of Luke McElroy, who was just unable to get to the ball, but, on the bounce, a Bakers693 defender’s unfortunate attempted clearance found the right-hand side of the goal, 2-0. Bakers693 tried to respond, and they continued to create chances. Firstly, a one-two passing move between Jake Hughes and Jahdel Mensah, would end with Jake Hughes hitting a first time effort over Thompson’s goal, from the centre of his penalty area. A couple of minutes later and after a Bakers693 free-kick had been laid off to Mario Embalo, on the edge of CSM box, his resulting low effort would whistle just wide of Thompson’s right-hand post.

This was still proving to be a good contest, but, a couple of minutes after Rafael Da Mata had hit an effort over James Traynor’s goal (from the edge of the penalty area), CSM would score a crucial third goal of the game. After CSM had been awarded a penalty, following a good move, which ended with Tylan Balli trying to take the ball around Traynor on the left-hand side of his penalty area, which was where he was fouled by the goalkeeper, and Luke McElroy would take the following penalty. And McElroy would clinically finish low in to the goal, 0-3. And before the end of the match, CSM made it 4-0. With Rafael Da Mata getting a deserved goal, after receiving Tylan Balli’s pass down the right-hand side of the pitch, Da Mata would go on a fine slaloming run with the ball in to home team’s penalty area, before tucking the ball in to the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 0-4.

CSM would manage a couple of additional efforts on the Bakers693 goal, before the end of this match. Bakers693 competed well in this game, in my opinion, but, CSM were considerably more creative with the ball, and I thought that they were deserved winners. My player of the match on Friday was Tylan Balli, who after entering the pitch, would make a really positive impression on the game in forward areas. The youngster was involved in two of CSM’s goals against Bakers693. Special mentions must also go to Luke McElroy and Rafael Da Mata, for their influence on the game.