Non-League and Academy football writer

In what was both side’s final Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture of the 2024/25 season, Enfield Borough faced FC Baresi on Easter Monday, at the Maurice Rebak Stadium. Enfield Borough started this final league match of the season in 15th place in the league table. One place above Enfield Borough in the league standings, after 37 matches played, was FC Baresi. This step 6 match was won 2-1 by FC Baresi. After Baresi had lost possession of the ball on the edge of their penalty area, early on, Jadon Yamoah would take the ball in to the box. From the right-hand side of their penalty area, his low effort on goal was well saved to his right, by Harvey Simson. A couple of minutes later, however, Enfield Borough would take the lead. With Martin Flannery’s long diagonal pass from the left-hand side of the pitch and in to the away team’s box, being unfortunately headed in to his goal by Noye Richard, beyond the outrushing Simson, 1-0.

Enfield Borough were playing their football well and to good effect during the opening stages of this contest. But, after Nicholas Anastasiou’s low effort on the Baresi goal, from 25 yards out, was gathered by Simson, FC Baresi would go on to create their first real chance of the game. As Stefan McKie received the ball on the right-hand side of the pitch, before going forward with the ball and then playing the ball across to Romuald Boco, on the edge of the Borough penalty area. The vastly experienced FC Baresi player would see his low first time effort be gathered by the Enfield Borough goalkeeper, Oren Campbell.

Following an Enfield Borough free-kick the ball would come to Nicholas Anastasiou, right on the edge of the Baresi penalty area. His resulting effort would skim the crossbar on its way over, although it did look like Simson had managed to help the ball over his goal, making a fine save in the process. Soon after and after Baresi had lost possession of the ball on the edge of their penalty area, Sachon Edwards would see his chipped effort from the edge of the Baresi penalty area, go over their goal. And then, right on the stroke of half-time, Baresi defender Isioma Richard would volley an effort just wide of the Enfield Borough goal, following a corner-kick, with Richard managing to get to the ball on the edge of the box.

Quite early on in the second half of this match, Tufail Amjad’s FC Baresi side would draw level. Kuba Vermont Ollivierre would deliver a good ball in to the Enfield Borough penalty area, following a free-kick which had been awarded out on the left-hand side of the pitch, which Louis Nathanael had tried to head clear. But, the Enfield Borough player’s unfortunate attempted clearance would loop in to the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 1-1. FC Baresi had definitely improved during the second half, with the coaching staff also having made some changes. After Teyon Weston’s low effort from the left-hand side of the Borough penalty area had been gathered by substitute goalkeeper Taurian Bruce, Junior Appiah would hit a first time effort over the goal, on the half-volley and from the edge of the Borough penalty area, soon after. 

Baresi were now doing well, but, a couple of minutes after their defender Stephen Ellery’s dipping and powerful effort on goal from 35 yards out was well tipped over by Taurian Bruce, Enfield Borough would go on to create two chances. The first chance saw Shaun Million head an effort over, following Nicholas Anastasiou’s corner-kick in to the centre of the away team’s penalty area. And then, Sachon Edwards would hit a low effort on the FC Baresi goal from distance, which was gathered by Simson. The visitors had been pushing to take the lead after drawing level in the game, and they managed to do just that courtesy of a well worked move. Kishawn James had done well to deliver a good lofted ball from out on the left flank, towards the back post of the Enfield Borough goal. Having found Teyon Weston, the young forward would unselfishly tap the ball across to the captain, Murat Karagul, who tapped home beyond the goalkeeper from close range, 1-2.

FC Baresi’s player-assistant manager, Marvin Hamilton, had been doing well in midfield after having been substituted on during the second half of this game. After Hamilton had played a forward pass to Murat Karagul on the edge of the Borough penalty area, the centre-forward had his back to goal. He would do well to hold off two defenders before turning with the ball in to the box, and then hitting an effort over the goal. FC Baresi goalkeeper, Harvey Simson, had impressed during this game, and Simson would then make a good save to push over Sachon Edwards’ effort on goal from the right-hand side of the penalty area.

Very late on in the game and FC Baresi would manage to create a fine chance, which would have sealed the win. Teyon Weston would thread a good through-ball pass, after having won the ball, to find the run of Kishawn James, down the right-hand side of the home team’s penalty area. However, at the decisive moment James was just put off by recovering Enfield Borough defender, Myles Baiden, with James’ resulting powerful effort going wide of the goal. Then, during the final moments of the game, Enfield Borough came very close to getting a point from the game. As Alie Sheriff’s effort from the edge of the away side’s penalty area, was well parried by Simson, who then managed to stop Fabian Prela from scoring on the follow-up, as Enfield Borough appealed for a penalty to be given.

This was a good and competitive final match of the season, for both sides. Enfield Borough were the more creative side during the first half. However, Baresi started the second half really well, and they would of course go on to win the game, courtesy of a Murat Karagul winning goal. For the youthful Enfield Borough, I thought that Nicholas Anastasiou, Sachon Edwards and Alex Anderson, were there best players on the day, in my opinion. For my player of the match award, and despite competition from both Nicholas Anastasiou, Sachon Edwards, and Alex Anderson, Baresi player Marvin Hamilton put in a commanding midfield performance during the second half showing his quality, and he was also a contender. As was Teyon Weston and Isioma Richard. However, my player of the match on Monday was Kishawn James, who did some fine work both with and without the ball in the forward areas of the pitch, and he was involved in the match winning goal for the away side.