Non-League and Academy football writer

For what was both side’s very first game of the new 2025/26 season, FC Baresi faced Barkingside, in a Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture at Wodson Park on Saturday afternoon. FC Baresi finished in 14th place in the Thurlow Nunn League First Division South table, last season. Barkingside finished three places below FC Baresi in the standings, last season, with FC Baresi winning both of their league fixtures against them in 2024/25. However, this step 6 fixture was won 2-1 by the visitors, Barkingside.

Barkingside would go on to create the first real chance of Saturday’s match. Bryn Byworth’s forward pass from midfield would find Fred Agyemang on the left-hand side of the Baresi penalty area. The centre-forward’s curling effort on goal was gathered and held by Baresi’s goalkeeper, Graham Loki. It had been quite a good start to the game, in terms of the pace and intensity of the early stages of this match. And it was FC Baresi who would take the lead relatively early on in the first half of this contest.

The opening goal of the game was well worked by FC Baresi. A lofted forward pass was flicked on by Teyon Weston, to Junior Appiah on the halfway line. He would then quickly spot the run of Kishawn James, in behind the Barkingside defence. James would sprint forward with the ball, to the left-hand side of the visitors box, before then playing the ball across to Junior Appiah, who had done well to make up so much ground. Junior Appiah would then, despite being under some pressure from a defender, find the bottom left-hand corner of the goal with the outside of his foot, 1-0.

Despite FC Baresi taking the lead early on in the match, Barkingside would respond really well to going 1-0 down. And from this moment on, they would finish the first half the stronger of the two sides. James Wakeling’s side would quickly get an equalising goal, courtesy of Jayden Mitchell-Brown. After Eman Sergio had received the ball on the left-hand side of the pitch, he would go forward with the ball at pace, to the byline. Sergio would then cross the ball towards the back post, finding Mitchell-Brown in a bit of space, and from where he nodded the ball in to the goal from close range, 1-1.

Barkingside’s impressive midfielder Bryn Byworth would make a crucial sliding challenge to block Kuba Vermont Ollivierre’s effort on the edge of the Barkingside penalty area, shortly before Barkingside were awarded a penalty. Following a loose pass from a Baresi player, Eman Sergio would get to the ball on the edge of the Baresi penalty area. Sergio would quickly help the ball on to Fred Agyemang, inside of the box, from where he tried to round the Baresi goalkeeper, Graham Loki. However, Graham Loki would foul Fred Agyemang, with the referee pointing to the penalty spot.

Fred Agyemang’s resulting penalty would go low and wide of Graham Loki’s right-hand post. Fred Agyemang did manage to get another effort away on goal on the stroke of half-time. The Barkingside centre-forward would receive Bryn Byworth’s pass from midfield, inside of the Baresi box, with Fred Agyemang doing well to create a yard of space away from a defender, before seeing his curling effort on goal be saved by Graham Loki. 

Baresi would initially start the second half quite well. With Kishawn James going forward with the ball down the right flank, before crossing the ball to Teyon Weston (inside of the box) whose powerful and quickly taken effort was well gathered by Barkingside’s goalkeeper Ollie Johnson, at his near post. Barkingside were continuing to press well as a team, and they were managing the game very well. Shortly after Leandro Alva had cut inside with the ball from the left-hand side of the pitch, he would curl a brilliant effort from distance, against Graham Loki’s crossbar. However, the referee would bring play back for a foul on Leandro Alva.

Around five minutes after that initial effort from Leandro Alva, the same Barkingside player would hit a first time effort from the edge of the Baresi penalty area, which was saved and gathered by Graham Loki. However, Barkingside would take the lead in the game shortly after. Bryn Byworth’s looping forward pass would bounce towards the run of Eman Sergio, in behind the Baresi defence. Sergio would then go forward with the ball out towards the left flank, before lifting an accurate cross towards Fred Agyemang, who was in the centre of the Baresi penalty area. His deftly accurate header would find the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 1-2.

Barkingside were defensively well organised, and they were continuing to both manage the game and frustrate the home side, who were looking to create chances. A quick one two pass involving Junior Appiah inside of the Barkingside box, would result in the Baresi forward volleying an effort wide of Johnson’s goal. And despite Baresi’s best efforts late on in this contest, Barkingside would defend well, holding on to their lead and getting off to a good start to the new season.

Barkingside deserved to win this match against FC Baresi, overall and in my opinion. They managed the game well for long parts of the game, and they battled back well as a team to get the win, despite being 1-0 down. For Tufail Amjad’s FC Baresi side, I thought that their forward Junior Appiah (36) was their player of the match. He worked very hard in the forward areas of the pitch, pressing well off the ball. He also got Baresi’s only goal of the game.

Despite competition from Toby Barlow, Eman Sergio and Fred Agyemang, Barkingside’s young midfielder Bryn Byworth was my overall player of the match on Saturday afternoon. The midfielder’s work-rate and all-round performance was impressive throughout. He made some good challenges, and Bryn Byworth was also involved in the winning goal for Barkingside.