Non-League and Academy football writer

FC Baresi faced Cannons Wood on Saturday afternoon at Wodson Park, in a Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture. Tufail Amjad’s FC Baresi side started this match in 13th place in the league standings, after 16 league matches played. Cannons Wood started this game in 20th place in the table, after 15 league matches played. Both meetings between these two sides were entertaining matches last season, and today it was Cannons Wood who this match, 4-3.

Cannons Wood would start this game really well, going on to take an early lead. The opening goal of the game came from a set-piece, as Ramzi Mahmoudi’s free-kick delivery (from out on the right-hand side of the pitch and around 25 yards out from goal) into the FC Baresi penalty area was turned home by Emmanuel Osilaja, from close range, 0-1. Following a long stoppage in play for an injury sustained by the Cannons Wood goalkeeper (Sam Heard), it was Cannons Wood who would create the next chance of the game. As Ramzi Mahmoudi curled a decent first time effort wide of Graham Loki’s goal, from the edge of the Baresi penalty area.

Cannons Wood continued to be the more creative side, as the first half progressed. A brilliant quickly taken effort from over 40 yards out (out on the left flank) by Cannons Wood defender Joe Last, would hit Graham Loki’s crossbar, in what was the closest that the away side came to doubling their lead before half-time. FC Baresi did improve during the remainder of the first half, but they were unable to create any real goalscoring chances.

The first chance of the second half was created by Cannons Wood. As Noah Adejokun drifted inside with the ball from the left flank, to the edge of the FC Baresi box. His resulting whipped low effort was well turned behind by Graham Loki. At the opposite end of the pitch and after Zuhayr Amjad had gone forwards with the ball from midfield, he would play a through-ball pass in behind of the away team’s defence, to the run of Kishawn James, who managed to take the ball around the outrushing goalkeeper. However, Kishawn James would hit the ball wide of the goal from a tight angle.

Soon after that good chance for FC Baresi, Cannons Wood would double their advantage in the game. A through-ball pass would result in the ball going beyond the FC Baresi defence towards the run of Emmanuel Osilaja, on the edge of the Baresi penalty area. Graham Loki had rushed out of his goal, but he was just unable to clear the ball, as Emmanuel Osilaja ran onto the ball and finished low into the empty goal, 0-2. In this eventful game of football, FC Baresi went on to get a quick goal back in the game. Sertan Kirman’s pass was met by Kishawn James on the left-hand side of the box, from where he would square the ball to the onrushing Romuald Boco, who from close range would tap the ball into the goal, 1-2.

Soon after the resumption of play Ramzi Mahmoudi would hit a powerful low effort (from the edge of the Baresi box) on goal, which was well kept out by Graham Loki. And then soon after, at the opposite end of the pitch, Austin Smart would make a crucial sliding challenge on Baresi substitute Omosheni Oshodi-Atinmo, to stop him from getting to a rebound inside of the away side’s penalty area. Then, after the game became more and more open, Cannons Wood were awarded a free-kick close to the edge of the Baresi penalty area, but to the right-hand side of the pitch. Ramzi Mahmoudi’s resulting whipped effort on goal would go beyond the goalkeeper at his near post, 1-3. 

FC Baresi needed to respond immediately in order to try and get anything from this game. And they certainly did respond, as Omosheni Oshodi-Atinmo clipped an inviting cross into the centre of the Cannons Wood box, from out on the right-hand side of the pitch. Romuald Boco would get to the ball, heading it powerfully beyond Sam Heard, who was unable to keep his effort out, 2-3. The chances kept on being created, by both sides, as this match came towards its end. Graham Loki would push behind a powerful effort on his goal, before Sam Heard made an excellent reflex save to keep out Romuald Boco’s powerful headed effort on his goal, after connecting with Sertan Kirman’s corner-kick into the away team’s penalty area. 

There was to be two late goals scored in this game, as it continued to be an end to end contest. Firstly, and following a good Cannons Wood counter after an FC Baresi corner-kick had been cleared, Yusuf Malik would then receive a teammates pass inside of the FC Baresi penalty area. He would skilfully take the ball around the goalkeeper, before finishing high into the goal, 2-4. Baresi did respond once again, soon after. As their centre-forward Alexandru Vtornicov finished low into the bottom right-hand corner of Sam Heard’s goal, with a first time effort from the left-hand side of the penalty area, after receiving Sertan Kirman’s short pass from the edge of the box, 3-4. However, Cannons Wood would hold on to record a big win. 

I thought that Cannons Wood deserved their win today, in what a good team performance from them, against an FC Baresi side who were no where near their creative best for much of the game. Cannons Wood took their chances well, with the very creative Ramzi Mahmoudi (he was my player of the match) really playing his part in this win. Also, with two goals and a good all-round performance in the forward areas of the pitch, Emmanuel Osilaja was very influential for Cannons Wood, as was midfielder Austin Smart, and experienced central-defender Cory Rider, with the substitutes also doing well during the second half. Cannons Wood will now look to really build on this win, going forward in the league. Cannons Wood were lead today by Luke Wifth (previously a coach at Sawbridgeworth Town) and Sushel Miah (they are joint managers), with Michael Hill (previously an assistant manager at Fisher FC) the assistant manager, and they are the new management team at the club, going forward.

For FC Baresi, it was their left-back, Stefan McKie, who was in my opinion their player of the match.