Non-League and Academy football writer

At Cricklefields Stadium on Monday night, Barkingside faced Clapton Community in a Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture. Barkingside started this game in 20th place (after 23 league matches played) in the league table, with Clapton Community starting this game in sixth place in the table, after 22 league matches played. Geoff Ocran’s Clapton Community side won this game 4-0.

Clapton Community started the match well, I thought. Relatively early on in the game, and James Briggs’ excellent, curling corner-kick delivery to the back post of the Barkingside goal, was met by Sam Cook. His header on goal was however, well blocked behind by a Barkingside defender on the goal-line. Soon after the resulting corner-kick had been taken, the ball was passed to James Briggs, by David Makisi, on the right-hand side of the pitch, and close to the edge of the Barkingside penalty area. The Clapton midfielder’s excellent resulting outside of the boot ball, would then swerve into the goal, having gone across and into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 0-1.

A couple of minutes after play had resumed, and Clapton’s instrumental midfielder, James Briggs, would deliver a fine free-kick (from out on the right-hand side of the pitch) into the centre of the home team’s box, as Adam Sidky volleyed a low effort just wide of the goal. Barkingside did create a decent chance, around five minutes later. As Gabriel Ogunwomoju had taken the ball forwards, to the left-hand side of the Clapton box, before shifting the ball onto his right foot and curling an effort across the face of Jack Francis’s goal.

Before half-time, and with Clapton Community continuing to be the better side, the visitors would extend their lead. Following a corner-kick, James Briggs would get to the ball again, out on the right flank. He would then quickly put the ball into the box, with Pete Jamieson getting to the ball following a clearance to the edge of the home team’s penalty area, from where his well hit and low first time effort would nestle inside the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 0-2. Just before the end of the first 45 minutes, Clapton player Jeff Twumasi would play a great pass across the floor to Fred Taylor, who was out on the left flank. After Taylor had received the ball he would skilfully progress it into the Barkingside box, before Pete Jamieson had met the ball in the centre of the box. His first time effort would go narrowly over Fletcher Everingham’s crossbar.

During the opening stages of the second half Barkingside substitute Abdul Onilude would get to the ball following a free-kick delivery. And from the edge of the Clapton penalty area his powerful effort would go just over the goal. Very soon after and James Briggs would score a brilliant second goal of the game, and Clapton’s third of the night. After a free-kick had been awarded to Clapton right on the edge of the Barkingside penalty area (to the left of the centre of the box), James Briggs would curl a great effort over the Barkingside wall, finding the top left-hand corner of the goal with superb accuracy, 0-3.

Another James Briggs free-kick, this time a lofted free-kick delivery into the home team’s box, would result in the ball falling for Fred Taylor, who from just inside of the penalty area, would hit an effort narrowly over the goal. Barkingside were awarded a penalty around five minutes later, following a foul on a Barkingside player, just inside the away team’s box. Leandro Alva’s low effort from the penalty spot, was really well gathered and anticipated down to his right by Jack Francis. And the Clapton goalkeeper would have to try and keep out another Barkingside penalty three minutes later, with the home team being awarded their second penalty of the game, soon after play had resumed again. And this time Francis would do ever so well to keep out Kai Haysman’s low effort which was destined for the bottom right-hand corner of the goal.

By this stage of the second half Clapton had made a couple of changes, with Louis Brown now making a good impression in the forward areas of the pitch. Soon after being substituted on Louis Brown would hold the ball up really well outside of the Barkingside penalty area, before laying the ball off to David Makisi, who took the ball into the box before seeing his low effort be well kept out by Fletcher Everingham. During the latter stages of the game, and not long before Andre Odeku had made it 4-0, Louis Brown would get to a rebound inside the Barkingside box, but his effort was once again kept out by Everingham, who had rushed out of his goal.

Clapton substitute Andre Odeku would, very late on in the game, score a really fine goal. As his first time whipped effort from out on the left-hand side of the pitch, looped over Everingham and went into the goal in style, 0-4. This was a really good team performance from Clapton Community, from start to finish. I thought that they really controlled the game, with James Briggs, who was my player of the match, really dictating the tempo of the game from midfield. James Briggs scored two important goals, and as I’ve said before, his quality on the ball and ability to change a game in his side’s favour, is second to none in this league. He was quality once again for Clapton Community, against Barkingside.

Jack Francis (he made two fine saves to stop Barkingside from scoring from the penalty spot, in the space of three minutes), David Makisi and Pete Jamieson all put in notable performances for Clapton, but it was a real team effort from them. Clapton Community will now really look to cement their place in the play-offs, as we go into 2026, following this emphatic win.