Non-League and Academy football writer

FC Baresi Reserves and Motormen faced each other on Saturday afternoon at Aylward Academy in north London, in a quarter-final tie of this season’s Essex Alliance Football League Premier Division Cup (step 8). FC Baresi Reserves were in ninth place in the Premier Division West, after 18 league matches played. Motormen were in ninth place in the Premier Division East, after 20 league matches played. On Saturday it was FC Baresi Reserves who progressed through to the semi-finals of this league cup, with a 2-0 win.

It was Motormen who came the closest to taking the lead early on. Straight after Justin Umeh had met a short forward pass down the right-hand side of the FC Baresi box, he would see his low effort on goal be well saved and kept out by Baresi’s goalkeeper, Samuele Gentile. And then following a Motormen corner-kick delivery to the back post of Samuele Gentile’s goal soon after, George Reynolds would nod a header just wide of the goal. The game would soon become more even, and still relatively early on in what was proving to be a good contest, Umayr Amjad’s FC Baresi Reserves side would take the lead.

For the opening goal of this cup tie, Baresi midfielder Sertan Kirman would play a short pass out to Kuba Vermont Ollivierre on the left flank, who took his defender on  well, after progressing the ball into the Motormen penalty area. Kuba Vermont Ollivierre would then play the ball across goal to FC Baresi’s striker, Filippo Lovascio, who side-footed the ball into the goal clinically from his first time effort, 1-0. A couple of minutes later, Baresi player Ali Shikheey would thread a nice pass into the path of Kuba Vermont Ollivierre, down the left-hand side of the Motormen box. However, the youngster’s effort was well closed down and saved by the Motormen goalkeeper, Milad Pooralijani.

During the latter stages of the first half FC Baresi Reserves would double their advantage in the cup tie. Saddik Md Azizur would get to the ball following a throw-in on the right-hand side of the pitch, before showing good feet after taking the ball inside of the Motormen penalty area. And although a challenge came in, the ball would roll across to Ali Shikheey, who finished well into the goal from relatively close  range, 2-0.

I thought that the away side, Motormen, had started the second half well. Still early on in the second half, and FC Baresi defender Nikhil Juggessur had to make a very well timed recovery challenge inside of the home team’s penalty area, to stop Motormen player Ethan Fox from getting an effort away on goal. And then following on from that early chance for Motormen, and following two fouls and yellow cards in quick succession, Charles Perendes was sent off by the referee. FC Baresi Reserves tried to make the most of this, and they came close to sealing the win after Ali Shikheey had played a nice pass across to Saddik Md Azizur, who was in space inside of the Motormen box. However, his placed effort was really well matched by Milad Pooralijani.

Motormen did go on to have a good late spell in the game, creating a couple of decent goalscoring chances. Firstly Justin Umeh would surge forward with the ball, taking it down the right-hand side of the FC Baresi box. But, his powerful low resulting effort across goal, would go narrowly wide. And then soon after, from 20 yards out on goal, Mahmut Emirali would power a good effort off the top of Samuele Gentile’s crossbar. The final chance of the second half came the way of FC Baresi Reserves, as substitute Steven Aguiar would curl a fine first time effort, following a rolling ball on the edge of the Motormen box, which was heading for the top right-hand corner of the goal. But for a great save by Milad Pooralijani, to push the ball over his crossbar.

This was a clinical performance from FC Baresi Reserves, with two first half goals being enough on the day for Baresi to book their place in the semi-finals of this cup competition, for the second season running. However, Motormen, even with ten men for much of the second half, made them work hard for the win. All in all it was a good and competitive game of football. For Motormen, my player of the match was goalkeeper, Milad Pooralijani. However, for my overall player of the match award on Saturday it was a close call between FC Baresi players Ali Shikheey, Filippo Lovascio, Nikhil Juggessur and Sertan Kirman. However, in my opinion, with a goal to his name and some good leading of the line during his time on the pitch, centre-forward Filippo Lovascio was my player of the match.