Non-League and Academy football writer

Having won their most recent league fixture before Saturday (against Rayleigh Town) after two home defeats, FC Baresi faced Enfield Borough in Thurlow Nunn League First Division South game number four, on Saturday afternoon at Wodson Park (Ware FC). Enfield Borough had lost their opening two league matches of this season, going in to Saturday’s game. This game would end in a 1-1 draw.

Enfield Borough would create a good chance early on in Saturday’s game. As following on from an FC Baresi corner-kick the visiting team would counter forwards  with the ball at pace. With Kevin Moreira quickly playing the ball across to the good run of Zain Lemoudni, who knocked the ball forward at pace before entering the home team’s box. One versus one with FC Baresi goalkeeper Ilyas Baig, the Enfield Borough player would lift the ball over the outrushing goalkeeper. However, the alert Archie Flynn would run back, doing well to clear the ball before it approached the goal-line.

Some time after that early chance for Enfield Borough, and FC Baresi defender Stephen Ellery’s good lofted pass out to Mkay Kitoko on the right flank, would result in the FC Baresi wide player skilfully taking the ball in to the box. From there, his powerful effort would go narrowly over. It wasn’t proving to be the most eventful game of the season in terms of chances created, so far in the game. Next, and Kevin Moreira’s powerful effort from the edge of the Baresi penalty area, would be parried by Ilyas Baig. And then just before half-time, FC Baresi defender Daniel Alawode would make an important block to stop Zain Lemoudni’s effort from inside the penalty area, from testing the goalkeeper.

The first real goalscoring chance of the second half would come the way of Enfield Borough, and it would lead to the first goal of the game being scored. The ball had been worked out to Brandon Joseph-Harding out on the right flank, and the Enfield Borough player would then deliver a low whipped cross into the FC Baresi penalty area. He would find centre-forward Eidanas Pravackas, whose emphatic and powerful first time finish would go in to the goal beyond Ilyas Baig, off the underside of his crossbar, 0-1.

Following on from that goal for Enfield Borough so early on in the second half, the visiting team would go at the home side’s defence once again, soon after. This time Enfield Borough player Odunayo Elifosi would drive forward with the ball well from midfield, before being challenged by Archie Flynn. The ball would then roll to Muhammad Limbada, who from 22 yards out would hit a powerful effort on goal which was pushed behind by Ilyas Baig.

FC Baresi did start to pass the ball around at a quicker pace. And they would soon draw level in the game. FC Baresi midfielder Korede Da Silva would win the ball, before quickly playing the ball towards Mkay Kitoko, on the edge of the Enfield Borough box. From where Mkay Kitoko would curl a great first time effort over Andrew Zambrano and in to the goal, 1-1. Then after another fairly uneventful and scrappy spell in the game, Enfield Borough player Muhammad Limbada would curl a good free-kick effort (from the edge of the FC Baresi penalty area) over the wall, but just wide of the goal.

Very late on in this competitive game of football and following a corner-kick delivery in to the Enfield Borough box by Mkay Kitoko, the ball was only partially cleared away by a defender. The ball would then come to Mahmut Emirali, who with little time to place his effort, would power a low effort just a fraction wide of Andrew Zambrano’s left-hand post. In the end this was a competitive game, if not the very best and eventful game of the season. In my opinion and overall on the balance of play, a draw was the fair result.

For Enfield Borough, I personally thought that commanding central-defender Joshua George was their player of the match, although there were other contenders on the day. For my overall player of the match award I’m going to award it to FC Baresi’s tireless and tenacious midfielder Archie Flynn. The FC Baresi youngster was composed on the ball, and as well as filling in at a couple of other positions against Enfield Borough, Archie Flynn was strong in the challenge, and he did very well today.

Starting line-ups/match-day squads:

FC Baresi:

(1) Ilyas Baig

(6) Daniel Alawode

(10) Sajid Aziz (captain)

(19) Korede Da Silva 

(5) Stephen Ellery

(17) Archie Flynn 

(15) Jeremiah Francis 

(9) Israel Kabengele

(14) Mkay Kitoko

(11) Divine Daniel Uche Nweze

(12) Eugene Sagoe

Substitutes:

(7) Amir Abbani

(4) Mahmut Emirali 

(3) Nathan Jean Stanislas Kanga

(22) Leo Ruci

(21) Immanuel Soetan 

Enfield Borough:

(1) Andrew Zambrano

(30) Brandon Joseph-Harding 

(2) Joshua George

(18) Marcus Simon (captain)

(3) Oliver Ikete

(8) Monet Ollivierre 

(6) Odunayo Elifosi

(28) Muhammad Limbada

(7) Kevin Moreira

(29) Zain Lemoudni

(9) Eidanas Pravackas 

Substitutes:

(25) Arnold Otto 

(2) Ayomide Ajisafe

(22) George Jordan 

(5) Jayden O’Reilly

(8) Kirikou Kavuma T-Silassie