Non-League and Academy football writer

Southend Manor welcomed FC Baresi to Southchurch Park on Saturday afternoon, for this Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture. Both teams were looking to record their second league win of this season, with FC Baresi winning this game late on (2-1), courtesy of a late winner from Isaac Zumbu.

In the 15th minute of this game Southend Manor would take an early lead. Jude Morgan’s well delivered corner-kick would find Ashton Owen at the back post of the FC Baresi goal. And from relatively close range, the Southend Manor defender would head the ball into the ground, with it bouncing up past the goalkeeper and into the roof of the goal. There were a couple of decent chances and some good passages of play during the remainder of the first half. 

The best chance for FC Baresi before half-time arrived following a floated free-kick delivery (from the edge of the Southend Manor penalty area) from Eduin Saul Cruz Aguilar, into the Southend Manor box. Jeremiah Francis would head the ball down for centre-forward Kishawn James, whose effort was importantly blocked, just in time, by a defender.

On to the second half, and it was Yannick Kamanan’s FC Baresi side who went on to create the first chance of a much more eventful second half. After Eduin Saul Cruz Aguilar had travelled with the ball at pace to the byline before delivering a low cross into the centre of the home team’s penalty area. The ball was helped on by Kishawn James, to the late run of Archie Flynn, who volleyed the ball over the goal. Next, and a good move and passage of play from Southend Manor, would result in Micky Kelly receiving Daniel Hutchful’s squared pass in the centre of the FC Baresi penalty area. His powerful effort on goal was excellently matched and saved thanks to a great reflex save from Olatunde Omotayo, to keep the ball out from close range.

Southend Manor would go very close to doubling their lead around five minutes after Olatunde Omotayo’s top save. This time Micky Kelly would run on to a lofted pass, just in behind the FC Baresi defence. Kelly would take the ball into the penalty area, where one versus one with the outrushing Olatunde Omotayo, his low effort past the goalkeeper would hit his right-hand post. And in relatively quick succession, Olatunde Omotayo was again called in to action. This time doing really well to push the ball away, following captain Bobby Packer’s effort from close range, after connecting with Jude Morgan’s corner-kick delivery into the FC Baresi penalty area. 

FC Baresi had kept their composure as a team, and they continued to believe that they could at least get a point from this game. Relatively late on in this contest and FC Baresi would draw level. Mahmut Emirali’s corner-kick delivery into the Southend Manor box was cleared away. But, only as far as Mkay Kitoko, who laid the ball off to Jeremiah Francis on the edge of the penalty area. The defender would work the ball out of his feet well under pressure, before powering a very good and accurate effort into the top right-hand corner of Harry Carter’s goal, 1-1. 

With little time remaining in this game, it was FC Baresi who would really push for a very late winning goal, getting that goal in the 89th minute of the game. And after a good late move had been started by FC Baresi substitute Isaac Zumbu inside Southend Manor’s final third, Eduin Saul Cruz Aguilar would then cross the ball low into the penalty area. Having found Isaac Zumbu, with little time to react his first time side-footed effort would loop past Harry Carter and into the goal, 1-2. This prompted some great scenes, as the FC Baresi players all ran to celebrate by the corner flag.

Results haven’t been going all FC Baresi’s way of late, at least not in relation to their good and often creative performances. Today’s win and performance was one of real character and determination. Southend Manor will of course be disappointed to let their 1-0 lead slip. However, you could really argue that FC Baresi deserved all three points, in the end. FC Baresi player Korede Da Silva was my player of the today, after putting in a very good performance in the middle of the pitch. He effectively provided that all important link between defence and forward play, and he covered a lot of ground. In what was his first game as captain of FC Baresi this afternoon, central-defender Jeremiah Francis led and organised his teammate by example, also scoring that important equalising goal.

Starting line-ups/match-day squads:

Southend Manor:

(1) Harry Carter 

(6) Charlie Little 

(3) Bobby Packer (captain)

(5) Ashton Owen

(10) Jude Morgan 

(17) Tyrese Mashozhera

(2) Micky Kelly 

(4) Dan Carr

(9) Michael Clark 

(14) Daniel Hutchful

(7) David Komolafe 

Substitutes:

(11) Logan Hamlet

(16) Billy Gipp

(12) Callum Ferris 

(15) William Bernier

(8) Taylor Webster

FC Baresi:

(1) Olatunde Omotayo 

(2) Richard Arhin

(15) Saeed Emmanuel Bangura

(11) Eduin Saul Cruz Aguilar 

(21) Korede Da Silva

(4) Mahmut Emirali

(17) Luis Fernandes Flores Hernandez

(8) Archie Flynn 

(5) Jeremiah Francis (captain)

(9) Kishawn James

(14) Mkay Kitoko

Substitutes:

(13) Ilyas Baig

(7) Mubaarak Hameed

(3) Nathan Jean Stanislas Kanga

(16) Issac Zumbu

(6) Daniel Alawode