Barsham started this years league campaign with a visit to Walmer Road to play Kirkley & Pakefield A. With manager Mark Blades away on a coaching course his assistant Phil Reeder took over at the helm. The Barsham team picked itself with as there were as many players either injured or unavailable as those available and fit to play.
It was a game that saw each side play some decent football at times but both were unable to turn their efforts into sound goal scoring opportunities.
The young opposition played the ball around on the ground and they were also quick off the mark, but Barsham were more than equal to them. Barsham's centre halves Jimmy Pepperell & Paul Clark were busy all afternoon with the home side attacking in numbers. Barsham keeper Paul Turner had a relatively quiet game only having to deal with half chances. At the other end Josh Woolnough worked his socks off trying to prise open the home defence, as did his strike partner Adam White who was also a constant threat to the home defence with his physical presence. Some reckless challenges went unpunished by the referee. Stuart King worked hard down the right side of midfield getting some good crosses in for the strike force, but no conversations. Barsham thought they had the greater percentage of chances in the first half but as neither side could find the target it ended 0-0 at half time. 
The home side started the stronger but Barsham soon rallied and gradually created half chances for them selves that went either over the bar or wide of the post. Barsham won two free kicks in a good position to score from, but with their free kick dead ball specialist Paul Turner in goal the efforts did not find the target. Captain Tim Roberts was involved in everything in the centre of the park, spurring the side fro ward.    
It looked increasingly like the game would finish up at 0-0 with both sides canceling each other out in all departments throughout. 
With ten minutes remaining a home side attack resulted in the ball bobbling into the Barsham goalmouth. Two challenges were made but the ball just rebounded off their shin pads and with the ball looking like heading safely into the keepers arms it eluded him and bounced across the line into the Barsham net.
Barsham still had opportunities to equalise especially when another free kick was awarded on the edge of the home sides penalty area, the resulting free kick being well saved by the home keeper who tipped the ball over from under the bar.         
As last year Barsham undeservedly lost the game by the odd goal in a game that neither side really deserved to win.