Kernow Football Alliance beat Barawa FA in first international

Cam Turner and James Lorenz gave the hosts a 2-0 lead at the break before Mark Goldsworthy sealed victory early in the second half, with Liam Eddy scoring twice in the final 20 minutes.

The match was just Kernow’s third in their history - and since their ratification by governing body CONIFA in 2018 - after wins over Foxhole Stars in February and St Dennis last week.

But this was their first against a fellow CONIFA side, with Barawa, a London-based side representing Somali diaspora, providing the opposition for the landmark fixture.

As this was an international fixture, the national anthems of the two teams were played before kick-off, with The Press Gang taking to the pitch to sing Cornwall My Home.

Kernow quickly set about making their mark once the pre-match pleasantries were over, with Goldsworthy’s quick closing down almost forcing Barawa ‘keeper Calvin King into a mistake.

Bodmin’s Ed Timmons almost bundled the ball in from Turner’s free-kick on ten minutes, but Turner and better luck with another set piece eight minutes later, with his 25-yard free-kick flying into the top corner.

The hosts had barely stopped celebrating before they were at it again, with Liskeard striker Lorenz racing onto a through ball and slotting past King just a minute later.

Turner and Harry Clarke also had chances to nab a third before the break but both fired over the crossbar, while King denied Falmouth Town centre-back and Kernow captain James Ward the chance to head in from Max Gilbert’s corner.

It remained two at the break but the hosts didn’t have to wait long for their third, with Goldsworthy turning Lorenz’s low cross in at the near post within three minutes of the restart.

Now it was a case of how many Kernow would score, with the home side looking like adding to their tally every time they had the ball. Goldsworthy came close to adding another before Eddy, fresh from the bench, shot narrowly wide.

Eddy continued his fine impact from the bench by netting goal number four in style. The St Austell forward beat King to the ball in the corner and proceeded to curl the ball into the bottom corner with his strike from the touchline.

Eddy and fellow St Austell forward Goldsworthy saw further chances go by, while Barawa’s lively Courtney Austin missed a good opportunity to net a consolation when he drove the ball over Jordan Duffey’s crossbar.

Eddy thought he had made it five when he turned the ball in from close range on 76 minutes, but the assistant’s flag had gone up for a dubious offside call.

But there was no stopping his next effort four minutes later, with the frontman slotting in from Hayden Turner’s low cross to net his second of the day and complete the scoring.