Non-League and Academy football writer

One of two opening league matches that were happening on Friday night in the Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division, was the Lymore Gardens FC versus Kulture FC (formerly known as Kulture Klub FC) fixture, at Oakside Stadium. Lymore Gardens will be ground-sharing with Redbridge FC and Newbury Forest FC at Oakside Stadium this season. This step 7 match ended in a 3-3 draw, in what was a fantastic game of football. Both sides were playing positive football during the early stages of the game, as they looked to create goalscoring chances, with the game being played at a good intensity right from the start. The first chance of the game was created by Kulture. With Kobbi Osei passing the ball to Landry Gogoa on the edge of the Lymore Gardens penalty area. The forward would then enter the penalty area with the ball, before seeing his low effort on goal saved by the legs of Lymore Gardens’ goalkeeper, Ben Greig, with the ball then being cleared away by a defender.

Not long after creating the first chance of the game, Kenneth Boateng’s Kulture FC side would take an early lead. As Mohammed Bhayet’s lofted free-kick delivery from the centre of the pitch, would bounce through to Adam Priest on the left-hand side of the home team’s penalty area. From there the Kulture defender would finish well, past the goalkeeper and into the goal, 0-1. After Lymore Gardens player Munnir Saad had received a pass on the right-hand side of the Kulture penalty area, his low effort was saved at the near post by goalkeeper Luke Adams, with Saad’s effort on the follow up going just wide of the goal. Wisley Baltazar would then curl a free-kick effort (from 25 yards out) over the Kulture goal, as the home team looked to respond to Kulture taking the lead in the game.

Kulture goalkeeper Luke Adams would do well to save a low effort at his near post, but Lymore Gardens were playing well and they were creating chances. After Munnir Saad had curled an effort wide (it took a slight deflection off a defender) from the edge of the Kulture box, from the resulting corner-kick a Kulture defender did well to block a headed effort on goal. Continuing to be played at a great intensity, it was Lymore Gardens who were still looking the more likely team to get the next goal of the game. Following some good skill by Munnir Saad on the left-hand side of the Kulture penalty area, he would then cross the ball for Artem Lukash, at the back post. However, the impressive Lymore Gardens winger’s diving header went over the goal.

Another good forward run with the ball by a Lymore Gardens player, this time by Ryo Brown down the right side of the Kulture box, would result in him delivering a cross to Wisley Baltazar, who headed the ball over at the near post. And then just before the referee had sounded his whistle for half-time, Ryo Brown’s good cross-field pass to Artem Lukash on the right flank, would result in him doing well with the ball. As he came inside towards the edge of the Kulture box, before having an effort on goal which was well pushed away by Luke Adams. Early on in the second half the momentum continued be with the home side, as they looked for that all important equalising goal. And after Artem Lukash had went on an excellent surging forward run with the ball through the middle of the pitch, and beyond the Kulture defence, he would take the ball into the penalty area. However, Luke Adams did well to clear the ball away from him, in time.

Shortly after that fine individual run from Artem Lukash, Lymore Gardens would manage to score an equalising goal. Following an effort from the left-hand side of the Kulture penalty area which was parried by Luke Adams, the ball was picked up by Dylan Roberts. The skilful forward would work himself some space, before hitting an unstoppable effort into the top right-hand corner of the goal from close range, 1-1. Shortly after the game had resumed, Kulture substitute, the unmarked Butrint Lecaj, would just miss Sahid Nallo’s good free-kick delivery in front of the home team’s goal. And then shortly afterwards, at the other end of the pitch, Dylan Roberts’ low free-kick effort (from the edge of the away team’s box), was cleared away by the wall. And from the resulting corner-kick delivery into the penalty area, Papa Ndiaye would head an effort wide of the goal.

As the second half progressed and Lymore Gardens saw more of the ball, they were getting ever closer to taking the lead for the first time in the match. And not long at all after that chance for Papa Ndiaye, Lymore Gardens would take the lead. Substitute Ali Shikheey’s fine outside of the boot effort on goal from the edge of the Kulture box, was well pushed away by goalkeeper Luke Adams. However, Dylan Roberts managed to get to the loose ball inside of the penalty area, before finishing well, into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal (Luke Adams almost managed to save this effort), 2-1. Under pressure and in the resulting minutes, Kulture FC player Sahid Nallo hit an effort wide of Ben Greig’s goal, from the left-hand side of his penalty area. Artem Lukash’s directness with the ball and pace on it, really was creating chances for Lymore Gardens, however. After skilfully taking the ball around a Kulture defender on the right-hand side of their box, he would have an effort saved by Luke Adams at his near post.

Although Lymore Gardens were looking to see out the game, the home side were stunned after Kulture scored an equaliser against the run of play, during the latter stages of the game. After Butrint Lecaj had received the ball 25 yards out from goal with his back to goal, the centre-forward would turn quickly on the ball, before hitting an unstoppable and powerful low effort into the bottom left-hand corner of the Lymore Gardens goal, 2-2. And then very soon after that goal, Kulture would do really well once again, to get another. After Mohammed Abubakar received a pass on the left flank, he would deliver a really good low cross to Butrint Lecaj, at the back post of the Lymore Gardens goal. From there the impressive centre-forward would finish low into the goal from close range, with a first time effort, 2-3.

Deep into second half stoppage time the game would end in dramatic fashion. Lymore Gardens, who had for so long looked likely to win the game in the second half, would get a very late equaliser, so soon after Kulture had thought they’d got the winning goal of the game. With Dylan Roberts’ effort from the right side of the Kulture penalty area being saved by Luke Adams at his near post, the goalkeeper couldn’t quite gather the ball in time. As Johnelli Lungiski managed to quickly get to the ball, and then just finish low into the goal, past Luke Adams to rescue a point, 3-3. What an incredible game of football this was, between two sides who played the game at a great intensity, and with so many great individual performances on the pitch.

There were so many different emotions for both sides during the match, with many a twist and turn, but in the end it would of course finish in a highly entertaining 3-3 draw. Lymore Gardens forward Dylan Roberts was my player of the match on Friday night, despite there being so many other contenders for this award. The scorer of two goals, he was also involved in that very late equalising goal. And Dylan Roberts was always looking to get on the ball, progress it forward and either create or score goals. However, also for the home side, I thought that their winger Artem Lukash was very good going forward, but he also did some excellent defensive work and tracking back. Also, to just name another (of many players) Lymore Gardens player who did well, I thought that Papa Ndiaye impressed in central defence, and really showed his quality. As did Munnir Saad, in the forward areas of the pitch.

For Kulture FC, I thought that second half substitute Butrint Lecaj was excellent after he came on in the second half, scoring two well taken goals, and he was their player of the match. However, goalkeeper Luke Adams also had a strong game for the club from north London, as did captain Adam Priest, during his time on the pitch. This was a good team performance from Kulture Klub, in what was their first ever game in the Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division.