Non-League and Academy football writer

I was in attendance for Lymore Gardens’ second Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture of the new 2024/24 season, on Monday night at Oakside Stadium. After having drawn their opening game of the season, 3-3 with Kulture FC (last Friday), Lymore Gardens FC faced a newly promoted Ongar Town FC side, who had won 2-1 against Philip United, on Saturday afternoon. This step 7 match was won 5-0 by Lymore Gardens, in what was a five star performance from the home side. Early on during the the first half of the match (the game had started at a really good pace) Ongar Town defender Mason White made an excellent sliding challenge on Benjamin Sumaili, in the centre of the Ongar Town box, after he had surged forward into the box. It was a fairly end to end start to the match, but Lymore Gardens would take an early lead in the game. Following some good work by Wisley Baltazar inside of the Ongar penalty area, the Lymore Gardens forward would make a short pass to Dylan Roberts, in the centre of the box. And Roberts would finish well and early (the ball went in off the goalkeeper’s left-hand post), into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 1-0.

Lymore Gardens would look to capitalise on taking an early lead. After Johneli Lungikisa had headed an effort went wide following Wisley Baltazar’s free-kick delivery towards the back post of the Ongar goal, the visiting side would then create a good chance, after Baltazar had headed over, following a cross into the Ongar box. A good through-ball pass had found the forward run of captain Max Galati, on the edge of the Lymore Gardens penalty area. However, he was met by the outrushing goalkeeper (Ben Greig), who saved Max Galati’s low effort with his feet. A couple of minutes after that chance, Ongar Town player George Pugh would hit a low effort wide of the Lymore Gardens goal, from the edge of their penalty area.

Lymore Gardens were pressing really well off the ball, during the early stages of the match. After a lofted forward pass had found Mofi Tunde-Ojolowo on the left-hand side of the home team’s box, he would have a low effort on goal, which was saved well by the feet of Ben Greig. Then a couple of minutes later another good passing move from Lymore Gardens, resulted in another good chance being created. With Dylan Roberts passing the ball to Tyrique Peters, on the edge of the Ongar penalty area. Peters would then pass the ball back to Roberts, in the centre of the box. However, his first time effort went wide of Ongar Town goalkeeper Will Skingley’s goal. Ongar Town looked well organised defensively during the first half, but Lee Benjamin’s Lymore Gardens side were relentless in their fast passing game. The east London club would double their lead, following another impressive passing move. 

The move for the home team’s second goal ended with Dylan Roberts getting to the ball in the final third, on the right-hand side of the pitch. He would then play the ball into the centre of the Ongar box, with Johneli Lungikisa then getting to the ball, before finishing well into the goal, 2-0. In the resulting minutes, after the game had resumed, the influential Dylan Roberts hit an effort (on the turn) from the edge of the away side’s box, on their goal, but the ball was gathered by Will Skingley. A top defensive intervention from Lymore Gardens’ captain Ryo Brown followed, before yet another fine passing move followed, which ended with Wisley Baltazar having an effort from inside of the Ongar box, saved by Will Skingley. The final chance of the first half came the way of Ongar Town. As Max Galati’s free-kick effort from the edge of the Lymore Gardens box was saved by Ben Greig, following a deflection off the home team’s wall.

The first effort of the second half was from Lymore Gardens. As Tyrique Peters hit an effort over the Ongar goal (on the turn) from distance. Shortly after that effort Ongar Town player Ethan Hook would deliver a good cross into the Lymore Gardens box, with the ball ending up bouncing to substitute Lloyd Gullefer, at the back post. However, his header on goal was gathered by Ben Greig. Lymore Gardens almost made sure of the win soon after, with an excellent and powerful effort from distance by Ryo Brown, hitting the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. A good effort from Ongar Town player, the impressive Max Galati, followed. With his powerful effort from the left flank, going across the face of Ben Greig’s goal.

The third goal of the game came via an excellent and well worked passing move, with Tyrique Peters finishing home from close range inside of the Ongar box, following an unselfish square ball to the centre of the penalty area, 3-0. And then, after the ball had ran through to Dylan Roberts on the right-hand side of the Ongar Town box, Roberts would calmly and clinically finish into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, from his first time effort, 4-0. This superb Lymore Gardens side would get their third goal in quick succession, soon after play had resumed. As Tyrique Peters had picked the ball up, before surging forward at a great pace, into the centre of the Ongar penalty area, before then finishing into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 5-0.

During the latter stages of the game, Lymore Gardens would pass the ball around well, as they had done throughout this contest. Their final chance came very late on, with substitute Jordan Monk receiving Andre Graham’s pass inside of the Ongar penalty area, but his effort on the turn was well pushed behind by Will Skingley. This was an outstanding footballing performance from Lymore Gardens, against an Ongar Town team who didn’t even play badly. Lymore Gardens’ pressing and passing game tonight, was superb. As for my player of the match, well I could easily have picked any of the Lymore Gardens players, as they played so well as a team. Players such as Papa Ndiaye, Tyrique Peters, Dylan Roberts, Ryo Brown, they were all excellent, as were the rest of the team. However, in my opinion I thought that in the central areas of the pitch, that skilful midfielder Gaston Mendy, was so good and effective at what he did. It was an excellent all-round performance, as he linked defence with attack so very well.