Non-League and Academy football writer

I was at Parsloes Park Hub on Friday night, for an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture between Waltham Forest Borough FC and Kulture FC. Waltham Forest Borough started this match in 13th place in the league standings, after three matches played (they’ve won one and lost two, of their three league matches). Kulture FC have drawn two and lost one of their opening three league matches, and they started Friday’s match in 14th place in the league. This step 7 match was won 5-4 by Kulture FC, in what was a real contender for match of the season. The game was started at a real pace and intensity. Kulture took an early lead in the match following a good move, which resulted in Kobi Osei receiving a pass on the right-hand side of the home team’s penalty area. And from there the Kulture player sent a good and clever lofted effort over the outrushing goalkeeper and into the goal, 0-1.

After Kulture player Theo Jones had hit a powerful effort (from distance) on the Waltham Forest Borough goal, which was well pushed away by goalkeeper Mayto Sotomayor, at the opposite end of the pitch, a couple of minutes later Waltham Forest Borough came close to drawing level. However, Kulture goalkeeper Favio Rodriguez did well to push behind a curling effort on goal from the edge of the Kulture penalty area, behind for a corner-kick. The resulting corner-kick was well delivered into the box by Dylan Florence. However, both Favio Rodriguez and his defenders somehow managed to stop the ball from crossing the goal-line, after some of the Waltham Forest Borough players had tried to get the ball over the line. Kulture would double their lead in the match soon after that chance for Waltham Forest Borough.

Following a free-kick on the left-hand side of the pitch (close to the edge of the home side’s penalty area), the ball was played short to Theo Jones, whose fine curling effort on goal went past Mayto Sotomayor, and into the Waltham Forest goal, with centre-forward Butrint Lecaj partially distracting the goalkeeper as he challenged for the ball, 0-2. Waltham Forest Borough would respond well to going two goals down, however, only after Kulture had almost made it 3-0. With Kulture captain Adam Priest picking out the run of Kobi Osei with a cross from the left flank, to the edge of the home team’s box. Kobi Osei’s first time effort came off the crossbar. After Sadiq Akanbi had hit an effort over from the edge of the away side’s penalty area, Samir Bihmoutine would also hit an effort over from the edge of the Kulture box, a couple of minutes later.

Not long after those two chances for Waltham Forest Borough, the home side would get a goal back in the game. Following a good passing move, and an earlier effort from inside of the Kulture box, the ball was picked up by Samir Bihmoutine, whose low effort was pushed away by Kulture goalkeeper Favio Rodriguez. However, the ball then came to Joshua Fisayo, who finished low into the goal from close range, 1-2. There was a frantic pace to the match by this stage of the first half, and it was very much an end to end game of football. Following Sadiq Akanbi’s pass to Dylan Florence, on the edge of the Kulture penalty area, Florence travelled inside with the ball to a more central position, before seeing his powerful and dipping effort be well tipped over by Favio Rodriguez. 

Vocal former Luton Town and Brighton & Hove Albion player Theo Jones had been making a really good impression on the game from central midfield, so far in the match. After Theo Jones had played a corner-kick short to Leonardo Defreitas Lowe, on the edge of the Waltham Forest box, the Kulture number ten would hit a low first time effort just wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. And then at the opposite end of the pitch, winger Dylan Florence would go on an excellent skilful forward run, as he went past two Kulture players on the left flank, before entering the Kulture penalty area. After entering the box, Florence still showed impressive feet under pressure, before his resulting low effort went just wide of the goalkeeper’s left hand post.

The pace that this match continued to be played at, particularly during the latter stages of the first half, was very impressive. After Darius Maxime had made a great sliding block inside of the Kulture box, the away side would then counter forward at pace. That particular move ended with Joel Harrison hitting a low effort just wide of the Waltham Forest goal, from the edge of their penalty area. After Samir Bihmoutine had hit a powerful effort on the Kulture goal (from the edge of their penalty area) which was really well tipped over by Rodriguez, Dylan Florence would then go close to getting Waltham Forest Borough level in the match. After receiving a lofted ball right on the edge of the Kulture penalty area, Florence would twist and turn on the ball, after taking it into box, before hitting an effort just over the goal.

The second half was started really well by Waltham Forest Borough, who would soon score an equalising goal. A good move from the home side saw Bihmoutine shift the ball out to Florence on the left flank, before being given the ball back on the edge of the Kulture penalty area. From where Bihmoutine would side-foot (first time effort) the ball high into the goal, 2-2. However, this highly eventful game of football would take another turn in the favour of Kulture FC, shortly after Sadiq Akanbi had volleyed over a cross into the centre of their penalty area. Following another good move from Kenneth Boateng’s side, Tyrese Sibanda got to the ball on the edge of the Waltham Forest box, before sending a fine curling effort into the corner of their goal, 2-3. 

After Waltham Forest Borough had resumed play, following that goal for Kulture, the home side would take the ball forward at pace, through Dylan Florence. The winger had gone on an outstanding surging forward run with the ball, before entering the left-hand side of the visitors’ penalty area. However, Florence’s shirt had been pulled by a Kulture defender, resulting in the referee pointing straight to the penalty spot. Up stepped Dylan Florence, whose resulting spot kick found the left-hand corner of the goal, 3-3. A couple of minutes later, and after Mohamed Abubakar had won the ball close to the edge of the Waltham Forest penalty area, he would quickly pass the ball to Landry Gogoa, whose unstoppable powerful effort went into Mayto Sotomayor’s goal, 3-4. The end to end style of this match, was showing no signs of slowing down. As a couple of minutes after Sadiq Akanbi had an effort saved by Rodriquez, inside of the Kulture penalty area, at the opposite end of the pitch, Adam Priest would curl a fabulous effort (from the left-hand side of the pitch) onto the top of the Waltham Forest crossbar.

Waltham Forest Borough’s fourth goal of the game arrived after Dylan Florence and  Sadiq Akanbi had exchanged passes on the edge of the Kulture penalty area, with Florence then surging forward with the ball, into the box, before clinically finishing low into the goal, 4-4. Landry Gogoa had been impressing for Kulture, since being substituted on during the second half. After Mohamed Abubakar had gone forward with the ball down the left flank, he would then pass the ball to Landry Gogoa inside of the home side’s penalty area, but following his good turn on the ball, his resulting low effort went just wide. However, Kulture would get a very late winning goal, courtesy of a well worked free-kick routine. With Theo Jones’ pass from the edge of the penalty area, from that free-kick, finding the run of Mohamed Abubakar on the left-hand side of the penalty area. The impressive Kulture player would then put the ball, from the byline, across goal, with it seemingly being deflected into the goal at the goalkeeper’s near post, off a Waltham Forest defender, 4-5.

In second half additional time Andrew Rowe would have a powerful low effort on the Kulture goal, be well pushed away by Rodriguez, before Waltham Forest Borough were awarded a very late free-kick, around 20 yards out from the Kulture goal. Samir Bihmoutine’s initial effort hit the wall, before the ball came back to him, and he hit a low, moving effort which was really gathered by Favio Rodriguez. What a fantastic game of football this was, between sides who were relentless throughout, in their style of play. There was some very good football played from both sides, as Kenneth Boateng’s Kulture FC side picked up their first win of the season, and their first ever win at step 7.

Dylan Florence was outstanding for Waltham Forest Borough on Friday night, and he was my player of the match. The highly skilful and tricky winger scored two goals and provided an assist on Friday, and his contribution to this game was immense. Dylan Florence’s many skilful and very tricky forward runs meant that the Kulture defenders had to team up, to try and stop him from creating chances. However, Florence was just so good out on the left side of the pitch. There were some fantastic individual performances from the Kulture players, yesterday. With central midfielder, the versatile and vastly experienced Theo Jones, being in my opinion their player of the match. The club chairman showed terrific leadership on the pitch, and his decision making both with and without the ball was very good. However, he also got a goal and an assist against Waltham Forest Borough. I could have also mentioned so many more players from this game on Friday, such was their fine influence on the game.