Non-League and Academy football writer

This first round tie of the Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division Cup, was between Waltham Forest Borough and Kulture, at Parsloes Park Hub, on Tuesday night. Halil Hassan’s Waltham Forest Borough side are currently in 13th place in the Senior Division standings, with Kenneth Boateng’s Kulture side currently in ninth place in the league table (both teams have played 13 league games so far this season). This well contested and entertaining step 7 cup-tie was won late on by Kulture, who won 2-1. After a good and competitive start to the game on a very cold night in east London, it was Waltham Forest Borough who managed the first goal attempt of the game. And straight after Teddy Bowden’s effort from the edge of the Kulture box had been turned behind by the Kulture goalkeeper, Francis Oruche, from that corner-kick Waltham Forest would take the lead. As Reece Simpson met Teddy Bowden’s corner-kick inside the centre of the Kulture penalty area, and his headed effort on goal crossed the goal-line, 1-0.

Kulture would respond well to the home side taking an early lead in the game, however, playing some really good football. After Landry Gogoa had got to a throw-in on the left-hand side of the home team’s penalty area, the Kulture centre-forward would hit an effort wide of Brandon Bullman’s goal. A good move from the visiting side would then follow, as Landry Gogoa received a pass inside of the Waltham Forest box, with his resulting deflected effort going just over Bullman’s goal. And Theo Jones’ following corner-kick would bounce off of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post, as Kulture continued to look likely to get the next goal of the game. Decent efforts from outside of the Waltham Forest box (from Oluwasanmi Odelusi and Reon Reid) both went over Bullman’s goal, as Kulture continued to grow in confidence in the game.

A long forward pass from defence, by Kulture, would end up running through the Waltham Forest defence, through to Landry Gogoa, who would take the ball in his stride, into the home team’s box, before cutting inside with the ball, beyond a defender and onto his right foot. However, Bullman would do well to close down the angles and make a big save from close range. Landry Gogoa had been very involved in the game during the first half, and soon after that fine chance he would hit a powerful effort into the side-netting of Bullman’s goal, from the right-hand side of the penalty area. Charlie McCarthy was also having a very good game for Kulture, this time in defence. During the latter stages of the first half, McCarthy would make two crucial challenges, including an excellent sliding recovery challenge on Aaron Blake inside of the Kulture box, to stop an almost certain goal. The final effort of the first half came from Archie Sherrin, who after driving forward with the ball through the middle of the pitch, his resulting whipped effort from 20 yards out went just wide of the Kulture goal.

Kulture would start the second half well. A really good early chance and move would see Oluwasanmi Odelusi whip a good low cross in front of the Waltham Forest goal, to Scott Durojaiye, but he was unable to finish, as Bullman gathered the ball. That equalising goal that Kulture were really pushing for, came a couple of minutes after Archie Sherrin (from the edge of the Kulture penalty area), had an effort on the half-volley, which was pushed away by Francis Oruche. The goal for Kulture came from a clever move, as Landry Gogoa flicked the ball onto Jehovany Kinzoni, on the left flank. Kinzoni would continue forward with the ball, before crossing the ball into the Waltham Forest box, with Landry Gogoa there (from a couple of yards out) to side-foot the ball home on the volley, 1-1. 

Waltham Forest Borough were trying to create more chances, during the early stages of the second half. However, after Tejan Heywood had made an important block from Aaron Blake’s effort on the right-hand side of the Kulture penalty area, Kulture would once again go forward with the ball effectively. Firstly, Landry Gogoa had a low effort on goal (from the centre of the home team’s box) which was gathered by Bullman, before another well worked chance followed. This time however, Jehovany Kinzoni would hit an effort over from the left-hand side of the Waltham Forest penalty area. Kulture were pressing Waltham Forest Borough well, as well as defending their penalty area well. A powerful dipping effort from 25 yards out from Teddy Bowden, would go over the Kulture goal, before Kulture progressed the ball up the pitch.

As well as scoring the equalising goal, Landry Gogoa was so far impressing with his holdup play. The Kulture forward would show this soon after Bowden’s effort for the home side, after holding onto the ball well on the right flank, before then whipping a low cross into the Waltham Forest box, which Oluwasanmi Odelusi would meet, but his first time effort went over, off the top of the crossbar. Chances continued to come the way of both sides, as we approached the latter stages of the game. Shortly after Conor Corrigan’s powerful effort from the edge of the Kulture box, was deflected narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post, Kulture would create arguably the chance of the game. With Jehovany Kinzoni’s excellent through-ball pass finding Yousuf Hoque, who was through on goal, inside of the Waltham Forest box. However, Yousuf Hoque’s effort went over the goal.

Very late on in the match, and a matter of minutes after Conor Corrigan had hit an effort over the Kulture goal from the edge of their penalty area, Kulture would score a dramatic late and in my opinion deserved winner. After an effort from the edge of the Waltham Forest penalty area had not quite been gathered properly by Brandon Bullman, the ball was then frantically contested by a couple of players inside of the box, with Jehovany Kinzoni managing under pressure to slide the ball into the goal, on the goal-line. And Kulture would defend well during the final moments of the game, to progress into the quarter-finals of this great competition. On the balance of play and in terms of chances created, I thought that Kulture were deserved winners on the night. They created many good chances, played their football confidently, and they ended up playing well as a team, against a good and well organised Waltham Forest Borough side.

Kulture defender Charlie McCarthy was a player who I thought was outstanding on Tuesday night. The youngster made some hugely important defensive interventions, as well as getting forward down the left flank well. He was therefore my player of the match, for what was a flawless defensive performance from him. Also, Landry Gogoa, Reon Reid, Jehovany Kinzoni, and Oluwasanmi Odelusi, were just some of the impressive performers for Kulture, with the experienced Scott Durojaiye and Theo Jones having a calming effect on the game from midfield. For Waltham Forest Borough, I thought that tireless and tenacious central midfielder, Teddy Bowden, was their player of the match.