Non-League and Academy football writer

On Monday evening at The Techsoc Stadium, Lymore Gardens faced Southend Manor, in a first round tie of this seasons edition of the Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup. Lymore Gardens have won all five of their opening five league matches of the new season, and they are currently in first place in the First Division South standings. Southend Manor have won two and lost two, from their opening four league matches of this season. They are currently in 13th place in the First Division South table. After a highly entertaining cup tie, which finished 2-2 after 90 minutes, Lymore Gardens would progress in to round two of the competition, after winning 8-7 on penalties.

Lymore Gardens player Wisley Baltazar would manage to get an effort away on goal, during the early stages of this game. Wisley Baltazar would, from the edge of the Southend Manor box, hit a low whipped effort on goal which was gathered by Kevin Manuel, in the Southend Manor goal. A couple of minutes later and Southend Manor forward Taylor Ansell-Quinton’s run was found courtesy of a good through-ball pass by a teammate, in behind of the Lymore defence. Ansell-Quinton’s low effort from the edge of the Lymore box, was well saved by the outrushing Lymore goalkeeper, Martin Arnauchkov.

After a fairly even start to this cup match Southend Manor would start to create some more goalscoring chances. After Ali Tachoukaft had received a pass some 25 yards out from the Lymore goal, he would skilfully go past a defender, to the edge of the Lymore box. His resulting powerful, dipping effort on goal was well pushed over by Martin Arnauchkov. Around five minutes later another fine through-ball pass from Southend Manor, would find Lindisipho Mtyanda, who would then cleverly flick the ball on to the run of Ansell-Quinton, in behind of the Lymore defence. From the edge of the penalty area, Ansell-Quinton would hit a powerful effort narrowly over the Lymore goal. 

Lymore Gardens would go on to finish the first half strongly. After having won the ball inside Southend Manor’s final third of the pitch, Lymore forward Andre Graham’s resulting powerful and swerving effort from the edge of their box, would go wide of the goal. A couple of moments later and after the ball had been laid off in to the path of Alex Coster, from around 20 yards out from the Southend Manor goal, Coster’s whipped first time effort would whistle narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post. A matter of minutes later however, the influential Alex Coster did help Lymore to take the lead, by assisting their opening goal. 

After receiving a pass, Coster would turn well and quickly with the ball, before playing it across to Ryo Brown, who was around 20 yards out from the away team’s goal. Ryo Brown’s powerful low effort would take a significant deflection off a Southend Manor player. Wrong footing the goalkeeper, his effort was almost saved by Kevin Manuel, who managed to recover well to get a hand to the ball, but he couldn’t quite stop it from going in to the goal, 1-0. After Lindisipho Mtyanda had been sin-binned by the referee, Lymore would look to capitalise before half-time. And just before half-time and from 20 yards out, Ryo Brown would hit a powerful and low first time effort (from 20 yards out) narrowly wide of Kevin Manuel’s goal.

Lymore Gardens would initially start the second half of this match well. Following Gravlyn Kitondo’s pass to Alex Coster on the edge of the Southend Manor penalty area, Coster would turn well before hitting a powerful effort on goal which was saved and gathered by Kevin Manuel. Next, and two efforts in quick succession (from around 25 yards out from goal) from Ryo Brown and Alex Coster respectively, were both gathered by Kevin Manuel. But, now with 11 players on the field again, Billy Cove’s Southend Manor side would start to react really well to going 1-0 down.

Two quick goals from Southend Manor would stun Lymore. Firstly, and after Ali Tachoukaft had got to a short pass on the right-hand side of the pitch, he would play the ball across from the edge of the Lymore box, to Taylor Ansell-Quinton, on the right-hand side of the penalty area. A really well taken side-footed first time effort on the half-volley, would find the roof of the goal, in unstoppable fashion, 1-1. Then very soon after, and the club from Essex would make it 2-1. Lindisipho Mtyanda would get to a bouncing ball on the edge of the Lymore penalty area. After controlling the ball he would quickly get a powerful effort away on goal, under pressure, the Southend Manor player’s unstoppable low effort hit the inside of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post before bouncing in to the goal, 1-2.

Soon after having taken the lead, Taylor Ansell-Quinton would almost make it 3-1 to the visitors. After getting to a lobbed pass from deep, to the right-hand side of the Lymore penalty area, the Southend Manor forward was met by the outrushing Martin Arnauchkov, who importantly gathered his low effort on his goal. Lymore now needed to try and draw level in the cup tie. Two Lymore substitutes, in Paul Benfield and Dylan Scutt would combine well, around 20 yards out from Kevin Manuel’s goal, before Dylan Scutt had hit a decent effort on goal, on the half-volley, which was saved by the goalkeeper.

Southend Manor had been defending and managing their lead really well during the latter stages of this game, as Lymore really tested them, as they really tried to draw level, and take the game to penalties. However, in the very final moments of the game, a good clipped cross from impressive and hardworking Lymore defender Luzolo Melo, to the centre of the Southend Manor box, would result in a teammate who had attempted to go for the ball, being pushed by a defender. The referee would immediately point to the penalty spot. The pressure was on Lymore midfielder James Smith, to finish from the penalty spot, and to take this game on to penalties. And he would show really good composure, to finish well in to the middle of the goal, 2-2.

After a really entertaining 90 minutes of football, we went on to penalties, which was even more entertaining. After some retakes, fine stops from both goalkeepers, as well as some excellent penalties, after Taylor Ansell-Quinton had hit an effort over the goal from the penalty spot, with the scores at 8-7 to Lymore, the home side would progress in to round two. It was very unfortunate for Taylor Ansell-Quinton, who I thought was Southend Manor’s player of the match. I also want to mention the performances of Max Drury and Kevin Manuel, for Southend Manor, with both players having fine games. Southend Manor were very unfortunate not to have won the game in 90 minutes. However, the tremendous spirit of Lymore Gardens, who gave their all, would see the home side draw level in the final moments of normal time, before then winning it in thrilling fashion on penalties, with a very narrow margin.

For Lymore Gardens, who continue their excellent start to the season, I want to mention the performances of Ryo Brown, Alex Coster, Richie Dorcas, James Smith and Luzolo Melo. However, Lymore Gardens goalkeeper Martin Arnauchkov was my player of the match from this cup tie. He made some big and important saves (his distribution was also good) over the course of the 90 minutes, as well as playing a big role in Lymore winning on penalties, with Martin Arnauchkov making three stops. It was a very good and impressive competitive debut for the Lymore goalkeeper.