Non-League and Academy football writer

On Tuesday night Dunmow Town faced Lymore Gardens, in a Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture, at The Stewart Edwards Stadium (Hoddesdon Town FC). Dunmow Town started this league match in 18th place in the league table, after six matches played. East London side Lymore Gardens started this game in third place in the league standings, after nine league matches played. It was Lymore Gardens who won this league match, 1-0.

This game started at a steady pace, with Dunmow Town starting well, and they were defensively well organised, really frustrating Lymore Gardens. Following an Artem Lukash cross in to the Dunmow box, Lymore centre-forward Wisley Baltazar would get away from a defender before heading a decent effort on goal, which was held by Dunmow’s goalkeeper, Andrew Zambrano. Soon after and with there being very little in terms of goalscoring chances, Lymore player Tyrique Peters’ lofted pass would find Malik Donaldson, out on the left-hand side of the pitch. Donaldson would skilfully work his way around a Dunmow defender, taking the ball in to the penalty area, before seeing his low curling effort on goal be gathered by Andrew Zambrano.

Right on the stroke of half-time Lymore Gardens were awarded a penalty. Following a Lymore throw-in on the left-hand side of the pitch, Billy Golledge was fouled, under pressure, from a Dunmow player, just inside of their penalty area. After the referee had pointed to the penalty spot, Wisley Baltazar would step up to power a fine low effort from the penalty spot, which would go in to the goal off the goalkeeper’s left-hand post, 0-1.

Dunmow Town would start the second half of this match well, going close to getting an equaliser on three occasions during its early stages. Firstly, a well delivered corner-kick from Dunmow player Bobby Bolden, was met by a teammate inside of the Lymore box, and his headed effort would hit Sidhant Nayar’s crossbar, before there was another header which also hit the crossbar, straight after. After Dunmow had gone so close to drawing level, Dunmow player Jakub Dobrzynski would win the ball in the middle of the pitch, before driving forwards with it. Jakub Dobrzynski would take the ball in to the Lymore penalty area, at pace. However, one versus one with Sidhant Nayar, the Lymore goalkeeper would make a big save, doing well to match the Dunmow player’s powerful low effort on his goal.

Lymore would respond well, after a good start to the second half from the home side. The impressive Tarome Hemmings would make a good through-ball pass from midfield, towards the run of Artem Lukash, in behind of the Dunmow defence. One versus one with Andrew Zambrano inside of the Dunmow box, Artem Lukash’s low curling effort on goal was gathered by the goalkeeper. Then around ten minutes later, a long Dunmow throw-in in to the centre of the Lymore penalty area was flicked on by Daniel Getmansky, to Aaron Browne, who headed an effort over the goal.

Following a Dunmow clearance after a Lymore cross had been delivered in to their box, Tarome Hemmings would power a first time effort wide, from the edge of the penalty area. Then, during the latter stages of this well contested game, Lymore substitute Johneli Lungikisa would have two efforts (from the edge of the Dunmow box) which were saved by Andrew Zambrano. However, with Dunmow really pushing for a late leveller, in the final moments of the game Maurice Abana would volley an effort wide of the Lymore goal, following a cross towards the back post of their goal.

This was an important win for Lymore Gardens against a well structured Dunmow Town team, who certainly didn’t make it easy for Lymore to play their football. Dunmow Town’s defence was well organised, but credit to Lee Benjamin’s Lymore Gardens side who took the lead from the penalty spot just before half-time, through Wisley Baltazar (he lead the line well during his time on the pitch) with Lymore then seeing out the rest of the game well. For my player of the match award (my Dunmow player of the match was Daniel Getmansky), it was a difficult choice between Lymore central-defenders John-Jay Mooney and Billy Golledge, who complemented each other really well in defence, and also Tarome Hemmings. However, considering Billy Golledge also won the penalty from which Lymore scored the winner from, I’m going to award him as my player of the match.