Non-League and Academy football writer

Lymore Gardens came in to their Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture with Cannons Wood at The Techsoc Stadium on Monday night on the back of an emphatic 4-0 victory over Barkingside, last Friday. Starting this match in second place in the league standings after 11 league matches played, they faced a Cannons Wood side who are currently in 16th place in the league table, after nine matches played. Lymore Gardens would win this match 4-0, to move up to first place in the league table.

Lymore Gardens would take the lead early on in this game. A nice move which saw Dylan Roberts play a pass out to Malik Donaldson on the left-hand side of the pitch, would result in Donaldson quickly playing a good pass across the floor, back towards James Smith, close to the edge of the Cannons Wood box. Smith’s powerful first time side-footed effort would nestle in to the bottom left-hand corner of Brandon Bullman’s goal, 1-0. Lymore had found their rhythm during the early stages of this game, and another well worked move would follow. This time Malik Donaldson played the ball across to Zidane Bolessa, who from around 20 yards out on goal, would hit a low effort narrowly wide of the Cannons Wood goal.

Lymore’s good start to the game continued as the first half went on. However, Cannons Wood did go on to create a good chance soon after that effort from Zidane Bolessa. With Gabriel Odili crossing the ball excellently in to the centre of the Lymore box, where he found Emmanuel Osilaja, who in a bit of space would head a powerful effort over Sidhant Nayar’s crossbar. A one-two passing move involving Tyrique Peters and Dylan Roberts in the Cannons Wood final third would result in Tyrique Peters running on to Roberts’ pass in to the centre of the away team’s penalty area. His resulting low effort under pressure from a defender, would go narrowly wide of Brandon Bullman’s goal.

Yet another good and intricate passing move from Lymore would this time see James Smith play a one-two pass with Tyrique Peters, before hitting a fine effort from the edge of the Cannons Wood box, just wide of their goal. Lymore would continue to push for a second goal before half-time, as they continued to play well. A well delivered lofted diagonal ball from Dylan Roberts to Tyrique Peters at the back post of the away team’s goal, would result in Peters’ headed effort on goal being well tipped over his goal by Brandon Bullman. And then just before half-time Lymore substitute Tarome Hemmings’ good pass in behind towards the run of James Smith on the left-hand side of the away side’s box, was well challenged by Smith, whose lobbed effort looped just over their goal.

Early on in the second half Lymore would double their advantage in the game. Malik Donaldson would receive the ball out on the left flank, before then delivering a brilliant whipped cross in to the Cannons Wood box. His cross was met by Tyrique Peters, who used the pace on the cross to guide the ball in to the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, courtesy of a good header, 2-0. A couple of minutes after play had resumed Malik Donaldson would hit a powerful free-kick effort, from 20 yards out on goal, which was well parried by Brandon Bullman. Then a couple of moments later Lymore’s captain Ryo Brown would get to the ball on the edge of the Cannons Wood box, before hitting a good effort across the face of their goal.

Lymore Gardens were dominating play, and two further goals in quick succession from the home side, would effectively make sure of all three points. Their third goal of the match, still early on in the second half, would see Munnir Saad’s fine cross from the right-hand side of the pitch, find Tyrique Peters on the left-hand side of the Cannons Wood box. Tyrique Peters would then finish emphatically in to the goal, 3-0. Soon after and for Lymore’s fourth goal of the game the influential Dylan Roberts’ exquisite flick on following a lofted ball to the edge of the away team’s box, had found Tyrique Peters down the right-hand side of the penalty area, and Peters would hit a superb effort on the half-volley which had so much power on it, as it went high in to the goal with great pace beyond the goalkeeper, 4-0.

Cannons Wood did go on to get a couple of efforts away on the Lymore goal, later on in the second half. The first of which would see Gabriel Odili receive a pass on the right-hand side of the Lymore box, with his resulting powerful low effort on goal being kept out by Sidhant Nayar. And then a couple of minutes later Gabriel Odili had a low effort from the edge of the Lymore box, which was gathered by Sidhant Nayar. Lymore would make some more substitutions during the latter stages of the game. Late on in the game Lymore substitute Wisley Baltazar’s looping headed effort after he had connected with a good cross in to the centre of the Cannons Wood box, would go over their goal. And then around five minutes later Wisley Baltazar’s low curling free-kick effort (from 23 yards out from goal) was parried by Brandon Bullman, who then did really well to keep out James Smith’s effort from close range on the follow-up.

Lymore Gardens were very good as a team tonight. They moved the ball around the pitch really well from the first to the last minute, and in what was a dominant performance from the home side, they just didn’t let their levels drop during this game. For my player of the match award, James Smith, Malik Donaldson, Dylan Roberts and Munnir Saad were all contenders. But, with an excellent hat-trick of goals and a fine performance from Tyrique Peters in the final third, the skilful Lymore forward was my player of the match. My Cannons Wood player of the match was their goalkeeper – Brandon Bullman. Lymore will now look forward to a very big league match with Hutton, on Friday night.