Non-League and Academy football writer

Lymore Gardens faced AS London on Monday evening, at The Techsoc Stadium, in a Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture. Lymore Gardens started this match just outside of the play-off positions, in sixth place in the league table after 18 league matches played. AS London started this game in 17th place in the league standings, after 19 league matches played. This well contested match was won 1-0 by Lymore Gardens, very late on.

I thought that AS London started this game the better of the two sides. Relatively early on in this game, AS London forward Yemi Adelani would head an effort over from inside of the Lymore penalty area, after getting onto a good corner-kick delivery in a bit of space. Following on from that decent chance for the away side, and AS London midfielder Louis Maffia would play a good forward pass towards the run of Okynda Okera, down the right-hand side of the Lymore penalty area. Okynda Okera’s low effort was however, well kept out of the goal by Lymore’s goalkeeper, Tom Simon.

AS London would continue their good start to this game, with Lymore yet to find their rhythm. Following a challenge on Louis Maffia, the ball would roll out to Yemi Adelani, who from the edge of the Lymore box, would hit a powerful effort against Tom Simon’s left-hand post. Lymore did start to find their rhythm in the final third, as the first half progressed. Lymore’s captain Ryo Brown would whip a good effort from the edge of the AS London box, on their goal. With their goalkeeper, David Wloch getting across well to push the ball away.

And then shortly after that effort from Ryo Brown, Lymore forward Wisley Baltazar would receive the ball, before playing a pass in to Malik Donaldson, who after running in behind the away team’s defence, he would find himself one versus one with David Wloch, inside the box. But, Donaldson’s low effort was well kept out wirh his feet, by David Wloch. Just before half-time, impressive Lymore central-defender John-Jay Mooney would make a crucial and very timely sliding block, to stop an AS London cross from reaching a teammate just in front of the Lymore goal.

After a fairly uneventful start to the second half of this game, Lymore started to really play their football a lot better. An outstanding lofted pass from Wisley Baltazar, from out on the right-hand side of the pitch, would find the run of Tyrique Peters, just in behind of the defence, and inside of the AS London penalty area. Tyrique Peters’ resulting effort on the turn would go just wide, across the goalkeeper and his goal.

Having continued to pick up the pace further, Lymore Gardens were now really starting to push the AS London defence, which was standing strong, however. After Lymore midfielder James Smith had won the ball inside of AS London’s final third, he would quickly play a short pass to Dylan Roberts, on the edge of the away team’s penalty area. However, Roberts’ powerful effort went narrowly over David Wloch’s crossbar. Soon after, and following a nice pass from Gravlyn Kitondo, to Dylan Roberts out on the right-hand side of the pitch, he would cross the ball to Andre Graham, who had got up well inside of the AS London box, with his header going over the goal.

Alert Lymore goalkeeper Tom Simon would save Yemi Adelani’s headed effort on his goal, after he had met a cross to the back post of the Lymore goal. But, after from that chance for AS London it was Lymore Gardens who were really looking the more likely side to win the game, in this fine contest. Dylan Roberts was continuing to influence the game positively in the forward areas of the pitch, and as the result of a good turn from the Lymore forward, he would quickly give the ball to recently introduced Lymore substitute, Callum Fisher, in the final third. Callum Fisher used his pace well, as he cut inside with the ball towards the edge of the away side’s box. His low and powerful resulting effort would go just wide of David Wloch’s goal, however, when it looked as if it was about to nestle inside the bottom right-hand corner of the goal.

Dylan Roberts would again go close to scoring the opening goal of the game for Lymore, as we approached the final stages of the game. After Dylan Roberts had won the ball off a defender down the right-hand side of the pitch, Roberts would cut inside with the ball, as his powerful low effort on goal was pushed behind by David Wloch, at his near post. During the final two minutes of this game, Lymore would score a dramatic late winner. Zidane Bolessa would spot Dylan Roberts in a bit of space, again on the right-hand side of the pitch. After quickly playing a short pass to the Lymore forward, Dylan Roberts would continue forward with the ball for a short distance, before delivering a cross into the box.

In such windy conditions, Dylan Roberts would see his cross loop over David Wloch at his near post, before dipping into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 1-0. Lymore would not care how that goal came, for its importance in their quest for promotion to step 5 could well be crucial come the end of this season. I thought that this was a good, and competitive game of football, in difficult conditions in east London. AS London certainly created more chances during the first half of the game, but in the second half it was Lymore Gardens who really picked up the pace, creating plenty of goalscoring chances, as they went on to win the game narrowly, very late on.

For AS London, personally I thought that their defender, Hocine Krouchi, was their player of the match, after a really strong defensive performance from him. And despite Dylan Roberts really influencing the game during the second half of the game, as well as ultimately scoring the winning goal, my overall player of the match award goes to a Lymore central-defender. As once again John-Jay Mooney demonstrated his quality in defence for Lymore, as he read, anticipated and encouraged his teammates well, alongside Makism Todoschuk. John-Jay Mooney has impressed me in every Lymore game that I’ve seen him involved in, so far this season.