Non-League and Academy football writer

Lymore Gardens’ latest Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture saw them welcome Southend Manor to The Techsoc Stadium on Friday evening. Lymore Gardens started this game in sixth place in the league table, two points off the play-off positions, after 35 league matches played. Southend Manor started this game in 15th place in the table, with 37 points after 36 league matches played. Lymore Gardens would move into the play-off positions after beating Southend Manor 4-1 on Friday.

Lymore Gardens would start this game strongly, and at a very good pace, as a team. Imedd Kartita’s clever pass to find Malik Donaldson’s good run down the right-hand side of the Southend Manor box, would result in Donaldson hitting a low effort narrowly wide of the goal. Soon after that early chance, and Imedd Kartita would give Lymore the lead, scoring his first goal for the club in the process. A free-kick which had been awarded to Lymore around 24 yards out from goal and on the right-hand side of the pitch, was expertly whipped across goal, into the top left-hand corner of goalkeeper Freddy Andrews’ goal, by Imedd Kartita, 1-0.

Lymore continued their fine start to this game. And after Southend Manor’s captain, Dylan Sanham’s free-kick effort from 25 yards out, was well tipped over by Lymore’s goalkeeper Sidhant Nayar, Lymore would continue to play their football with real style, and to good effect. Shortly after Tarome Hemmings’ whipped free-kick effort from the edge of the away team’s box, had rebounded off of Freddy Andrews’ crossbar, Lymore would make it 2-0. As Imedd Kartita’s short and quickly taken corner-kick had found Tarome Hemmings on the edge of the Southend Manor box, who would curl a fine first time effort across goal, and towards its top left-hand corner, 2-0.

Later on in the first half, and although Southend Manor had improved a bit as a team, Lymore continued to create good chances in front of goal. Some great feet from Malik Donaldson on the edge of the Southend Manor penalty area, would result in him curling an effort just wide of the goal. However, Donaldson was involved in the build-up play for Lymore’s next goal of the game. Following some good work from Lymore’s captain and central-defender Ryo Brown, with the ball, he would play it forward towards the run of Donaldson, down the left flank. Malik Donaldson would enter the Southend Manor penalty area, before seeing his low cross be stopped and met by a defender. However, on the follow-up Tyrique Peters would finish well into the goal, from close range, 3-0.

Lymore started the second half in a similar fashion to how they had finished the first half. Malik Donaldson would meet James Smith’s excellent, curling pass out to the left flank, and Donaldson would then cut inside with the ball onto his right foot and from 20 yards out and in a more central position, he would curl a powerful effort into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, beyond the goalkeeper, 4-0. Lymore would go on to make a couple of substitutions, and by the time that their next chance had arrived, Tyrique Peters, who had done well to win the ball inside of the Southend Manor box, would play the ball across to Lymore substitute Gravlyn Kitondo. He would then quickly pass the ball to Wisley Baltazar, whose low side-footed effort came off the inside of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post, before bouncing away.

The visiting team did go on to create a number of late chances in the second half, which would lead to them getting a goal back in the game. As Finley Ledger finished low into the goal, from close range, after meeting a well delivered low cross into the box by Lionel Bones, 4-1. Dylan Sanham’s curling free-kick effort around the Lymore wall, soon after, was well pushed away by Sidhant Nayar, as Southend Manor finished the game strongly. And one final chance for Southend Manor, saw Tom Telford dribble forward with the ball into the Lymore box, before hitting a low effort narrowly wide, across goal.

Some of the football that Lymore played during this game was very good, and things are looking promising for them as they try to secure a play-off spot. Right from the off, they moved the ball around well, with real purpose to their play, against a youthful Southend Manor side, who did finish this game strongly. However, Lymore greatly deserved to win this game 4-1, and they could have won it by more goals. Although he came off relatively early on in the second half, for his contributions on the pitch in wide and forward areas, Lymore Gardens player Malik Donaldson was my player of the match on Friday. He is such a difficult player to defend against one versus one, and once again he got on the scoresheet, and created a number of goalscoring chances. Imedd Kartita, who had an excellent game, and Tyrique Peters, were also very much contenders for my player of the match award.