Non-League and Academy football writer

Both FC Baresi and Lymore Gardens still have a lot to play for in the Thurlow Nunn League First Division South, during the final games of this season, when they met at Wodson Park on Easter Monday in a league fixture. FC Baresi started this league game in the relegation zone, in 19th place after 36 league matches played. Just outside of the play-off places in sixth place after 36 league matches played, were Lymore Gardens. It was FC Baresi who won this match 2-1.

It was a relatively cagey first half of football, which there was little to report on. Both sides would play their football patiently, but the first real moment of note came around the 20 minute mark, after outrushing Lymore goalkeeper Sidhant Nayar had been shown a yellow card, for a challenge on FC Baresi forward Kishawn James. Then five minutes from the half-time break, Kishawn James, who received the ball around 20 yards out from goal, would play the ball across to Junior Appiah, who was just inside of the Lymore penalty area. However, the FC Baresi player who had been put under pressure by Ryo Brown, would hit a low effort narrowly wide, across the goal.

The second half of this game was considerably more eventful. An early back pass from a Lymore defender would allow Kishawn James to latch onto the ball on the edge of the Lymore box, before then rounding the Lymore goalkeeper inside of their penalty area. However, on the goal-line Lymore defender Ryo Brown would make a crucial block, to stop Kishawn James’ effort from going in. At the opposite end of the pitch, soon after, Lymore substitute Paul Benfield would flick the ball onto Tarome Hemmings, who from the edge of the FC Baresi box, would take the ball into the home team’s box, where his effort on goal was well kept out by Razvan Marcu, who stopped a one versus one chance.

After such an eventful start to the second half of the game, it was Lymore Gardens who would take the lead, still early on in the second half. As Lymore midfielder James Smith had got to the ball out on the right-hand side of the pitch following a corner-kick. Smith would then deliver a low ball into the centre of the FC Baresi box, finding John-Jay Mooney, who lifted the ball towards the left-hand corner of the goal, with a good first time finish, 0-1. But, FC Baresi would make a great response to going 1-0 down in the game. Substitute Mohammed Al Nashi did some great work with the ball down the left-hand side of the Lymore box. However, the ball would eventually roll out to Sertan Kirman on the edge of the box, whose powerful and well hit low effort would find the bottom right-hand corner of Sidhant Nayar’s goal, 1-1.

A surging forward run from the impressive Stefan McKie, would see the FC Baresi defender take the ball down the left-hand side of the Lymore penalty area. His following effort on goal was well turned behind at his near post, by Sidhant Nayar. Following on from that chance, and FC Baresi substitute Kuba Vermont Ollivierre’s well delivered corner-kick into the Lymore penalty area was, I think, headed against the woodwork by Romuald Boco. Next, and as the game continued to be played at a good intensity, Lymore Gardens player Paul Benfield would do well with the ball, taking it into the home team’s box. But, Razvan Marcu would do well to parry his effort on goal, at his near post.

There was to be a dramatic end to this game, as Tufail Amjad’s FC Baresi side got a late winner, after Sajid Aziz’s good free-kick delivery into the Lymore box,from around 30-35 yards out (on the left flank), was headed into his own goal by a Lymore player who had tried to head the ball clear, 2-1. Overall and on the day this was a deserved win for FC Baresi against a team who are much higher placed than them in the league table. FC Baresi defended well against a Lymore Gardens side who did create some good chances during the second half, but they worked hard and played the game at a really good intensity, in order to pick up a hugely important three points in the end. That win lifts FC Baresi out of the relegation zone.

For Lymore Gardens, on the day, central-defender Ryo Brown was their player of the match. For my overall player of the match award, that goes to FC Baresi’s tireless and very creative midfielder Sertan Kirman, who scored a goal, but who also contributed so much to the home side’s game, both with and without the ball.