Non-League and Academy football writer

Lymore Gardens and Marcelona met at Parkside Stadium (Aveley FC) on Wednesday evening, in a Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture. Lymore Gardens have started the league season with two wins and one defeat. Marcelona had won one and drawn two of their opening three league matches of this season, going in to Wednesday’s match. A highly entertaining and open game of football would end in a 1-1 draw.

During the opening minutes of the game Lymore player Omar Dacas would go on a skilful run down the left flank, before crossing the ball for Dylan Roberts, who was just in front of the goalkeeper, and inside of the box. However, he was just unable to connect with the ball as he would have hoped, as Marcelona goalkeeper Taurian Bruce managed to make the save low down. Soon after that early good opportunity and Marcelona player Eben Mbona would find the good run of teammate Yasin Musah, down the left-hand side of the Lymore penalty area. Yasin Musah’s low resulting whipped cross, would be met by the diving header of Andy Morris, who from close range would head the ball wide.

Lymore continued to create a couple of additional good early openings, as both sides tried to score the first goal of the game. Next and Omar Dacas’ good curling cross (from out on the left flank) would find the run of Sertan Kirman (he had started the move) inside of the Marcelona box. Sertan Kirman’s dipping header would connect with the crossbar. As the first half went on it was Marcelona who would prove to be more clinical during the first 45 minutes. As the away team took the lead before half-time. With Marcelona’s captain Kamarni Collington playing a well weighted short forward pass from the edge of the Lymore box, towards the run of Bradley Ismaili, inside of the penalty area. He would calmly slot the ball past the Lymore goalkeeper, to give the visiting team the lead, 0-1.

Right on the stroke of half-time, and following a great cross-field diagonal pass from Ryo Brown, to find Malik Donaldson in space inside of Marcelona’s final third of the pitch. Malik Donaldson would perform a couple of skilful step-overs to progress the ball from the edge of the Marcelona box forward, beyond a defender. When inside the penalty area, Malik Donaldson found himself one versus one with Taurian Bruce, but his low effort would be gathered relatively comfortably by the Marcelona goalkeeper.

Marcelona came so close to doubling their advantage during the very early stages of the second half. Eben Mbona would latch on to a lofted pass over the top of the Lymore defence, and he found himself through on goal inside of their penalty area. Eben Mbona’s lobbed effort over the outrushing Pharrell Chinyere had to be spectacularly cleared off the goal-line by Lymore defender Ben Joao, on the stretch. Yet soon afterwards Lymore found themselves level. The excellent Sertan Kirman’s curling forward pass to Malik Donaldson on the edge of the Marcelona box, was excellently brought down by the Lymore number ten. He would then turn skilfully, before volleying the ball in to the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 1-1.

The game continued to be an eventful one. For the next chance of the match, Tyrique Peters would roll the ball out towards Malik Donaldson on the right-hand side of the Marcelona box. His powerful low effort would be well parried by Taurian Bruce. And then a couple of minutes later, Omar Dacas’ lofted free-kick delivery in to the away team’s penalty area, would fall for Lymore substitute James Ikotun, whose quickly taken and well hit effort was really well saved by Taurian Bruce, who managed to get a strong hand to the ball.

Marcelona would respond well to Lymore creating a number of good chances, after having levelled the scores. And the away team would go very close to retaking the lead, after Bradley Ismaili had passed the ball forward to captain, Kamarni Collington, down the left-hand side of the Lymore box. Kamarni Collington would play the ball across to Eben Mbona on the opposite side of the box. However, he would power an effort narrowly over Pharrell Chinyere’s crossbar. After creating a couple of additional good openings, Marcelona then came within a fraction of conceding a late winner. As Sertan Kirman’s brilliant swerving effort from 25 yards out, would hit Taurian Bruce’s left-hand post.

Both sides would create some good late openings, but in a very open second half, and after Eben Mbona had gone close to winning the game in the final minutes of stoppage time, both sides had to settle for a point. Both very good footballing sides in this highly competitive step 6 division, I can see both Lymore Gardens and Marcelona really challenging at the higher ends of the table, for at least a play-off spot during the rest of this season. But, this was a very enjoyable game to report on. For my overall player of the match award on Wednesday, I’m going to name Lymore’s highly influential midfielder Sertan Kirman as my player of the match. He had an excellent game for the home side. For Marcelona, their captain Kamarni Collington was in my opinion their player of the match, after putting in a very good performance.

Up next for Lymore Gardens is an away league fixture against Southend Manor, on Saturday afternoon. Marcelona will face Barking in the earliest round of the FA Vase this Saturday, in what will be a historic day for the club.

Starting line-ups/match-day squads: 

Lymore Gardens: 

(1) Pharrell Chinyere 

(2) Ben Joao

(19) Will Smallshaw 

(6) Ryo Brown (captain)

(17) Gaston Mendy 

(33) Sertan Kirman 

(7) James Smith 

(32) Omar Dacas

(11) Tyrique Peters

(21) Dylan Roberts

(10) Malik Donaldson

Substitutes:

(23) Kirk McPherson

(30) Erol Hassan 

(14) James Ikotun 

(8) Gravlyn Kitondo 

Marcelona:

(1) Taurian Bruce

(2) Andy Morris 

(3) Modou Gueye

(4) Moukhamed Dia

(5) Kamarni Collington (captain)

(6) Ethan Hughes 

(7) Mayowa Ogunyemi

(8) Bradley Ismaili

(9) Eben Mbona 

(10) Yasin Musah

(11) Abiodun Adeyemi

Substitutes:

(12) Mohammed Yaqoob

(14) Joel Ferreira

(15) Dennis Huluba

(16) Ayodele Fagbohunka 

(18) David Eze