Step 6 Thurlow Nunn League First Division South side Lymore Gardens, who reached the fifth round of last season’s FA Vase, faced a very good Biggleswade United side (step 5, of the Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division) at Parkside Stadium (Aveley FC) on Friday evening, in an FA Vase second round tie. Promising to be a really interesting cup tie, the first ever meeting between these two sides was won 2-1 (very late on) by Biggleswade United. However, over the course of the tie, the more creative side, Lymore Gardens, were desperately unfortunate not to win.
14 minutes into this cup tie the opening goal of the game was scored. After Lymore Gardens had a goal ruled out for offside, the visiting team would take the lead. With Liam Smyth running forward down the left-hand side of the Lymore penalty area after a good Biggleswade United move, before seeing his low powerful effort on goal be parried by Michael Doyle. But, on the follow-up Scott Metcalfe was alert, to tap the ball home from close range, 0-1. After conceding that early goal Lymore, who had actually started this game well, would start to create more goalscoring chances.
For Lymore’s best early effort of the game, after plenty of good passages of play, Johneli Lungikisa would get to a flick on some 24 yards out from the away team’s goal. He would then power an effort with a lot of swerve and movement on the ball off the inside of Karl Daley’s left-hand post. After Johneli Lungikisa had been so unlucky not to have levelled the scores, Sertan Kirman and Erol Hassan, both players who were playing really well in this cup tie, would link up effectively following a clever Lymore move. Erol Hassan would play the ball into the path of Sertan Kirman down the left-hand side of the Biggleswade United box. Sertan Kirman’s good low effort on target was well kept out and saved by Karl Daley, with Erol Hassan following up to finish into the goal from close range. However, the linesman’s flag went up, much to Lymore’s disappointment.
This had been a very positive first half of football from Lymore Gardens, against a strong Biggleswade United side. Going into the half-time break, Lymore Gardens now needed to keep up their good level of performance, and try to draw level in the tie. Early on in the second half and after Lymore player Zidane Bolessa had a goal ruled out for a handball, Lymore would go on to go very close to making it 1-1. As Munnir Saad had won the ball down the right before playing the ball across to Sertan Kirman on the edge of the Biggleswade United box. The Lymore midfielder’s first time side-footed effort would skim the top of Karl Daley’s crossbar.
Lymore Gardens were continuing to dominate play, as they continued to create a number of goalscoring opportunities. After Biggleswade United forward Liam Smyth had been sin-binned, and after Lymore had upped their intensity further, in the 61st minute of proceedings they would make it 1-1. Munnir Saad had done well once again to get to the ball down the right flank, before playing it across to forward Wisley Baltazar on the edge of the penalty area. The skilful Lymore player would work the space under pressure, before whipping an unstoppable effort into the bottom right-hand corner of Karl Daley’s goal, 1-1.
Soon after that Lymore equaliser, Munnir Saad would lay the ball off (following another fine Lymore move) for Sertan Kirman, who from the edge of the Biggleswade Uniter box, would hit his side-footed effort narrowly over. Lymore Gardens were still really pushing for a winner late on this FA Vase tie. Next, and after the relentless Sertan Kirman had played the ball across (from the left) to Lymore substitute Abdul Bangura in the centre of the away team’s box, he would see his powerful effort on goal be kept out by Karl Daley. Then a couple of moments later and from a similar position inside the box, Tyrique Peters would go close to making it 2-1.
In heartbreaking fashion for Lymore Gardens, and after a team performance to be proud of from them, they would go on (in the 90th minute) to concede a very late goal. Biggleswade United’s player of the match Liam Smyth, would receive Jake Bunyan’s pass on the left-hand side of the Lymore penalty area, before working the space just beyond a Lymore defender before finishing into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 1-2.
Credit must rightly go to a clinical and talented Biggleswade United side, who took their chances in front of goal and who also defended well. However, personally I thought that Lymore Gardens were so unfortunate not to win this game on the balance of play, and after creating so many chances over the course of the tie. They can definitely be proud of their performance in this competition, once again. Biggleswade United’s player of the match (in my opinion) was their very good number 9 Liam Smyth. For my overall player of the match award, Munnir Saad, Erol Hassan, Liam Smyth, Liam Brooks and Tarome Hemmings were just some of the excellent performers on Friday. However, relentless midfielder Sertan Kirman was excellent this evening, and also highly creative on the ball. He was therefore my player of the match.
Team-sheets/match-day squads:
Lymore Gardens:
(1) Michael Doyle
(2) Ben Joao
(6) Ryo Brown (captain)
(30) Erol Hassan
(4) Zidane Bolessa
(11) Tyrique Peters
(33) Sertan Kirman
(20) Munnir Saad
(44) Tarome Hemmings
(32) Johneli Lungikisa
(26) Wisley Baltazar
Substitutes:
(16) Patrick Clarke
(22) Omar Dacas
(7) James Smith
(3) Yinka Akinlabi
(23) Abdul Bangura
Biggleswade United:
(1) Karl Daley
(2) Tommy Reynolds
(3) Vinnie Baker
(5) Newman Carney
(6) Freddie Laraman
(7) Lucas Kirkpatrick
(8) Jaiden Irish (captain)
(9) Liam Smyth
(10) Liam Brooks
(11) Scott Metcalfe
(15) Robbie Buchanan
Substitutes:
(12) Jake Bunyan
(14) Temi Akinbusoye
(16) Lewis baker
(17) Kit Brown
(18) Audley Bennett
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