WEEK 17 REVIEW: Round-up of all the league and cup action from the weekend

SENIOR DIVISION CUP

There was more Senior Division Cup first round action in midweek with Monday night football from Coles Park seeing Lymore Gardens in action with the visit of the holders, FC Petrocub. A close game ensued between the sides, settled by the odd goal in three as Ryo Brown and Jordan Young both struck for Gardens to send them through 2-1, despite a Vasilica Ilie goal from the visitors.

SENIOR DIVISION

The gap at the top of the Senior Division remains at seven points as leaders, FC Baresi, completed a routine victory at Wodson Park to give their side maximum points once again, defeating CSM London in a 4-0 scoreline. Marvin Hamilton, Murat Karagul, Noyan Tajbakhsh and Raymond Poku were all on the scoresheet to start the second half of their fixtures in strong fashion.

Remaining second are Chadwell Heath Spartans who sit seven points adrift but recorded a solid home victory against a fellow top five side with a 4-1 home success against Haringey Borough Under 23s. Billy Gipp, Enoch Salami, Peter Adeleye and Ryan O’Connell all got on the scoresheet at Lakeside to make it nine league wins for the season.

The biggest winners of the day in the division were Frenford Development who were in seventh heaven with a 7-1 home win against Aveley Under 23s at The Drive. Kishawn James scored two with the rest shared around between Daniel Francis, Damilola Olaiya, Elidon Selmani, Tyler Shillingford and Keenan Gravillis, a result which lifted the hosts to tenth spot.

Over at Parsloes Park, Bakers693 had their first game at the venue as they faced up to an in-form Lymore Gardens side in front of a big crowd. But it was Bakers who led early on and despite a Garden fightback, ended up as 5-3 winners, that result moving them to the cusp of the top half, their sixth league win of the campaign.

In another big game, an in-form Priory Park Rangers side were in away action this weekend with a trip to Wadham Lodge to take on Sporting Hackney, Rangers sitting four points ahead of their opponents heading into the game. But it was the Parrots who walked away winners in this one as Tychique Lukuni and Sandro Pereira goals helped them win 2-1, closing the gap to just a point.

Over at Noak Hill, it was a mid-table derby game to finish off the top flight action for the week as Rapid Chingford were up against FC Petrocub, the visitors just a point behind their opponents heading into the contest. Despite a poor run of form in recent games, it was Rapid who walked away victors from the contest, Cristian Cazacu and Florin Porceanu goals enough to win 2-0.

PREMIER DIVISION EAST

In Premier Division East, Ongar Town moved into second place but did drop points with the visit of Dagenham United to Mark Hall Sports Centre. It was a case of defences on top as the sides, separated by three points in the table, had to settle for a point apiece. That moved Town onto sixteen points, trailing the leaders by five points while Dagenham sit sixth.

That result did allow Unitey to make up ground however, the only winner in the top half, as they came away winners by the odd goal from Hainault as they faced Something From Nothing. Oshwar Ravi and Ikenna Ogazi both struck for the visitors to give them their fifth win in six games, lifting them just a point off the promotion places.

Just a few yards away, Soul produced one of their best performances of the season to take all three points against promotion challengers Newbury Athletic, the Hainault side winning emphatically 5-1 to secure just a second league win of the season. Junior Milla struck with his customary goal for Newbury but his efforts proved in vain.

PREMIER DIVISION WEST

There were goals aplenty in the West division where Snaresbrook netted nine without reply to move top of the table, beating a London Cranes side 9-0. Harry Prince was in fine form, scoring four of his sides’ goals, Ali Rajim, Balyele Moe-Loembe, Chris Huggins and Harry Killick striking the others to make it nine wins in eleven this term.

Sitting just a couple of points back and outside of promotion on goal difference, Newham Wanderers enhanced their bid for a tilt at the title, eventually overcoming an improving North East Lions side to edge their clash 3-2 at Peter May. Andriano Lawson and Jemel Richards struck with the Lions goals but Wanderers efforts from Saddik Azizur, Evaristo Mendes and Michael Asabre gave them the points.

There is a ten-point gap to the next cluster of clubs where we find Wapping sitting fourth following their victory on Saturday, winning 6-3 at Athletic Newham A to earn a fifth league win of the season. Zakaria Rahal scored a hat-trick, Emre Ozuaciksoz a brace and Ryan Stowell netted the sixth for Wapping, rendering Newham goals from Kane Drysdale, Arion Svarqa and Jason Okhuarobo as consolation.

Another big result for sides around the bottom end of the standings saw previously bottom of the table Wanstead produce an emphatic win to move up three places to ninth in the standings, defeating fellow strugglers FC Baresi Reserves in a 5-0 win at the County Ground. Gabriel Morlova, Jada Andrews, Daniel Muamba, Isaiah Ojo and Isiaih Farinto all scored to give their side a vital win.

Completing the division’s action, Barkingside Under 21s were the hosts in the early kick-off at Parsloes Park with London Park City their visitors in Dagenham, Side heading into the game trailing their opponents by five points. But that was slashed to just two by full-time as Side saw off a City fightback to take all three points in a 6-2 scoreline.

DIVISION ONE CUP

The opening Division One Cup action of the season saw Lymore Gardens Under 23s in home action with the visit of Freetown to Parsloes Park in group A. Lymore led early on but Freetown had their chances to get back on terms before the hosts ran away with the tie to win it 7-0, moving to the top of the group after the first game.

DIVISION ONE

In the league, Woodford East Reserves were in top form in front of goal once again with the Osmonds combining to score nine in their 12-1 demolition at home against Haringey United. Will came off the bench to score five while brother Tom struck with four, the experienced Harry Carter scoring twice and Elliot Swords adding on, Darren Hamilton scoring the United goal in reply.

An intriguingly poised title race at this level involves second placed Saint City who moved to within four points of the leaders with three games in hand, their sixth win in eight this term coming on Saturday as they beat fellow challengers, Ocean Pacific, 5-2 in Walthamstow. Noah Chesmain made his experience pay with a brace, Jordan Lemard scoring two and Richard Seixas once.

It was back to winning ways for fifth placed Chingford Athletic Reserves who reversed their recent fortunes to pick up maximum points, leaping above their opponents, Old Esthameians, in the process as they won 3-0. That saw Chingford record a fourth league victory of the season to sit on the cusp of the top half at the halfway point in the campaign.

DIVISION TWO

It was first versus second in Division Two at the weekend as Old Barkabbeyans took on leaders, Royal Forest, at South Park Drive knowing they needed to make a dent in the deficit held. But Forest have been in great form this season and made it eight wins from eight, staying unbeaten following a 3-2 victory. Dre Ferlisi and Geovany Cruz goals gave Barks some hope but the Trees battled to the win.

The side making up the most ground proved to be Rainham & Barking Phoenix who took advantage of those results from around them to earn all three points in a big 7-2 home win against Frenford A at Harris Academy. Able Alexiou-McCrae and Abdulramon Jaji scored for the visitors but a Sean Tormey hat-trick, two from Cameron Shakes and efforts from Dean Cole and Melvis Ohenlen completed the hosts’ win.

Chadwell Heath Spartans Reserves moved up into fifth place in the table following their second win at Parsloes Park this weekend, scoring the game’s only goal in the first few seconds of the fixture to beat Redbridge Community Reserves 1-0. Jack Chawner’s early strike proved to be the only scoring moment of the game to earn his side’s third league win.

There was another single goal winner in the game at Forest Row where Collier Row Reserves saw a small dent put in their promotion hopes, going down to the game’s sole goal against Dagenham United Reserves. Alfie Dove struck with that effort to hand his Dagenham side a vital win of their own, moving them up into sixth spot.

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, it’s as you were at the top of the table as all four sides towards the top picked up victories to keep themselves amongst the race. Woodford Town Under 23s took a vital three points to keep themselves clear, edging a close contest with Broadway Athletic 2-1 as Ben Noonan and Frankie Walker efforts overcame a Dereece Oakley goal for Athletic.

At Robert Clack, Collier Row Wheels were in fine form once again with a big 7-1 home win against Newham & Havering Borough to keep up the pressure on the leaders. Farhaan Korimbocus and Saul Morris both scored twice with Sean Archer, Aston Wade and Luke Fearne striking the others to make it eight wins from eight.

Third placed Old Parkonians A bounced back well from their reverse last time out to complete a strong win, defeating an in-form Changing Lives outfit in Barkingside. Parks won the game 5-2 with Burt Cardy returning with a brace of goals, Charlie Fiander and new recruit Rowan Newland netting too to secure win number eight this season.

It’s back-to-back wins for Buckhurst Way to kick-start their December, the hosts defeating Romford Flyers at Bancroft Rugby Club by the odd goal to earn a 2-1 victory, their third league win of the season so far. Lenny Stead and Prince Saint-Gyamfi were both on the scoresheet, Jorge Rodriguez netting the Flyers goal in consolation.

COUNTY CUP

There were mixed fortunes for league sides in the BBC Essex Premier Cup where Walthamstow Reserves booked their place in the fourth round of the competition, overcoming Essex Senior Reserve League side Barkingside Reserves by the odd goal, winning 3-2 at Lakeside.

Over at London Road, it was not such a good day for Woodford East who knew the task ahead of them as they faced Olympian title hopefuls, Rayleigh Town. Early goals in each half proved decisive for the Peacocks, eventually going down 5-2 to end their run in the competition.

In the Essex Junior Cup, Fairlop Rovers are through into the third round of the competition next weekend as they finally completed their second round tie away at Harold Hill Reserves, coming through a 3-2 success to set up a trip to South Essex United.

The day’s AFA Challenge Cup action involving EAL sides saw Redbridge Community on the road with a trip to north London to take on Amateur Football Combination side, Apollo London. And it was defeat for the league side with Redbridge exiting the competition following a 3-1 defeat.