WEEK 19 REVIEW: Round-up of all the league and cup action from the weekend

FENTON CUP

The second quarter-finalists in the Fenton Cup were determined over the weekend as Dagenham United were in third round action, taking on Athletic Newham A. And it was the visitors, Dagenham, who booked their place with a comprehensive 9-0 win as both Halameen Agbaje and Shaquille Mathurin both scored hat-tricks, Jourdain Nkona, Hafidh Ally and the returning Chris Mascall notching the others.

SENIOR DIVISION

The Senior Division action got underway on Friday evening, beginning with a seven-goal thriller in the North Circular derby with Walthamstow Reserves travelling west to take on Haringey Borough Under 23s. Stow got themselves into a 4-1 lead before a Borough fightback made it 4-3 to make it a thrilling finale, the visitors holding on to win it and leap above Borough into fourth spot.

The evening’s other tie came from Parkside where Aveley Under 23s were in home action with the visit of second placed Chadwell Heath Spartans, nineteen points between the sides heading into the game. It was two Peter Adeleye goals on the night that separated the sides at full-time, Spartans running out 2-0 winners to keep their grip on second place for a while longer.

On Saturday afternoon, Rapid Chingford put in a strong performance against the league leaders, FC Baresi, as they took a vital point away from Wodson Park. The visitors twice led through goals from Cristian Cazacu and Sorin Tudose but Baresi responses from first Solomon Alidor-Hamilton and then a last minute equaliser from Noyan Tajbakhsh meant the game ended at 2-2.

In the middle of the table, Frenford Development leapt up a number of places in seventh spot, coming away 2-0 home winners from their clash with FC Petrocub at The Drive. Starting the day a point behind their opponents, they ended it two points above, scoring both of the game’s goals to take their wins tally to seven for the season with Isima Iguisi and Damilola Olaiya netting.

Over at Wadham Lodge, a key game towards the bottom of the standings saw Sporting Hackney in home action with the visit of bottom side Kit Out London, the latter attempting to cut the deficit to safety. A close game saw it end level at 1-1 with Sando Pereira’s effort for the Parrots equalled by a Rio Mudhar-Hedley strike for Kit Out, the teams sharing the spoils.

At Parsloes Park, Lymore Gardens were in action looking to arrest a recent slump in form, facing up to CSM London, themselves in desperate need of league points in their quest to beat the drop. In the end, there was just a single goal between the sides and it was CSM’s Lewis Grantham who netted it, a vital 1-0 win for the fourteen placed side to move them closer to safety.

Completing the top flight action from the weekend, Priory Park Rangers saw the visit of Bakers693 to Hackney Marshes with the hosts seeking a return to winning ways, starting the day five points adrift of their opponents. And it was Bakers who left the happier of the teams, scoring the game’s only goal to record their seventh league win this term, leaping up into ninth place as a result.

PREMIER DIVISION CUP

There was first round action in the Premier Division Cup on Saturday, beginning at the County Ground in Leyton where west side, FC Baresi Reserves, saw the visit of Ongar Town to east London for their final action of the year. Hashim Hussain struck for the hosts but two Scout Bown goals for Town and a Matt Bovill effort completed a 3-1 win for Ongar to put then into the second round.

The day’s other tie came from the Marshes where Renegade, winners of last season’s Division One Cup competition, were in home action in the first round with the visit of London Park City, both sides locked level on points in the league. On this occasion it was Renegade who produced the goods as Wellington Ismael, Kristian Guillen and Kaobi Efobi all scored to give their side a 3-1 success.

PREMIER DIVISION WEST

In the West division, Philip United will sit top of the table at Christmas, returning to the summit this week with a double figure goals victory against Wapping in the Hackney derby. Philip were in fine fettle in front of goal, winning the game 10-3 to move clear at the top on goal difference, that being their ninth league win in eleven in an impressive start to the season.

Over at Peter May Sports Centre in Walthamstow, just a point separated the teams in the division’s other clash as North East Lions and Wanstead both went in search of some league points to end their year with momentum. This time it was the Lions who will have been happier with their work, Tashan Benjamin, Ilia Siaka and Jemel Richards goals firing them to a 3-0 home win.

DIVISION ONE CUP

In the group stage of the Division One Cup, it was a big ending to the year for Ocean Pacific who put themselves top after the first round of group games, producing a big 11-2 win against Haringey United to secure the points at the Marshes, another win probably enough to secure their place in the last four.

DIVISION TWO CUP

In the Division Two Cup, the group action got underway with group A led by Rainham & Barking Phoenix after their opening game in the competition, coming away 3-0 winners against Chadwell Heath Spartans Reserves, a repeat of last season’s line-up in the final of this competition. Dean Cole, Cameron Shakes and Josh Perry all struck to put them in pole position.

In Group B, it’s Old Barkabbeyans who lead the way after the first fixtures as they eventually prevailed from a seven-goal thriller, coming from behind to beat Collier Row Reserves in a 4-3 win. Michael Ryder scored twice off the bench, Josh Robinson and Christopher Plummer with the others, rendering Row goals from Ruben Carvalho, Jordan Lee and Cesario Mendes as just consolation.

Joining the leaders on three points at the top are Royal Forest who carried their league form into the divisional cup too, though were pushed all the way at home against Frenford A, the game eventually settled by just the goal. The Trees were the beneficiaries of that sole goal, winning 1-0 to end the year unbeaten.

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, it will be Woodford Town Under 23s who sit top of the tree at Christmas as they ended their year with another three-point haul, taking their goals scored tally to seventy-nine with a 9-0 home win against Romford Flyers. Frankie Walker, Ousman Bangura and Arman Uzzaman scored twice each, Aaron Campbell, George Piwowarczyk and Tylla Addai netting the other goals.

It was eighth versus ninth in the division’s other contest, the battle of the B’s as Broadway Athletic and Buckhurst Way battled for the last league points of the year. Broadway started the day two points behind their opponents but ended up a point ahead, winning 3-1 courtesy of a Dereece Oakley hat-trick which earned them all three points.

COUNTY CUP

There were a number of rearranged county cup ties at the weekend with success for two of our Premier Division clubs, beginning in Basildon where Fairlop Rovers made a fruitful trip to Fords, beating South Essex United in a 6-0 scoreline to head into the fourth round, awaiting the winners of Kings Park Rangers and Emerson & Upminster.

Also heading through to the last sixteen are Unitey who came through in a close encounter against Mid Essex League top flight side Old Chelmsfordians A, the EAL side winning the game 4-2 to book a trip to north Essex where they now face Border League Division One leaders, Thorpe Athletic.

Last season’s semi-finalists in the Junior Cup, Something From Nothing, saw their run in this year’s competition reach a close, knocked out by the odd goal in five against Olympian League side Old Chelmsfordians Reserves, SFN losing 3-2 on the day.

There were away day blues for two further sides, beginning up at the top of the county where Barkingside Under 21s had made the long trip to Cressing United, a trip which saw ‘Side go out, losing to the game’s only goal, 1-0.

Also heading out after a dash up the A12 were Waltham Abbey A who were also facing up to Border League opposition with Great Bentley their opponents. A close game saw the Abbots ended up 2-1 losers to see their quest for county glory end at the third round stage.

In the Essex Junior Trophy, there was a big win for Collier Row Wheels who faced a side two divisions above them with the visit of Wickford Town to Parsloes Park. But the Wheels struck with goals early on and came through 5-2 winners in the end to book a quarter final place against Chadwell Heath Spartans Reserves.

The AFA cup action also came from Parsloes Park with Lymore Gardens Under 23s having fallen behind early on against Middlesex County League side Rajputs Del Mundo. But Lymore eventually turned the tie on it’s head to win 3-2 and set up a home quarter-final against Polytechnic in January.