WEEK 21 REVIEW: Round-up of all the league and cup action from the weekend

FENTON CUP

The weekend saw Fenton Cup action on Saturday, with a cupset kicking off the 2024 action as Division One’s Royal Lions put an end to Premier Division’s Snaresbrook’s run in the competition, the hosts running out 5-1 winners in Hainault to book their place in the quarter-finals. Emmanuel Sergio scored two with Kuene Fernandes, Drey Johnson and Nico Macaia goals completing the win.

SENIOR DIVISION CUP

On Wednesday night, the first semi-finalists of the season were confirmed as Haringey Borough Under 23s headed to Frenford Development in the Senior Cup. A fantastic game saw Borough lead before Frenford looked to be in the ascendency at 3-2, Shanlon Thomas scoring two and Elidon Selmani once. But late goals saw Borough win 4-3 with Dillon Woods, Jamal Obeng, Sertan Kirman and Georgios Aresti goals enough in the end.

SENIOR DIVISION

The top-flight action started on Friday evening where Aveley Under 23s were the hosts to face a Kit Out London teams, both sides keen to earn some points in their quests to avoid the drop this season. But Sola Adebo was in fine form and netted two for the young Millers, Oluwatise Biyi-Akinsuyi scoring the other as the hosts won 3-1 and moved a point away from safety.

On Saturday, the league leaders made the trip to Dagenham to take on Priory Park Rangers in a rearranged game at Parsloes Park and walked away comfortable winners to net their fifteenth success of the season. FC Baresi were 8-2 victors as Qusay Mohammed scored two while Erol Hassan, Noyan Tajbakhsh, Murat Karagul, Raymond Poku, Romauld Boco and Joshua Adu also netted.

Woodford East closed the gap on the sides above as they came away comfortable winners from The Drive, sending Frenford Development to defeat in a 3-0 scoreline to earn a twelfth win for the Peacocks. Tim Monsheju struck twice for the visitors and Michael Morris scored the other to move them a point off second spot and twelve points off the top with three games in hand.

There was a nine-goal thriller at Lakeside where Chadwell Heath Spartans got themselves into a strong lead against Lymore Gardens as Billy Gipp, Peter Adeleye, George Mariner and Jack Chawner all netted efforts. But Lymore fought back and eventually earned all three points in a 5-4 success as Wisley Baltazar scored twice off the bench along with Bradley Williams, Nathan Desnoes and Ryo Brown goals.

CSM London’s recent run of form in the lead up to the festive period continued this side of the break, the hosts picking up another three points at home against Bakers693 in Beckton. Jaydon Charles struck twice for his team with Lewis Grantham netting his customary goal to make it a 3-0 win for the now eleventh placed outfit.

Over at Noak Hill, there was a hard-fought victory for hosts FC Petrocub who ensured they stayed in touch with the sides above by scoring the game’s only goal against visitors Haringey Borough Under 23s, despite starting the day nine points and five places adrift of their opponents. But a 1-0 win was secured and that saw the hosts move up into ninth place.

There was a certain oddity to the Wadham Lodge derby match which saw Walthamstow Reserves and Sporting Hackney’s face their co-tenants but on neutral territory, the game proceeding at Parsloes Park following waterlogging. Stow led in the game but saw Jorge Guedes level up the contest at 1-1. But two late goals for fourth placed Walthamstow eventually saw the game settled 3-1 in their favour.

PREMIER DIVISION CUP

In the Premier Division Cup, two ties were completed on Saturday with first round action seeing Waltham Abbey A travelling to Barkingside Under 21s and racing into a lead against a young ‘Side outfit. But Barkingside battled back to parity before the Abbots took the win by the odd goal in a 4-3 success.

The day’s other tie from the competition saw an east London derby match as Wanstead made the trip to Royal Docks to face up to a promotion chasing Newham Wanderers side in the first round. A good contest saw the game settled 2-0 in the end, Wanderers on the right end of that scoreline as Michael Asabre and Evaristo Mendes goals completed the win.

PREMIER DIVISION EAST

In the East division, the race for promotion took a big turn at the top as Dagenham United enhanced their own chances of a shot at the race, earning a big 6-0 win in their first outing of the new year, defeating Leyton City in the process to move third in the table. Tejean Lewis scored two, Brian Henry, Shaquille Mathurin, Halameen Adbaja and Fredericus Cunningham also on the scoresheet.

The other big result in the division came from Parsloes Park where second placed Newbury Athletic missed the chance to cut the gap on the league leaders, slipping to a narrow 3-2 defeat at home against Something From Nothing. A goal apiece from Derek Adenuga, Micah Innocent and Zion Kelly for the visitors earned them a third league win and moved clearer of danger at the bottom end.

PREMIER DIVISION WEST

Just one game survived the elements in the West division as London Cranes jumped up a number of places in the standings after a 2-1 home win against Wapping despite starting the day two points off their opponents. Ali Belmadani scored for Wapping but strikes from Rashid Nsubuga and Arafat Lubega ensured the hosts walked away winners, moving them up into fourth spot.

DIVISION ONE CUP

In the Division One Cup, Old Esthameians got their campaign underway in group A with the visit of Freetown to Newbury Park, the visitors looking to bounce back after their opening group stage defeat. But it was Old E’s who walked away far the happier of the teams, winning the game 5-1 to move second, despite a debut Freetown goal from Marvin Idahan.

Over in group B, Ocean Pacific’s second tie of the competition saw them make the trip to East Ham to face rivals Saint City who were starting their run in the competition. City will be the happier of the two sides, wining 8-0 to rack up a first win in the competition courtesy of Richard Seixas’ hat-trick combined with goals from James Farmer, Arif Omar, Ismail Abdoune, Derek Adu and Ronald Asante

DIVISION TWO CUP

In the Division Two Cup, there were two group stage ties completed, beginning in group A where Chingford Harriers and Redbridge Community Reserves opened their campaigns with their match at Peter May. With the sides locked just a couple of points apart in the league, it was perhaps predictable that a 2-2 draw would ensue, the sides sharing the spoils to take a point each.

Over in group B, the two sides with wins under their belts so far met in a top of the table contest, Old Barkabbeyans the hosts to take on Royal Forest. And it was the Trees who continued their excellent form from the first half of the season, winning 4-2 to move top of the group, despite Old Barks goals from Josh Robinson and Michael Ryder.

DIVISION TWO

There was some league action too where Dagenham United Reserves were in home action with the visit of title chasing Rainham & Barking Phoenix to Castle Green. With a win apiece between the sides so far this term, it was Rainham walking away 2-1 winners this time around as Cameron Shakes and Victor Ndukwe goals cancelled out Cain Dash’s goal.

DIVISION THREE CUP

The Division Three Cup action got underway at the weekend with first round action seeing Changing Lives taking on Woodford Town Under 23s. It was the league leaders, Town, progressing from this tie however, winning 6-1 through an Ousman Bangura hat-trick along with goals from Cameron O’Sullivan, Frankie Waker and Umar Mohammed. Samuel Afriyie scored the Lives goal in reply.

DIVISION THREE

There were goals aplenty in Division Three, beginning in Beckton where hosts Beckton Sporting Club’s first game of the new year saw a heavy defeat, Buckhurst Way the beneficiaries as they ran out 11-0 winners to move eighth in the table. Dolapo Gbadamosi and Prince Saint-Gyamfi both netted hat-tricks, Myles Croxford scored twice, Daniel Savage, George Martin and Ian Aherne also on target.

Over in Newbury Park, Romford Flyers were up against Broadway Athletic with the latter making it a league double over their opponents, this time taking an 8-1 win away from the game to sit seventh. Dereece Oakley was on fire with four goals for Broadway with Myles Menkenrick, Romario Maloney and Kailen Elmoumni joining him on the scoresheet.

Over in the Hainault, the final league action of the day saw fifth placed Melbourne Sports start their new year in positive fashion, eventually prevailing against tenth placed Newham & Havering Borough. With the sides well poised at the break at 1-1, the Mels struck three times in the second half to win the game 4-1, their fifth win this term.

COUNTY CUP

The day’s sole surviving county cup action came in the Essex Junior Trophy where the rearranged third round tie between Frenford A and Wakering Sports B finally reached a conclusion, the unbeaten Southend District & Borough Combination League leaders the side to prevail in a 2-0 scoreline at The Drive.

Photo Credit: Changing Lives FC