WEEK 38 REVIEW: Round-up of all the EAL football action from the past week

SENIOR DIVISION CUP FINAL

Our second cup final double-header on Saturday saw the Senior Division Cup reach it’s climax in front of over five-hundred spectators as Woodford East came out fastest from the blocks, seeing an effort come back off the FC Petrocub bar in the opening two minutes. But Ion Spinu’s strike put Petrocub ahead before Gheorge Cucos doubled the lead before the break. An improved Woodford game out fighting in the second half but it took until the last seven minutes to reduce the deficit with Lucio Uare’s nodding in. As the Peacocks pushed on in stoppage time, they were struck twice on the break as FC Petrocub made it 4-1 at full-time with Spinu and Gurgurov broke clear to win it.

DIVISION ONE CUP FINAL

Earlier in the day, it was the turn of the Division One Cup Final to take the limelight with Atholl and Renegade in action to battle for the silverware. It was a strong start from Renegade but they slipped behind in just the ninth minute as Charlie Thompson’s shot from the edge saw Atholl lead. But Renegade were able to level quickly, Nigel Seidu netting from a terrific free-kick before Deimar Cardoso headed in shortly after to turn it around. Two further goals just before the break, an own goal followed by another Cardoso goal, gave Renegade a 4-1 lead. Atholl came out strongly in the second half but could not add another goal before Seidu netted his second of the game, before Renegade’s number six was added in stoppage time by Aamir Salah to end it 6-1.

FENTON CUP

Both Fenton Cup semi-finals were played in midweek where, on Tuesday evening, Fairlop Rovers saw their great run in the competition ended by rivals Woodford East, the Peacocks eventually prevailing 4-0 on the night to make a second cup final. Callum Maltese scored twice with Luke Dimond and Kai Law scoring the others to send them to New Lodge next weekend.

On Wednesday evening it was the turn of Kit Out London and FC Petrocub to battle for the second spot in the final as those sides met in the Noak Hill derby in front of a good crowd also. A tight affair was settled by goals from Nicolai Cotruta and Valeriu Gurgurov as FC Petrocub eventually broke down the Kit Out resistance to win 2-0 and net a place in the showpiece final.

PREMIER DIVISION EAST

A key game in the race to make it into step seven saw Aveley Under 23s in action on Monday evening with the visit of Waltham Abbey A to Parkside, the two teams producing a 4-3 thriller. The Abbots saw Cassidy Igwe, Harry Sach and Freddie Bose net for them but it proved not quite enough as Jake Sach, Airon Paul, Aldo Vani and Ben Warren responded for Aveley to edge the contest.

Aveley Under 23s made it twelve league wins for the season on Saturday afternoon with an important home win against Fairlop Rovers to keep that race to move into the top two alive. The young Millers were 3-2 winners at Parkside where Finlay Shipp, Airon Paul and Aldo Vani goals were enough to see them over the line to three points, overcoming Rovers goals from Jayden Francis and Jack Kibblewhite.