LEAGUE CUP: Round up of all the action from Week 3

Group A

The gap at the top of Group A has been cut to just two points as Lymore Gardens moved to within striking distance on the back of a hard earned point against FC Baresi. The sides couldn’t be separated through ninety minutes as the game ended in a rare 0-0 draw, that point opening FC Baresi’s account.

The other game in the group came from Chingford where a belter of a match saw Rapid Chingford host West Essex Reserves in a nine-goal thriller. West had cruised into a 4-1 lead but Rapid increased their intensity and pulled it back to 4-4. But a late West winner took the points to give their side an incredible important 5-4 victory.

Group B

Woodford East have moved three points clear at the summit of Group B after three matches as they recorded a second win in three, beating Chigwell Town in a local derby game. Ellis Morgan came off the bench to score for Town but Woodford strikes from Billy Barr and Ben Smith were sufficient to hand their side the points.

Moving into second place, Tower United kept up their hopes in the group after securing a crucial first win with victory at the Marshes against Chadwell Heath Spartans. Rob Hodgson scored again for the Spartans but Tower goals from Abdi Abdikarim and Abubakar Maxamed carried their team to a closely fought 2-1 win.

Group C

There were goals aplenty in Group C, beginning in Seven Kings where London Park City were in hot form to earn a big 6-1 win against Francis Luke. The Hamdards did the damage with Meelad scoring a hat-trick and Maki’s brace adding to a Mohammed Fadil goal. Marcus Mika grabbed the Luke consolation goal.

If seven goals weren’t enough, there were eight in the other game where Kwanzas London Sport continued their solid form since the restart with an incredible 4-4 draw at home against second placed Frenford A. Jordan McLaughlin, Gouly Djikalou, Damilola Olaiya and Joel Opara grabbed the Frenford goals to leave them just a point behind the leaders.

Group D

In Group D, Unitey have continued their excellent start to the competition with a third win in succession as they returned home with the points in a 5-3 scoreline against previously unbeaten Cowley Community. Romario Christian and Medi Waku braces done the damage with Brandon Fulton’s goal rounding it off.

Dagenham United are now the other team in pole position in the group and moved to within goal difference of the leaders following a narrow 2-1 victory at Barkingside A to complete a third successive win. Brandon Johnson and Ola Ogunjobi scored the two goals for United which ensured they will have a good chance of securing silverware in the coming fortnight.

Last but not least in this group, there was an eleven goal thriller in Loughton where Royal Forest and Chingford Athletic A combined in a 6-5 scoreline. Luke Primett scored a hat-trick for Chingford and Eric Kelly two but Tom Osmond’s hat-trick for Forest plus goals from Martin Cannon, Huai-Ginn Oliver and Joe Owers were just enough to hand them the win.

Group E

The big game in Group E was a battle between the top two sides as Fairlop Rovers made the trip to Loughton Lions with both sides sporting unbeaten records. By full-time, it was Rovers who maintained such record as Ellis Simmonds, Harry Oliver and George Birch goals completed a hugely important 3-0 win.

Glendale returned to the mix in the group following their second win in three, bouncing back from defeat last time out to beat Melbourne Sports in the Hainault derby. First half goals from Maryis Shamku and Seyi Agboola in an entertaining contest were enough for the hosts to win 2-0 and move level with the second placed side, trailing on goal difference.

In the final match of the group, Old Esthameians opened their points account in the competition, recording their first win in three with a 2-1 victory away at Old Barkabbeyans Reserves. Faraz Khan scored for the hosts but his efforts were in vain as Old E’s took the victory to move up to fourth.

Group F

In Group F, things are looking tight at the top with Royal Forest Reserves leading the way by two points going into the final two rounds of games. Forest were 6-1 winners on Saturday when they beat Eastern Avenue 6-1 in Loughton. Sereign Lette, Tom Alexander, Josh Trainor, Richard Grove, William Asenso and Dodou Lette were all on target to take the victory and stay in pole position.

Custom House United saw their hopes knocked a little as they were held to a 1-1 draw in the late game against Chingford Harriers. Tim Mason scored once again for the Dockers but Harriers scored themselves to ensure they took a share of the points, leaving both sides still with a chance of challenging.

And two other sides who are still in with a shout of challenging are Lymore Gardens Reserves and Emerson United Reserves who mirrored the other drawn game in the group with a 1-1 scoreline of their own. Kye Austrie-Alexander’s scored for Lymore with Jack O’Connor’s goal for Emerson ensuring both team teams are within three points of the leaders.

Group G

In Group G, Together United are starting to etch their name on the silverware as, with two games to go, they moved three points clear of the rest with a third win. They were 4-2 victors against previously unbeaten Collier Row A where Stanley Kweya scored twice and one apiece from Remel Green and Fifi Banin earned a hard fought win.

Dagenham United Reserves reignited their outside chances of challenging as they netted a big 6-1 home win on Saturday with the visit of Avondale Rangers to Castle Green. Chris Harper scored for Rangers but Dagenham goals from Jordan Akinpelu (2), Rahman Byjid, Harry Carlile, Marcus Ursu and Tafari Vernege completed the win.

And in the final game from the competition, there were ten goals in what looked like an entertaining match in Silvertown where Brentwood United Reserves came away victorious with a 7-3 win, themselves keeping their chances open for one more week at least. That win saw Brentwood move fourth in the standings while Royals are now fifth following a second defeat.

London Junior Cup

FC Petrocub secured their place in the last sixteen of the London Junior Cup on Saturday as they returned home from the Marshes with a win against Cambridge Heath, edging the tie 3-2. They will now move on to face either Catford Wanderers or Battersea Boys at home next month.