WEEK 1 REVIEW: Round-up of all the EAL league action from the opening weekend
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The new football season got underway in the Senior Division over the weekend with promoted Saint City leading the way after week one as they produced an 8-2 winning performance over Sporting Bengal United Reserves. Jamie Moore and Kenneth Obananya both scored two with Rodney Capemba, Najet Cornejo, Sandro Pereira and Rodrigo Pijaque adding the others.
Trailing the leaders by just a couple of points are FC Petrocub London who began their new season with a big 6-2 away win against Fairlop Rovers at Peter May. Ion Spinu struck with the season’s first hat-trick, Nicolai Cotruta scoring two and Alexandru Strugurean the other.
There was a seven-goal thriller at Wadham Lodge where Ongar Town picked up a first win of the season, edging a Ryan side 4-3. Suhayb Aftab, Bilel Benyoucef and Ashton Ejiogu scored for the hosts but Town goals from Ethan Hook, William Lockett, Jude Collins and Mohamed Abubakar meant it was their side taking the points.
The other win from Saturday’s results also came from Wadham where the early kick-off saw a closely fought contest between Kulture and CSM London. It took a single goal deep into stoppage time at the end for Conrad Doggett to net off the bench and give CSM London a winning 1-0 start.
On Friday evening, it was the game from Coles Park that had kicked things off for the year as Chadwell Heath Spartans’ late goal from Ryan O’Connell earned them a point in a 1-1 draw against Haringey Borough Reserves for whom Bobson Bawling had earlier given Borough a half-time lead.
That scoreline was mirrored in another of the games where the reigning league champions under their new brand, London Harts United, were held to a draw by promoted Dagenham United in their opening contest of the new season. Yaya Jau was on target for Dagenham with John Quissua’s effort helping Harts take a point.
A third 1-1 draw was the outcome in the weekend’s final fixture where Woodford Town Under 23s shared the spoils on the opening day with Waltham Forest Borough at Whitbreads. Deyonte Anthony scored the visitors’ first goal of the new campaign, levelling after Town had put themselves earlier in the half.
Making it a grand total of four 1-1 draws in the division was the fixture from Parsloes Park where Greengate District’s first runout at Senior level saw them up against Frenford Development. Peter Oyetunji scored for the visitors with Emmerson Ndaye striking Greengate’s goal from the bench as they took a point each.