WEEK 11 REVIEW: Round-up of all the league and cup action from the weekend

FENTON CUP

There was just the one league cup competition fixture on Saturday, a game which saw Athletic Newham A continue their improved form, moving into the third round of the Fenton Cup with a 3-1 home win against Renegade. Mario Embalo, Mario Campos and Kane Drysdale all got on the scoresheet with Aamir Salah netting the consolation effort for the visitors.

SENIOR DIVISION

The top flight action began on Friday evening where three games took place, including at Mayesbrook Park where second placed Woodford East maintained their position in the table with a 3-1 home victory against Frenford Reserves. Louie Handley had given the visitors a lead but Peacock goals from Luke Dimond, Aaron Blake and a Callum Maltese pearler gave their side the edge.

Up at Coles Park, an in-form Haringey Borough Under 23s side continue to remain there or thereabouts at the business end of the table, aided by their sixth league win of the season on Friday evening, beating Priory Park Rangers in a 5-0 scoreline. That result saw Borough go fourth while Rangers remain in thirteenth place.

Over at Parkside, Bakers693 were the visitors to take on Aveley Under 23s under the lights with just a point separating the sides before kick-off. But it was a strong Bakers performance on the night as they moved themselves away from any imminent relegation worries with a 2-0 performance, that enough for them to move up a place into ninth spot.

The Saturday action began over at Noak Hill where two of the sides at the top end of the table, FC Petrocub and Lymore Gardens, went head-to-head to challenge for vital points, just three points between the sides going into the game. After a goalless first half, Petrocub took the lead in the second period and thought they’d done enough before a late Lymore leveller ended it 1-1.

Walthamstow Reserves have struck some good form in recent weeks and had a prolific afternoon in front of goal against relegation threatened Kit Out London on Saturday, Stow coming away 15-0 winners. That was their fifth league win of the campaign, a result which saw them move up into seventh place in the table while Kit Out sit six points adrift of safety.

PREMIER DIVISION EAST

In Premier Division East, leaders Fairlop Rovers reaffirmed themselves as serious title contenders with another hard-fought performance at the weekend, defeating Ongar Town at Mark Hall to move six points clear. Dylan Scutt was the man on target with the game’s only goal in a 1-0 scoreline, that effort enough for Rovers to walk away with a sixth straight league win.

Close on the leaders’ coattails are Newbury Athletic who are the other side in the division with a perfect record so far this season, making it four wins in four this term on Saturday with a 3-1 home victory against Dagenham United at Mayfield School. Kai Wade, Fuad Ibrahim and Muhammed Camara struck with the goals, Shaquille Mathurin continuing his record with United’s consolation.

That result allowed Waltham Abbey A to make their move up the table and now sit third after picking up a third win of the season, defeating Leyton City in a 2-0 scoreline at Town Mead over the weekend. A goal apiece from Harry Williams and Liam Adams proved enough in the end to take them up a place in the standings.

Over at Fairlop Oak, a new Hainault derby game saw both of the new tenants go head-to-head with Something From Nothing taking on Soul, SFN going into the game with a point deficit on their opponents. But it was to be a good day for SFN as Cyril Pluche’s hat-trick set them on their way to a solid 4-1 win, Ikromjon Kamolidoinov also on the scoresheet as they jumped above Soul in the table.

PREMIER DIVISION WEST

There’s no doubting where the attention was in the West division on Saturday as first played second, Snaresbrook travelling to Philip United, trailing the leaders by four points heading into the fixture. But that deficit has been cut to just a single point with a game in hand for Snaresbrook, the visitors walking away as 4-2 winners through a pair of braces from Harry Prince and Ife Ogunbayo.

Third placed Newham Wanderers had a chance to cut the gap at the top but they fell to a third league defeat of the season with London Park City producing the goods in Seven Kings by the odd goal, a 3-2 scoreline the outcome as Yassin Abderrahaman scoring all three goals for the hosts to move up into the top half of the standings.

Wapping remain in the top four after six games of their season, returning home from FC Baresi Reserves with all three points on Saturday after a 3-2 win of their own at Leyton County Ground. Joshua Adu and Daniel Adutwum both scored for Baresi but a pair of Zakaria Rahal goals and an Emre Ozuaciksoz goal turned the game in Wapping’s favour.

London Cranes went into their away game at Barkingside Under 21s with just a point separating those sides are decent starts to the season. It was Cranes who walked away with the honours in this one, beating ‘Side 3-1 through goals from Shafik Walusimbi, Forday Sesay and Arafat Lubega, a result which shifts their points tally onto ten for the season.

At the other end of the standings, it was an important afternoon for North East Lions who finally picked up their first points of the season, moving level with the sides above after a 4-1 away win at Wanstead. Zoltan Balogh struck for the hosts but a Lions hat-trick for Arthur Wright and an Ilia Siaka goal set the visitors on the path to three points.

DIVISION ONE

In Division One, leaders Old Esthameians maintained their position at the top of the table as they put an end to Saint City’s perfect start to the season, beating the visitors 2-1 in Newbury Park to remain a couple of points clear. Gerson Artur had got himself on the City scoresheet but that effort proved not quite enough as E’s held on.

With a game in hand, Chingford Athletic Reserves remain well placed to put in their own significant challenge and earned a win of their own by the odd goal with a narrow 2-1 home win against Freetown at Parmiters. That was Chingford’s fourth league win as they moved their points tally onto thirteen while Freetown remain in eighth spot.

Fourth placed Woodford East Reserves are also handily placed to put pressure on the sides above and they had a strong win of their own on Saturday, sending Ocean Pacific to their first defeat of the season following a 2-1 win at Mabley Green. Tom Osmond extended his scoring form with another goal with Owen McKelvey also on the scoresheet for the Peacocks.

The biggest scorers of the day in the division were Lymore Gardens Under 23s who made it into double figures in a 10-2 home victory against Haringey United at Jubilee Park. Amari Orgill-Nelson and Kojo Dwaah both struck for United but they were unable to hold off the Lymore onslaught in front of goal and fell to a seventh defeat of the season.

DIVISION TWO

In Division Two, with the leaders out of action, it presented an opportunity for others to make up ground and second placed Collier Row Reserves did just that, taking all three points at home against Chingford Harriers to close the gap to just a couple of points. Cesario Mendes and Romulo Batista both scored twice and Aloisio Dos Santos once, rendering Regan Anthony’s goal as just consolation in a 5-1 success.

Following suit were third placed Frenford A as the Ilford based side moved above their opponents, Old Barkabbeyans, who suffered their first reverse of the season. It was a game settled by the odd goal in five with Frenford A coming away 3-2 winners to notch their third win, despite Barks goals from Harry Dunne and Joshua Robinson.

With games in hand, Rainham & Barking Phoenix will hope to apply pressure to those above them in weeks to come and they started that run with a solid 3-1 home success, defeating Chadwell Heath Spartans Reserves to move fourth in the table. Phoenix goals from Connor Kain, Ryan Creed and Sean Tormey were enough to overcome James Oderinde’s effort for the visitors.

DIVISION THREE

There were plenty of goals in Division Three, beginning at Old Parkonians A who further solidified their fourth spot in the table with a big 7-0 home success against Beckton Sport Club at Oakfield. Burt Cardy popped with a hat-trick, adding to goals from Jourdan DeCourcy-Nolan, Sean Doyle, Mourad Khalfi and Billy Mason.

It was a big afternoon also for Buckhurst Way who after a difficult start will now look to build upon a first win of the season, defeating Newham & Havering Borough 6-0 at Bancroft Rugby Club to leap above their opponents in the process. That result was enough to move Way to within a point of the sides above with two-thirds of the season still to run.

Over at Fairlop Oak, an entertaining game between Glendale and Romford Flyers saw the two sides share the spoils, both sides having led at various stages. Josh Blake, Amjad Amer and Ali Mohammed goals had put the Dales ahead twice but Flyers fought back and took a point with Grant Obeney, Rafin Alam and Nathan-Joshua Yusuf efforts levelling it up at 3-3.

A draw was the outcome in the division’s remaining game as Melbourne Sports made the journey up the M11 to take on Changing Lives, the sides going into the game with two points and places between them. And that was how it ended also as Abdulhalim Alhadi and Ismail Aziz goals for the hosts saw the game end in a 2-2 draw.

COUNTY & OUTSIDE CUPS

In the AFA county cup, it was a successful day for Redbridge Community who assured themselves of a place in the second round as they travelled to Spaniards European Londoners and took the honours, winning 7-1 to put themselves in the hat for the next round.

In the Anagrams Records Trophy, it was a day of indifferent performances as the tie of the round perhaps, pitched Rayleigh Town up against FC Baresi at London Road. It was to be the host’s day though as they ended up 4-1 winners in the end to progress on.

Over at the Len Forge Centre, CSM London battled hard in their away tie at previous winners, Catholic United, taking them all the way with the game only being settled late on by a couple of goals, the hosts running out 2-0 victors to send them through.

Closer to home, at Ilford Wanderers, Sporting Hackney made the short hop to another promotion contender, Sungate, and will be disappointed with their showing, going down 6-0 in Hainault to see their participation in the competition come to an end.

Photo Credit: FC Baresi