WEEK 12 REVIEW: Round-up of Saturday's league and cup action

FENTON CUP

The Fenton Cup continues to serve up it’s fair share of thrills and spills as there were two more giant-killings at the weekend with Division Two sides being eliminated by lower division opposition.

Division Four’s Soul Youth were at it again as they followed up a first round shock win away at Royal Forest by eliminating Puma Kings who reside two divisions above them. Nazmul Ahmed scored twice with Mahfujur Ramman and Hamzah Adnan scoring the crucial goals in a 4-1 victory that puts them into the hat for next Thursday’s third round draw.

The day’s other cup shock came in Harold Hill where high-flying Haver Town Reserves from Division Three were up against an equally in-form CSM London who hail from Division Two in a match that was always going to be close. Micail Koulibaly netted for CSM but Haver responded with two goals of their own as they edged this thriller 2-1 to go through.

Breaking the trend of cup shocks were Tower Hamlets Reserves as the Division Three outfit, performing well on all fronts this season, made no mistake as they sent Dagenham United Reserves to a 9-1 defeat in Hackney. Rashid Matabaro grabbed the Daggers’ goal but his efforts were in vain as Hamlets booked their place in the last 32.

SENIOR DIVISION

Competition is hotting up at the very top of the Senior Division with three sides separated by just four points. ACD United continue to stay top of the pile but saw their lead cut at the weekend, slipping to a 2-1 away defeat at the hands of London Cranes in West Ham. Michael Wade was on the scoresheet yet again but Cranes strikes from Kennedy Wampamba and Valentine Ngaham completed the win for the hosts.

Keeping up the pace on the leaders are East Ham Inter who faced up to Blue Marlin once again with them looking to improve on a recent draw between the two sides. Meelad Hamard and Amalraj Kakmanu both netted for East Ham Inter as they edged to a narrow 2-1 win that keeps them well in contention.

Jolof Sports remain the highest ranked side the county still with a perfect record so far this season as the East Ham based side made it seven wins from seven on Saturday with a closely fought 1-0 home win against Singh Sabha Barking. That win by the odd goal keeps them four points off the lead but with five games in hand over the leaders.

West Essex Reserves are fifth in the standings as they managed to run out victors in a goal-filled encounter away at Grove United. Maxwell Marshall was the hero for West with a four-goal haul, accompanying a Mitchell Arthur effort onto the scoresheet as they earned a 5-3 win at their local rivals.

In the day’s earlier kick-off, Docklands Albion maintained their positive recent form with a trip to Seven Kings to take on a winless London Park City side seeking to open their points account. Ronaldo was the hero of the day, the east London version anyhow, as Ronaldo Merchan netted all three goals in a 3-0 victory for his Albion side to secure them a fourth league win of the season.

DIVISION ONE

The title race in Division One has really been thrown up in the air in recent weeks as long-time leaders FC Baresi suffered a second successive reverse on Saturday, going down to a 3-2 defeat away at Chingford Athletic Reserves in Waltham Abbey. Delano Lloyd scored twice but Chingford goals from Samuel Matthews, Ralph McBaiden and Luke Primett were enough to see the home side to a glorious victory.

The side who could have taken advantage of that result the most was Three Colts, the division’s remaining unbeaten side this season. They were held to an entertaining 4-4 draw at home against Wapping with Nick Blackwell, Jason Fox, Joseph Furlong and Jack Luck getting on the scoresheet for Colts. But a Joel Brown brace plus efforts from Mohammed Rafe and Sajid Miah levelled it up as the sides settled for a point apiece.

Those results enabled third placed Chigwell to close the gap on the promotion places as they took full advantage by picking up a big home win at the expense of Rapid Chingford in Hainault, leapfrogging their opponents in the process. Chigwell were 8-0 winners, scooping a fifth league win of the season.

Lymore Gardens got back to winning ways, putting the county cup disappointment to the back of their minds in defeating Melbourne Sports 7-3 in Leyton. Nathan Wilson, Marcus Dadson and Stanley Howison all scored for the Mels but Lymore hat-tricks from Courtney White and Daniel Crowie plus a Dushane Powell effort earned the hosts the win eventually.

Completing the day’s action in the second tier, Forest Green had a day to remember with the first team picking up an important win at home to Chingford United. Joshua Kibuuka scored a hat-trick with Krishan Singh’s effort accounting for their four goals while United could only muster two of their own in reply in a 4-2 result.

DIVISION TWO

The Division Two leaders, Eastside, maintained their lead at the top of the table with a hard fought win at the weekend, beating Flyers 5-3 in an eight-goal thriller. Sam Grose, Neil O’Brien and Jack Swaby scored for the visitors but Eastside braces from Waj Malik and Idris Shittu plus a Abraham Monae single gave their side the points.

Keeping apace with the leaders are Chingford Athletic Development who are two points behind with two games in hand after they ran out narrow 1-0 winners away at Cowley Community at the weekend. That win was Chingford’s seventh in nine league matches so far this season.

Mid-table Rainham Working Mens Club are sixth in the standings are quickly closing the gap on the sides above them after they picked up a fourth win of the season at the weekend, beating South Marsh United 5-2 in Walthamstow. Liam Tormey continued his recent good form with another two goals with Sam Playle, Connor Kain and Charlie Perry efforts rounding it off. Ferhan Gul and Elson Custodio got the Marsh goals in reply.

Upshire Forest are seventh as they got back to winning ways with a hard fought 2-0 win away at winless Inter Plaistow in West Ham. A goal apiece from Mark Lawn and Callum Godfrey proved to be just enough for the visitors to enjoy their long journey home in the knowledge of taking maximum points.

Moving up a place to eighth in the standings, FC BKT will have been impressed with their afternoon’s work as they won a five-goal thriller away at Old Esthameians, picking up just their second league win of the season so far. Francis Mireku scored twice and Ibrahim Buhari once to earn a 3-2 win.

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, Royal Forest have moved back to the top of the table on goal difference after they secured a point in their clash against fourth-placed Custom House United. Matthew Guy scored the Dockers’ goal as they continued a fine run of form but Forest also scored once in an eventual 1-1 that shared the spoils.

Returning to league action, Frenford A remain the side best placed to trouble the top two sides as, with games in hand still, they secured a sixth league win on Saturday in a 4-2 local derby win against New Star Soccer. Tyrese Sutherland scored twice for Soccer but Frenford goals from Hendrew Schmidt, Jovan Shand-Aldridge, Tiwa Osifuwa and Paul Isegohi won it for their side.

Brook City remain fifth in the table and still in promotion contention as they secured a fifth win on Saturday, seeing off Glendale in Hainault in a 2-0 win. Samson Cox-Vinell and David Ridewood scored the all-important goals in each half to earn the win that keeps them within three points of fourth place.

Mid-table side, Flyers Reserves, made it four wins and four defeats from their opening eight matches of the season with a big 5-1 win at the weekend at home to St Francis. That win saw them move to twelve points and level with the side above them, albeit from a couple of games more.

Rounding off the division’s action, it was an afternoon to remember for Forest Green Reserves who, after a very long wait, picked up a league victory to further build upon their recent improvement in form. They were 4-1 winners away at Chingford Harriers with two-goal Tommy Whelan adding to Kasharka Fyffe and Quillon Placide efforts, cancelling out a Dave Birchnall goal for the hosts.

DIVISION FOUR

In Division Four, Sungate Reserves took full advantage of the leaders being out of league action on Saturday to return to winning ways with a 4-0 win away at Old Barkabbeyans Reserves. Glenn Bransgrove scored twice for Sungate with Isaac Idu and John Watson strikes completing the scoring to move top by two points.

In an entertaining six-goal thriller, third and fourth went head-to-head as Debden Park made the journey to Chadwell Heath to take on Brentwood United Reserves. The sides couldn’t be pulled apart as the goals rained in at both ends, eventually settling for a 3-3 draw to take home a point apiece.

A draw was also the outcome in the day’s remaining match in Division Four where Chigwell Mens Club looked to extend their recent form with the visit of Newham Royals to the Chigwell Police Ground. Billy Barr scored twice for the hosts but Royals were able to score two of their own to level up the contest at 2-2, earning a point each.