WEEK 15 REVIEW: Round-up of all the EAL league and cup action from the weekend

FENTON CUP

It was a busy round of Fenton Cup matches over the weekend, beginning on Friday night where an all-Senior clash saw Lymore Gardens at home in action against FC Petrocub London under the lights at Oakside. With Marius Bounegru’s goal helping the visitors make it 1-1 at full-time, it was then Petrocub who held their nerve in the shootout to win 7-6 and head into the last eight.

The shock result of the weekend came from north London on Saturday afternoon where top flight side, Kulture, saw their race reach it’s end with defeat at home to Premier Division high-flyers, Barkingside Reserves.  It took seven goals to eventually separate the teams, ‘Side edging it in a 4-3 scoreline to make the quarter finals.

Another Premier Division still involved in the mix are Sporting Bengal United Reserves as they secured safe passage into the last eight with a solid 3-1 away win against Inter Newbury in all Premier clash at Parsloes Park. Mehdadul Kazi scored for the hosts but Bengal goals from Umar Abdullah, Abid Haque and Emmanuel Olasehinde proved enough to put them through.

Senior Division high-flyers, CSM London, are also into the quarter-finals this season as they made a trip across to Hainault to take on Fairlop Rovers at Fairlop Oak on Saturday. A goal-filled game saw the sides combine for ten goals but CSM took the lion’s share of those, netting seven in a 7-3 victory.

Over at Parsloes Park, last season’s Senior Cup winners, Walthamstow Reserves, had a tricky looking away tie in the Fenton Cup as they took on a Waltham Forest Borough side with some experience of the competition. Conor Corrigan and Dean Florence both scored for Borough but Stow levelled it at 2-2 to take it to a shootout which they ultimately won 7-6.

There was also the remaining second round action on the day as Unitey took on a Waltham Abbey A side both seeking to put their names in the hat for the last sixteen at Roding Valley High School. And it was the Abbotts who walked away the happier of the teams by the end, 3-0 winners to earn a home tie against Vallance.

FENTON TROPHY

It was plenty of action in the Fenton Trophy also including the remaining second round tie which saw West Essex Reserves taking on Leyton City at Wadham Lodge. There was little between the two sides on the day as they finished level in the game at 2-2 by the end with Alie Sheriff scoring both for City. And it was his side who then took the shootout victory 4-3 to progress on.

One of the biggest shocks of the competition so far came from Noak Hill on Saturday afternoon in the third round where Buckhurst Way were up against a side two divisions above them in the form of FC Alpha. But it was the Division Three side who walked away with the win, overcoming Denis Musteata’s goal to win the tie 3-1.

There was a near miss too in another of the Division One versus Three ties where local rivals, Chingford Harriers and Ocean Pacific, were facing each in the Peter May derby match. Despite the huge gap between the sides on paper, Ocean were the game’s sole scorers in a 1-0 win to edge their way through into the quarter-finals.

Lymore Gardens Under 23s put aside their league struggles to earn a place in the quarter-finals of the Fenton Trophy at the weekend, pushing aside their lower ranked opposition, Dagenham United Reserves, to win the tie 4-0. That saw them earn a place in the next round where they will face Royal Forest.

And Forest made their way through to that tie themselves on the back of a strong performance, the Loughton based side travelling to Lakeside Sports Ground to take on Division Three’s Jays. Royal Forest continued their strong form from the league into the cup, winning 3-0 in the game to make it into last eight.

SENIOR DIVISION

It’s all change at the top of the Senior Division after a key game on Friday night where Philip United moved top of the table following a strong home performance against previous table toppers, Frenford Development. Fernandez Magba, Joshua Wisdom, Raj Palit, Michael Olatunji and Tamas Retyi all scored in a 5-1 success, Keenan Gravillis netting the visitors’ consolation.

Also at Parsloes Park on Friday night, it was another victory for Ongar Town this season as they struck early against a new look Bakers693 side and continued their scoring form through the game to take a 6-3 win. Mario Embalo netted a hat-trick for Bakers but Town goals from Finlay Cook, George Pugh, Max Galati, Scout Bown, Diesel Harvey and Ebenezer Fasoranti proved too much.

There was just the one goal in the night’s other game, this time from Coles Park, where Chadwell Heath Spartans were the visitors to take on a Haringey Borough Under 23s side who started the game with a seven-point advantage over Spartans. But this extended to ten by the end, Borough sitting fourth as Zayshaun Asamoah’s effort netted them a 1-0 win.

It was a big six-pointer of a game in the sole game from Saturday afternoon where two of the bottom three met with AS Rapid Londra travelling to Wadham Lodge to take on Sporting Hackney. Rapid started three points adrift but moved level on the back of a 3-2 success as Andrew Boga, Ionut Labunt and Bogdan Toana all scored.

PREMIER DIVISION EAST

In Premier Division East, it’s all change once again at the summit with Greengate District the new leaders at the top of the table following a 2-0 away success against Romford Town Flyers at Westlands. Ruben Silva and Lua Silva were both on the Greengate scoresheet with goals to make it five wins in nine this season.

Dagenham United are up into second spot in the table with games in hand on the teams above, remaining unbeaten following a hard fought 1-0 win against Kit Out London at Parsloes Park. Tajean Lewis scored the game’s only goal to complete win number five this term, remaining in pole position for a promotion finish.

The local derby game from Lakeside Sports Ground pitted Redbridge Community up against FC Baresi Reserves with both sides starting the day in the bottom four, five points apart. But Redbridge certainly left the happier, taking their points tally into double figures with a 6-1 result. Frankie Francis scored a hat-trick, Opeyemi Salami scored twice and Jordi Riaco netted the other.

PREMIER DIVISION WEST

Over in the West division, leaders Saint City moved across the halfway point in their season and into a fourteen point lead as they racked up a ninth success of the season, defeating London Park City in a 7-1 scoreline. Alberto Jalo and Liam Adams both scored twice with Noah Chesmain, Richard Seixas and Derek Adu also netting.

The other big winners from the division were North East Lions who are up into fifth spot, leapfrogging their opponents, London Cranes, with a 5-0 away win at Flanders. Jemel Richards struck a hat-trick for the visitors with Shane Thomas and James Codling also scoring in their side’s fourth league win.

Sitting a point ahead of both of those sides are Newham Wanderers who have thirteen points from seven games this season, adding three of those from Saturday’s 2-0 home victory against Vallance in Custom House. Emmanuel Chukwumah and Robertson Morais both scored for the hosts to complete the win.

Stratford East started their day with a three point deficit on opponents, Priory Park Rangers, in the battle to move clear from the bottom. There was just a single goal between the teams in the match with Stratford the side to benefit from that as Joseph-Rene Opoku netted in an eventual 1-0 win for the hosts.

DIVISION ONE

Old Esthameians have moved to within three points of the leaders in Division One after earning themselves an impressive home win against Freetown in Newbury Park. Henry Gray was on fire with a four-goal haul for E’s, Brad Harris striking twice and adding to goals from Milo McCartney, Les Moyo and Danny Harris to win 9-3. David Saffa scored two and David Adeyiga one for the visitors.

Condor sit as the next best side in third place but with games in hand that could still prove pivotal in the next few weeks, their run extended in a 5-1 away victory against Old Barkabbeyans at South Park Drive. Ruslan Belicescu, Mihai Bozianu, Darius Darie, Razvan Turcan and Cristian Rotari all struck to give their side win number five.

DIVISION TWO

The biggest winners of the day in Division Two were Old Barkabbeyans Reserves who travelled into east London and returned with all three points to defeat Haringey United in a 7-1 scoreline. Damanie Campbell struck for the hosts but a Tunji Ebun-Cole hat-trick, two goals from Miles Brown and one each from Azer Sedrak and Yunus Mussa meant the visitors were comprehensive winners.

Parsonage Leys sit two points clear at the top of the table, moving their points tally past the twenty-point marker following a local derby victory against Ongar Town Reserves at Mark Hall. Leon Arif and Samuel Butler both scored for Leys, rendering Aaron Stevenson’s goal for the hosts as just consolation in a 2-1 final scoreline.

Chadwell Heath Spartans Reserves remain up in the mix and added another win to their account on Saturday afternoon as they prevailed from their home clash with Saint City Reserves at Parsloes Park. Owen Rami extended his scoring record with another couple of goals, Usher Kasi adding the other, while Noah Chesmain fired the City consolation.

It was a big three points also for CSM London Under 23s who bounced back well from their recent reverses to take all three points against Glendale in tough conditions in Newbury Park. CSM struck midway through the first half but a strong start to the second half saw them net twice, meaning that Braulio Costa’s volley proved just consolation in a 3-1 final score.

DIVISION THREE

There was a massive result at the top of Division Three over the weekend as IONA Wheels earned themselves a big win against their closest rivals, Changing Lives, winning 5-0 at Northbrooks to end the hosts’ unbeaten record. Jack Stockdale and Lewis Deacon both scored twice, Max Hodgson adding the other to make it eight wins from nine for Wheels.

Romford Town Flyers Reserves are now just two points off the promotion places in the division, racking up their fourth league win of the season following a 2-1 away victory against Redbridge Community Reserves at Westlands. Elsio Monteiro scored for Redbridge but Flyers goals from Peter Brinton-Quinn and Harry Glenister saw their side take away the win.

COUNTY CUP

It was the most local of derby matches in the AFA Minor Cup third round on Saturday as an inter-club tie saw Old Parkonians Thirds taking on Old Parkonians A for a place in the quarter-finals. It was the EAL team who prevailed in the end, winning 3-2 to set up a home tie in the last eight against Broomfield or Old Manorians.