WEEK 15 REVIEW: Round-up of Saturday's league and cup action

SENIOR DIVISION

There was a huge result at the top of the Senior Division table over the weekend as ACD United produced a stunning result to defeat one of their close rivals for the title this season, Jolof Sports. Joshua Harris, Liam Porter and Frankie Markham all found the back of the net to increase their lead over the rest to five points, sending Jolof to just a second defeat of the season.

East Ham Inter have returned to second in the table with games in hand still over the leaders after they took on London Park City in Seven Kings on Saturday. After defeat in their last league game, Inter produced the goods on this occasion, romping to a 4-0 victory to see them move up a place as Adam Bessadi and Mihail Dodow scored twice each.

The weekend’s other winning side in the top flight was Blue Marlin who picked up a hugely important three points in their Newbury Park local derby against Singh Sabha Barking. Marlin edged a five goal thriller, earning a 3-2 win to record a third league win of the season and move within touching distance of the mid-table sides above them. Sam Tully and John Tikare were the Marlin scorers.

The fourth top flight game of the day saw fifth placed Docklands Albion taking on seventh placed West Essex Reserves in a mid-table match with both sides looking for a boost prior to the Christmas break. The defences of both sides were on top of this one however with neither able to break the deadline, the match finishing level at 0-0 to take home a point each.

DIVISION ONE

The in-form Chigwell have moved up to second place in Division One as they took full advantage of those around them being out of action to increase their own points tally. Fresh from securing a place in the quarter-finals of the county cup, Chigwell were 2-0 victors on Saturday, beating a recently revitalised Sporting Hackney Under 23s side.

Another in-form side who were looking to keep their momentum going were Lymore Gardens who followed up a terrific win last time out by eventually seeing off a plucky Chingford United side. Having seen a lead evaporate, Lymore eventually scored twice more to win an eight-goal thriller 5-3, moving up to fourth in the process. Dushane Powell grabbed a hat-trick and Warren Isoka got the other two goals.

Lymore’s progress up the table was helped by Three Colts slipping to just a second defeat of the season as Forest Green pulled off a top performance to beat the hosts 3-1 in Debden. A goal apiece from Sylvanus Taylor-Lewis and Joshua Thompson proved sufficient to help Green to a fourth league win, moving up a place to seventh in the process.

DIVISION TWO

In Division Two, CSM London closed the gap on the promotion places at the top of the table as they scored late on in their terrific encounter against Rainham Working Mens Club. Rainham goals from Abdul Yusuf and Liam Tormey were rendered consolation as Aaron Oliveira, Ade Yusuf and a late Zachary Forte goal stole the show in a 3-2 win for CSM.

Consolidating fourth place in the table were Cowley Community who put a halt to South Marsh United’s recent winning spell to win 2-0 at home in Leyton. Cowley goals from Leeon Francis and Takunua Ndadzingira were the difference between the sides, making it seven wins from eleven this term.

Upshire Forest moved up two places in the table to seventh position as a point from their contest at home to Puma Kings was enough to move them clear of the sides immediately below them. Aaron Rich got the all-important goal for the hosts with Puma also netting in a an eventual 1-1 draw.

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, the present league leaders, Custom House United, remain top but suffered a major blow to their title credentials as they slipped to an entertaining 6-4 home defeat against New Star Soccer. Jamie Wooster, Matthew Guy and Glenn Levy got the Dockers’ goals but two strikes from Tyrese Sutherland and one each from Aaron Walker, Ricardo Khan, Dwaine Hitchman and Samson Ogunwole brought victory home to Seven Kings for New Star.

Royal Forest have moved up to second place once again as they took advantage of Haver Town being out of action by beating Frenford A 2-1, leaving all three of those sides unbelievably locked on the same records after eleven games with 23 points each. Tiwa Osifuwa for the Frenford goal which proved just consolation in the end.

Lurking just behind the top four clubs are Brook City who remain well in the frame for a promotion push with the best points per game ratio in the division, albeit with games in hand still to win. They put Forest Green Reserves to the sword on Saturday, overcoming Delon Laurent’s goal to win 5-1.

Completing the top half of the table, Flyers Reserves consolidated their sixth place position in the table, bouncing back well from defeat last time out to beat Chingford Harriers 3-2 in Romford. Dave Birchnall got the Harrier’s goal but Flyers did just enough to edge the contest and take home the points on the day.

And completing the day’s action in Division Three, St Francis will be breathing a sigh of relief as they recorded their first league win of the season at the eleventh attempt, beating Glendale at Wanstead Flats. Thomas Teseay scored two of the goals with debutants Mikael Spencer and Omar Abdulaziz getting the others to counter Valter Correia’s effort for Glendale in reply.

DIVISION FOUR

The gap between the top two sides in Division Four remains at just a couple of points as Sungate Reserves registered a tenth league win of the season, putting six goals past Loughton Lions. Recent recruit, Danny Downer, scored a hat-trick with Sam Cooper, Aaron White and John Watson getting the others. Will Osmond scored both of the Lions’ goals in reply to increase his goal tally.

Making this a very interesting title chase this season are Avondale Rangers who have been on a great run of form themselves, further enhanced by a narrow 3-2 win at home to Newham Royals on Saturday in Hainault. Chris Harper scored twice and Liam Gibson got the third to edge this clash against mid-table Royals.

The third side in the promotion picture are Debden Park who have secured seven league wins in their opening eleven encounters to keep themselves involved at the right end of the table. They were 2-0 victors away at an out-of-luck Dagenham United Reserves side on Saturday, Park staying five points behind the top two going into the second half of the season.

Consolidating their position in fourth place, Brentwood United Reserves will be happy with their work in the first half of the season and they picked up another win on Saturday with a 5-1 home victory against Chigwell Mens Club at Westlands. Andre Poyot scored for the visitors but a Brentwood brace from Jonathan Mogege and efforts from Daniel Leavy, Danny Walker and Rory McMahon saw the points heading home to Havering.

COUNTY CUP

It was fourth round day in the London Junior Cup on Saturday and one of the ties of the competition saw an epic battle in store between last season’s semi-finalists, FC Baresi, and Division Three’s well-equipped Tower Hamlets Reserves side. As envisaged, a tough battle saw the sides finish level at ninety minutes at 1-1 before a Baresi winner in the extra thirty minutes eventually put them through to the quarter finals once again.