WEEK 16 REVIEW: Review of Saturday's league and cup action

DIVISION ONE CUP

The Division One Cup action continued on Saturday as Eastside kicked off the new year in style with a 4-2 win away at Sporting Hackney Development in group B action. That local derby win for Side saw them move second in the standings with a game to go as Joseph Andrews, Joshua Duyile, Conrad Mullings and Idris Shittu goals overcame efforts from Piango Kossa and Ashley Cooper-Clarke in reply for the Parrots.

SENIOR DIVISION

In the day’s sole surviving top flight action in the Senior Division, there was an eleven-goal thriller in Noak Hill as East Ham Inter took on rivals Blue Marlin with both sides seeking to get their new year underway in positive fashion. Blue Marlin left the ground he happier of the two sides, earning a 7-4 victory and moving up to seventh place in the standings.

DIVISION ONE

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DIVISION TWO

Sungate Reserves continued the work they started in the last calendar year, maintaining a four point gap at the top with a stunning 6-2 win away at Unitey. David Blessing and Noe Kimia were both on target for the hosts but an Aaron White hat-trick in reply for Gate along with goals from Peter Truman, Thomas Drayton and debutant Jamie Redington secure the win.

Moving up to second place, Three Colts took advantage of results around them to climb into the promotion places as they took on fellow challengers, Rainham Working Mens Club. Goals from Liam Bellamy and Dwayne Sharon were sufficient for the visitors to pick up a 2-0 victory and keep in touch with the leaders.

County cup quarter finalists, Upshire Forest, kept up their excellent recent form as they beat previously second placed Royal Forest at Town Mead. Luke Robinson scored twice with James Davis and Sam Jipps efforts seeing them to a 4-2 win, moving them within touching distance of the sides placed in mid-table.

And there was a similarly important win for Cowley Community who themselves have a big county cup coming up and warmed up for that encounter with a big away win at Melbourne Sports. Chris Wright could do no wrong, scoring a hat-trick for his side with Ryan Thompson-Cobham finishing things off in a 4-0 scoreline.

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, Newham Wanderers have moved to within four points of the leaders with a game in hand as they overcame the efforts of Avondale Rangers on Saturday in their clash at Wanstead Flats. Fabio Jau scored twice for Wanderers with Bradley Harris’ effort completing a 3-0 victory for the promotion chasing outfit.

Another team with ambitions of achieving promotion are St Francis and they kept up their chances with a home win against Debden Park. They were 5-1 winners on the day, comfortably seeing off a struggling Park side to stay third in the standings and four points off of the promotion pace.

The other game at this level was a real humdinger as winless Custom House United raced into a 4-1 half-time lead against Glendale with Glenn Levy scoring a hat-trick and Matthew Guy grabbing the other to seemingly end the contest. But a second half resurgence from Glendale come back to win 6-4, scoring five without reply as Mouhamed Gueye scored a hat-trick, Maryis Shamku bagged a brace and Valter Correia’s effort rounded things off.

DIVISION FOUR

Fairlop Rovers have moved up into the promotion places in Division Four as they overcame a tough test away at Flyers B in Romford to earn a 3-2 win. A goal from each of Brandon Leather and Sam Beaman were enough to secure the points, moving them up to second place on goal difference.

One of the results of the day came from Westlands where previously tenth placed Brentwood United Reserves put in a real shift to overcome promotion chasing Dagenham United Reserves. Brentwood were 7-1 winners to open their new year in a positive fashion, moving them up a place to ninth as a result.

There was a big move from Loughton Lions too on Saturday as they climbed up the standings to fourth on the back of a narrow win at home against Together United in Hainault. Lions scored the only goal of a competitive game to take home the points in a 1-0 victory, shifting up three places in the table as a result.

Photo: East Ham Inter / Line of Fire Photography