WEEK 16 REVIEW: Round-up of all the league and cup action from the weekend

FENTON CUP

Saturday saw the final football action of November with two Fenton Cups ties featuring on the fixture list. Second tier London Cranes almost pulled off a shock, leading 2-0 against top flight Chadwell Heath Spartans but the latter fought back well and took a 3-2 victory through goals from Aaron Hunwicks, Elie Fanga and Jonathan Evans to head into round two.

Over at Town Mead, Chingford Athletic faced fellow Premier Division high-flyers, RCXI, in their first round tie and a closely fought game saw the two sides finish level at 3-3 at the end of ninety minutes with Brandon Dillon scoring twice and Dylan Scutt once for the hosts. And it was Chingford who held their nerve in the shoutout to win it 4-3.

SENIOR DIVISION

A full Senior fixture list began up at Ware with the leaders, FC Baresi, hosting rivals Lymore Gardens in a crucial game. A tight contest was edged by the odd goal by Baresi as Paul Benfield scored both of their goals in a 2-1 victory, that result seeing them able to open up a four point gap at the top of the table.

Previously second placed Brimsdown went into their game away at FC Petrocub very much as one of the in-form sides but they faced another side who have been cranking up the wins recently. An expectedly close game saw it finish level with the teams sharing the points in a 1-1 draw, that result seeing the visitors drop a place to third.

Those scorelines enables Jolof Sports to make further progress up the league standings as they climbed into second spot in the table on the back of a winning trip to Rapid Chingford, returning home with all three points in a 3-1 success. Andrei Cazacu scored the Rapid goal but Jolof goals in reply from Ndiouga Mara, Alexander Sow and Bogdan Ursica saw the points head home with them.

Fourth placed Sporting Hackney now sit six points off the pace with a game in hand after they came out on the winning side of the Wadham derby game against Walthamstow Reserves. A single goal in the game was all that separated the sides with Henry Gallagher’s strike for the Parrots the difference on the day in a 1-0 win.

Woodford East sit fifth after twelve games and remain well in contention for matters above them following an eighth league success of the season, beating Crookz United 6-2 at Mabley Green. Connor Brathwaite scored a hat-trick, Ben Smith netted two and William Letchford grabbed the other as they put themselves five points clear of the side below them.

Sitting right in the middle of the table, May & Baker EC Reserves are up to ninth following the weekend’s results, jumping up a place after they came through a local derby game with Dagenham United with all three points, winning 4-0. Oliver Beadle bagged a brace with Darius Egualeonan and Ricardo Teixeira striking the others in a solid performance.

Eighth placed Frenford Development also have a number of games in hand on sides above and they made the first of those pay with a 5-2 win at The Drive over the weekend, defeating Oakside in the Redbridge derby. A goal apiece from Louie Handley, Carlos Barahona, Jhon Castillo, Joel Opara and Gabriel Alves were enough for their sides to take a fifth league win of the campaign.

At the other end of the standings, Blue Marlin will be breathing a sigh of relief and will hope the weekend proves a watershed week for them as they picked up a first win of the season in a 5-3 victory in Hainault against Kit Out London. That saw them close the gap on the sides above to just a single point though do still sit seven points adrift of safety. The only way is up!

PREMIER DIVISION EAST

In Premier Division East, there are new leaders at the top of the table as Underscore United underlined their title credentials with a seventh successive league success, moving two points clear at the top after a 5-3 home win against Wapping. Mohammed Ahmed, Donald Adeosun and Yusuf Nasir scored for the visitors but those goals proved in vain despite a hard fought performance.

Fairlop Rovers took advantage of other sides around them being in cup action to move up to third in the standings with a 2-0 home winning performance against Barkingside Under 23s at Fairlop Oak. Jayden Francis and Joseph Head both got on the scoresheet for the promotion chasing outfit as they made it five wins from eight.

There was a big result for London Park City who went into their home game against Aveley Under 23s with a four point deficit to make up on. But by full-time they had slashed that to a single point, sending the Millers to a first defeat of the season as Mohammed Fadil and Alexandru Gheorghe both struck to give them a 2-1 win. Aldo Vani netted the Aveley goal in reply.

Fifth placed Waltham Abbey A continued what has been a very decent start in the league so far this season with a big home win on Saturday against Freetown. Harry Lea and Alfie Bruno hat-tricks led the way with Tom Marchant (2), Thomas Daltrey, Charlie Kerswell, Micky Clark and Archie Stojic goals paving the way to an emphatic 12-0 win.

PREMIER DIVISION WEST

Priory Park Rangers have moved top of the Premier Division West division on goal difference as they came out on top in their home clash with Athletic Newham Under 23s at Hackney Marshes on Saturday. Hosts Rangers were 5-1 victors on the day to make it seven league wins in ten as they head top of the pile.

Lurking in fourth, CSM London’s games in hand could yet still impact those top spots and they continued their silent assault with a thumping 7-0 home win at West Ham Foundation over the weekend, beating Wanstead to move up a place. Chris Anele came off the bench to score twice with Conrad Doggett, Emre Ozuaciksoz, Micail Koulibaly and Luke McElroy also netting.

Leyton City will be pleased with their efforts from Saturday as they finally put a first win on the board with a home victory against G7 in Newbury Park. Jahvarn Steward netting twice off the bench with Liam Kennedy scoring the other in a 3-2 win. That result pushes them to within a point of their opponents and also safety.

DIVISION ONE

Top of the table Newham Wanderers ensured they kept their name at the top of the division after coming through a tricky home test against Ilford Reserves at the Flats. Goals from Robertson Morais, Manuel Sanuo and Seco Embalo proved vital in a game they eventually edged by the odd goal in five, 3-2 the winning scoreline.

Second placed Redbridge Community could yet move level with the leaders albeit with some goal difference to make up on. They done their best to cut that deficit on Saturday with an away win on the road, beating Atholl in Chingford in a 4-2 scoreline to pick up win number seven. Michael Kiflezghi scored two with Frankie Francis and Tevin French netting the others for their side.

Old Esthameians are up a place into third in the standings after they made it four wins from their opening ten league fixtures, coming through a tough home test against bottom of the table Kwanzas London Sport in Newbury Park. Celso Gomes scored twice off the bench for the visitors but his goals were not enough as E’s ran out 3-2 victors.

Completing the division’s action was a mid-table game between two sides who started the day on the same points tally, Something From Nothing making the trip to Dagenham to take on Eagles Football. But SFN have some good momentum at the moment and they were able to come out 1-0 winners on the day to move into fifth place in the standings.

DIVISION TWO

With the sides above them not in action, hosts Royal Forest and FC Baresi Under 23s saw their chance to close the gap as those sides met in Loughton. A close game of six goals was eventually edged by FC Baresi who came out 4-2 winners in the game with Mak Delkic, David Poirier, Joshua Adu and Simeon Nelson all scoring in put their side up to third.

Lymore Gardens Reserves and Redbridge Community Reserves started the day level on six points apiece ahead of their game in Hainault but it was the visitors, Lymore, who ended the happier of the sides, winning the game 5-2. That was Lymore’s third win of the season and it saw them leapfrog their opponents into eighth.

DIVISION THREE

The top two sides in Division Three both picked up victories on Saturday with Jolof Sports Reserves coming out on the right side of a five goal thriller against third placed Chingford Harriers to put some distance between their sides. Calvin Dias, James Farmer and debutant Marllen Silva all struck goals for the hosts as they continue their title quest.

Top of the table Newbury East remain four points clear of their closest rivals as they came away winners from their trip to Lakeside to face Football Club of Riverside. Two Rafai Bentick goals off the bench were added to by strikes from Junior Milla and Nuureeni Nuureeni as the leaders put a 4-2 win on the board.

Fourth placed Frenford A and just a point behind the side immediately above them now after they were also winners on the road, beating Dagenham United Reserves 2-1 at Castle Green. Marcus Ursu scored for the hosts but his effort proved just consolation as Frenford scored twice themselves to take the victory.

Glendale came from behind in their away trip to Buckhurst Way to take all three points home with them as they ended up 7-3 winners at Bancroft Rugby Club. First half goals from Dev Choudhury and Josh Adeojo got them level before Dave Hennessey’s wonder strike gave them the lead, Maryis Shamku, Abdulai Ahmed, Muhammad Camara and Ade Adeyemi netting the others.

And it was an away day win also for Romford Under 21s who made a successful trip to Hainault to face Melbourne Sports as they walked away 3-2 winners to confirm win number three this season. A goal apiece from each of Joshua Fage, Eugenio Balde and Edy Da Silveira were just enough for the visitors to edge the contest.

DIVISION FOUR

It was another prolific goal scoring weekend in Division Four where the leaders, Romford Under 19s, continued to fire in front of goal with an 8-5 success in a crazy game against second placed Fairlop Rovers Reserves. Bradley Mott and Sergio Rusu both scored twice with Jakub Bogacki, Casper Salentenik, Alvin Smeraldi and Charlie Howell also netting. Tyler Kirby and Gianluca Halil both netted twice in reply for Fairlop, along with a Matthew Stratton goal.

Collier Row Wheels were able to use that result to close the gap on the sides above as they moved two points outside of the promotion places with a 5-1 win against Avondale Rangers. Tafari Miller’s two goals led the way with Adem Conaty, Jenny Ogundele and Jack Stockdale efforts completing the scoresheet for the visitors.

Emerson & Upminster Reserves secured a second league success for their season with a win on the road away at eighth placed West Essex Under 23s. Despite going into the game trailing their opponents by nine points, a goal each from Byron Cressey, Ryan Conway, Gordon Archie, Tyler Huggett and Ryan Whitton gave Emerson a 5-1 success, Ebraheem Bhoodoo scoring the West goal in reply.

Moving up into seventh place are Flyers Under 23s who join a cluster of clubs on twelve points following a 3-0 home success against Inter London, renewing old rivalries with their opponents from last season. That was Flyers’ fourth league success of the campaign, moving just a point behind Inter London in the table.

Ninth placed Old Esthameians Reserves will be pleased with their afternoon’s performance on Saturday as they secured a second league win with a 2-0 home success against Newham & Havering Borough, the visitors remaining winless so far this season. That win for E’s ensured they remain outside of the bottom two though are still five points adrift of the group above them.

COUNTY CUP

In the Essex Junior Trophy, Division Two’s leading pair both made safe passage through into the quarter finals with Snaresbrook coming away 2-0 winners from their home clash against Collier Row Reserves. Their reward is another home clash as they take on Basildon Town A in January.

Joining Snaresbrook in the quarter finals will be Rainham Phoenix who faced Mid Essex League opposition on Saturday at home with Southminster United the visitors to Harris Academy. Rainham were in fine goalscoring form in a 6-1 winning performance to head into an away quarter final against either Hutton B or Kelvedon Social A.

Chadwell Heath Spartans Reserves’ run in the competition came to an end at the third round stage as they headed out against Olympian opposition, going down 3-1 against Basildon Town A in Hainault to see their interest end for the season.

In the London Junior Cup, Soul are into the hat for the fourth round of the competition, the last sixteen stage, as they overcame a potentially tricky tie against another EAL side, Forest Green, over in Leyton. The Premier Division side eventually prevailed in a 2-1 scoreline to head through.

On the flip side, Unitey’s run to the last thirty two of the competition finally met it’s end as they were beaten by West End AFA League side Park Stars in their game. A 2-1 scoreline in favour of the visitors brought Unitey’s involvement to an end for another season.

In the Middlesex Intermediate Cup, AEK London faced familiar opposition as they met one of their former opponents, Indian Gymkhana, in their first round tie. A close game saw a single goal settle the tie with the visitors the side to benefit, ending AEK’s run in the competition.

Photo Credit: CSM London FC