WEEK 19 REVIEW: Round-up of all the EAL league and cup action from the weekend

SENIOR DIVISION

The final pre-Christmas action saw the Senior Division take centre stage, beginning on Friday evening where Lymore Gardens kept their promotion hopes alive, earning a hugely important win against fellow high-flying Haringey Borough Under 23s. Alexander Nicolaides and Louis Maffia scored for Borough but a Dylan Roberts hat-trick meant it was Lymore ending the night 3-2 winners.

Over at Parsloes Park, CSM London’s own hopes took a bit of a dent as they took on a Fairlop Rovers side desperate for points for their own reasons. Rovers took an early lead but Luke McElroy struck twice to put CSM in pole position. A late equaliser meant the teams share the points at 2-2 however with Jayden Francis and Jack Kibblewhite netting for Rovers.

The early kick off on Saturday afternoon pitched top versus bottom with Philip United hosting a Bakers693 side showing a turn of form in recent weeks. It was a game laden with big chances but it took fully eighty minutes for the game to eventually see a first goal, Philip grabbing that opportunity and then scoring twice further late on to prevail 3-0.

Another key game affecting matters towards the top of the table came from The Drive where Frenford Development’s latest battle saw them take on Walthamstow Reserves, nineteen points separating the sides before kick-off. But that deficit proved of little indication to the final scoreline, Stow netting three in a 3-1 success, Bilal Hussain netting Frenford’s consolation.

There were big results too in the battles involving the other end of the table, starting at Lakeside Sports Ground where AS Rapid Londra and Sporting Hackney went in search of vital points in their bid to avoid the drop. A five-goal thriller went in favour of the hosts by full-time, Rapid winning 3-2 courtesy of two Ionut Labunt goals and a Bogdan Toana effort.

At Parsloes Park, another of the sides still involved in that battle to beat the drop are Waltham Forest Borough who entertained an Ongar Town side sitting rather more comfortably in the standings. Borough led at the break and held that lead until full-time, earning an important 3-1 win. Samir Bihmoutine scored two and Aaron Blake the other to keep the hosts just above the danger zone.

Woodford Town Reserves went into their final game of the calendar year holding a five point lead over the opponents on the day, Kulture, and looked to be adding to that after getting into a two-goal lead. But Kulture were not to be undone and battled back against the inclement weather to take a point, levelling the contest at 2-2 by full-time.

Also battling against the elements were FC Petrocub London and Chadwell Heath Spartans at Noak Hill, renewing acquaintances soon after their recent cup exploits. It was a more routine win this time around with Spartans scoring both goals in a 2-0 success. Ryan O’Connell and Nana Acheampong were the scorers for the visitors to push them to within four points of the top five.