WEEK 21 REVIEW: Round-up of Saturday's league and cup action

DIVISION 3 CUP

The Week 21 action will be remembered as one where more games were cancelled than actually took place as the freezing cold weather took hold at many of the venues around the league. One cup tie did survive however in the Division Three Cup competition where there was quarter final action in Beckton between Custom House United and Flyers Reserves. Jamie Wooster got on the scoresheet for the Dockers but his efforts were in vain as Flyers completed a 4-1 win to book a place in the semi finals of the competition.

DIVISION ONE

In the Division One standings, it’s as you were at the very top with three out of the top four sides in action and all winning their matches. FC Baresi were the biggest victors of the day as they put nine goals past Chingford United in their local derby, staying a point clear of the second placed side. Recent recruit Tashan Benjamin is showing his worth to the side already as he scored four goals. Marvin Smith netted twice with one each from Hasan Yildiz, Amais Khan and Zuhayr Amjad completed a 9-2 win.

There were also a win for the county cup semi finalists, Chigwell, who trail the leaders by just a point at the top of the table. They were up against co-tenants Melbourne Sports in the Fairlop Oak derby match with Chigwell running out comfortable 5-0 winners on the day, their tenth victory of a hugely successful campaign so far.

League cup semi finalists, Three Colts, continued their own good run of form as they edged a close game on Saturday against fifth placed Rapid Chingford. Ionut Pumnutiu scored two Rapid goals for his side but Colts efforts from James Kane, Jack Luck and James Carter were sufficient to win this fixture by the odd goal in five, completing a 3-2 win.

DIVISION TWO

Two matches survived the elements in Division Two at the weekend, one of which saw two two title challenging sides go head to head with Chingford Athletic Development hosting CSM London up in Waltham Abbey. Rodrique Beya got himself on the scoresheet for the visitors but Chingford were more than a match and cruised to a comfortable 6-1 win, opening up a four point gap at the top in the process.

In the day’s other surviving contest, Upshire Forest made the journey around the M25 to take on Rainham Working Mens Club with just three points separating the sides before the match. In a competitive match, Rainham Working Mens Club eventually edged the contest with Liam Pickett on target for the hosts to secure them a 2-0 win on the day. That result moved Rainham up a place to fifth in the standings.

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, Royal Forest maintained their charge for promotion at the weekend but were made to work for their victory, as they edged a close encounter with Glendale in the battle of the hedge in Hainault. With nine places separating the sides, there was little to pick between the teams until Joe Owers’ quality free kick on the hour nestled into the top corner. Glendale should have levelled in the last minute with a shot from a yard out going straight at the home keeper, continuing a largely luckless season for the Dales.

Frenford A maintained their stronghold on fourth place in the table as romped to a big win on Saturday in the Ilford derby away at New Star Soccer. Micah Sutherland and Lheureux Menga netted for New Star but their efforts were in vain as Hendrew Schimidt and Adam Andrade both scored twice with Jovan Shand-Aldridge, Tiwa Osifuwa and Kevin Struett scoring the others in a 7-2 win for the visitors.

Completing the action in this division, Tower Hamlets Reserves made a return to winning ways as they bounced back from a reverse last time out to overcome Chingford Harriers in Hackney. Harriers’ stalwarts Nick Shawyer and Edwin Jabbari both found the back of the net for the visitors but their efforts were in vain as Hamlets won it 4-2 to move back into the top half of the table.

DIVISION FOUR

In the last game of the day, there was terrific contest in Division Four which saw Old Barkabbeyans Reserves travel to Castle Green to take on Dagenham United Reserves. The Daggers had to come from behind to rescue a 3-3 draw which could even have been a win on another day. Jerome Morris scored twice for Old Barks and Klodan Meta once but Dagenham efforts from Rashid Matabaro, Jordan Thomas and Jeffrey Nketia levelled things to complete the comeback.