WEEK 23 REVIEW: Round-up of all the EAL league and cup action from the weekend

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FENTON CUP
A number of semi-finalists are now confirmed for this season's Fenton Cup competition with Sporting Bengal United Reserves providing Premier Division representation after knocking out top flight opposition on Saturday with a strong away performance against Walthamstow Reserves. Sporting were 4-2 winners on the day to give themselves a shot at reaching the showpiece final.
Joining them in that game in the semi-finals will be Chadwell Heath Spartans who were also up against a lower ranked side with Barkingside Reserves the visitors to The Drive to face the hosts. But it was a goal apiece for Ryan O'Connell, Tolu Dina and Elie Fanga who made the difference in the game for Spartans, confirming a solid 3-0 win and a place in the last four.
Also heading into the semi-finals are one of the recent winners of the competition, FC Petrocub London, who had it all to do with the visit of high-flying CSM London down to Noak Hill on Saturday afternoon. Despite their reverses against the same opposition in the league, Petrocub took this one by the odd goal, 3-2 winners despite CSM goals from both Michael Payne and Omari Williams.
FENTON TROPHY
It was quarter-finals day in the Fenton Trophy competition also where Division Two's Saint City Reserves faced higher league opponents, taking on an in-form Ocean Pacific side from Division One in the game in Dagenham. Emmanuel Hammond struck for City on his debut but Ocean made waves of their own with five goals to take victory by a 5-1 scoreline and book their place in the semi-finals.
SENIOR DIVISION
The Friday night football action saw three games, starting at Parsloes Park where Bakers693 confirmed just a third league win of the season to move close the gap to safety to ten points. They were 3-1 winners against Waltham Forest Borough as goals from Mario Embalo, Randy Adele and Lewis Francis overcame Paulius Ditkevicius' strike for Borough.
It was victory for the league leaders, Philip United, as they made the tricky trip to north London on Friday evening to face a Haringey Borough Under 23s side always there or thereabouts in the standings. But three unanswered goals for the leaders meant that it was them walking away 3-0 winners to maintain a strong position at the top.
There was a fairly routine looking victory for one of other challengers for honours as Lymore Gardens took on a relegation-threatened Sporting Hackney side at Oakside. A goal apiece from Munnir Saad, Tyrique Peters, Dylan Roberts, Alex Coster and Jordan Monk were too much for the Parrots with Lymore winning 6-0.
On Saturday afternoon, Frenford Development continued their recent positive run with a hard fought home victory against local rivals Woodford Town Reserves at The Drive. Arthur Massingham notched his customary goal for the visitors but Frenford goals scored by Keenan Gravillis and Isima Iguisi were the difference in a 2-1 win.
In matters affecting the other end of the table, it was a massively important game at Lea Valley too where Fairlop Rovers were the visitors to take on a Kulture side, both lurching towards the danger zone. Rovers were in fine fettle here and racked up a 4-0 win for themselves as Dylan Scutt scored two, Stefanos Ladoukakis and Leo Siki netted.
The remaining game from the top flight came from Lakeside Sports Ground where AS Rapid Londra were up against Ongar Town, the former also in desperate need of points to aid their avoidance of the dreaded drop. They were 2-1 winners in the game to help that with Andrei Boga and Jan Katuscak scoring for them and Gilson Pereira striking for Town in reply.
PREMIER DIVISION CUP
The second round action saw FC Baresi Reserves achieve a place in the quarter-finals following a win over the weekend against Vallance. With the game ending 3-3 with two Joshua Adu goals and one from Abir Kabir for the hosts and visitor goals from Jacob Genus, Abdul Hoque and Brady Landu, Baresi then won the shootout 5-3 to head through.
Also heading into the last eight of the competition are Unitey who produced a winning performance to edge their second round tie at home to North East Lions. Shaquille Amara scored for Lions but home team goals from Muamar Osman and Jethro Edet meant it was Unitey going through with a 2-1 win.
PREMIER DIVISION EAST
There are new leaders at the top of Premier Division East as Greengate District moved a couple of points clear at the summit following a 3-1 away victory against Something From Nothing in Hainault. Jorge Agostinho, Ruben Silva and Okynda Okera were the scorers for Greengate while Junior Milla's effort accounted for the SFN consolation.
Second placed Dagenham United rescued a late point to ensure they remain unbeaten in the league this season, a late goal seeing them make it 1-1 against previously bottom of the table Waltham Abbey A. Bryan Henry's finish at the far post in the dying embers of the game meant that Dagenham made it seven wins and four draws from eleven this term.
Kit Out London have moved up into third place in the table, taking advantage of teams around them being out of action to leap up into that spot on the back of a 4-1 home victory against Romford Town Flyers. Ryan Nkansah scored twice, Fatih Mustafa and Charles Ariwa once for the hosts while Kofi Broni struck in reply for Flyers.
Motormen remain amongst the picture also and had a late winning goal to thank for their latest points haul as Roy Stevens' second goal of a close game, along with Mahmut Emirali's earlier effort helped them overcome Redbridge Community at Fairlop Oak in a 3-2 scoreline.
PREMIER DIVISION WEST
Over in the West division, there were a couple of important results affecting the bottom end of the standings, firstly as Priory Park Rangers moved further clear of any imminent danger as they racked up a 4-2 away win against London Cranes at Flanders in a result which moves them just a point behind their opponents.
In a similar vain, Stratford East's fourth league win of the season saw them move away from danger also, sitting seventh after scoring the game's only goal in a 1-0 victory at home against winless London Park City. Joseph-Rene Opoku scored the game's only goal to take their season points tally onto twelve.
DIVISION ONE CUP
There was quarter final action in the Division One Cup as Old Esthameians faced a Royal Lions side for a place in the last four in Newbury Park. A tightly fought game was edged by the odd goal with Old Esthameians the side to benefit from that winner as Matthew Pemberton and Henry Gray both struck to win it 2-1.
There were also two first round ties completed to confirm further quarter-finalists, beginning in Woodford where Leyton City were in action with a home tie against Lymore Gardens Under 23s. Awal Lawal struck twice for the hosts but two Rayshun Codner goals in reply plus efforts from Shadrack Boakye and Bruce Gaynor put the holders through 4-2.
Also confirming a place in the last eight of the competition were FC Alpha who produced a mirror score of the one above with a 4-2 home success at Noak Hill against Old Barkabbeyans. Christopher Plummer and Geovany Cruz scored for the visitors but an Alpha hat-trick from Denis Musteata and Igor Mamulat's goal gave the hosts the win.
DIVISION ONE
There was just the one game in Division One which saw an in-form Condor side in action at home with the visit of West Essex Reserves. The game produced an eight-goal contest with Condor scoring five of those to take victory as Ruslan Belicescu, Razvan Turcan, Evgheni Grigoreanu, Liviu Tihon and Ion Scurtu all netted in a 5-3 success.
DIVISION TWO CUP
In the first round of the Division Two Cup, two of the division's top sides met at Parsloes Park where Chadwell Heath Spartans Reserves were facing Parsonage Leys for a place in the last eight. The game saw just one goal and that came courtesy of Joshua Wilkening for Parsonage, that enough for a 1-0 win and a place in the quarter-finals.
It was a similarly tight game up at Mark Hall in the other first round game which saw Ongar Town Reserves and Dagenham United Reserves fighting it out for a place in the quarter-finals. The game ended 2-2 with Ongar goals from Myles Menkenrick and Keown Egbejobi equalling two Tajay Smith goals for Dagenham. And it was Ongar who then won the shootout 3-2 to head through.
In the first of the quarter-final clashes, it was victory for title-chasing Royal Forest over in Newbury Park, producing eight goals in their game with CSM London Under 23s to move to within ninety minutes of the final.Wahid Aziz scored for the hosts but that was just in consolation by the end as Forest ran out 8-1 victors.
DIVISION TWO
The goals were flying in Division Two firstly as Old Parkonians A's hot streak in front of goal continued with a thumping 15-0 win against Haringey United in Barkingside. Four Billy Mason goals, hat-tricks from Sean Doyle and Rowan Newland, two from Charlie Fiander and singles from Burt Cardy, Shane Hovell and Anthony Ogunro completed it.
Just down the road at Fairlop Oak, Glendale struck early in their game against promotion chasing Old Barkabbeyans Reserves with Ahmed A bdulai scoring from the spot. But a goal just before half-time for the visitors and injuries meant it was Old Barks who prevailed 5-1 with Owen Thompson netting two, Henry Lennon, Delphin Xavier and Miles Brown the others.
DIVISION THREE CUP
The first round of the Division Three Cup competition saw two ties completed with last season's finalists, Changing Lives, through into the last eight of the competition this year after a 3-2 away win against London Academics in east London. Ussri Badawi, Agoro Fuad and Zaharadeen Yakubu all found the net to edge their way through.
Over in Romford it was another first round tie in the game between Romford Town Flyers Reserves and Buckhurst Way for a place in the last eight. It was the visitors who walked away the happier of the teams, netting themselves a 3-0 win, setting up a trip to Dagenham to play Cobra.
DIVISION THREE
The theme of goals continued into Division Three where leaders, IONA Wheels, put away eleven goals against co-tenants Cobra in Dagenham to net an 11-1 win. Jack Stockdale scored a hat-trick, Luke Fearne, Lewis Deacon and Jeffrey Nketia all bagged braces and Elliot Hastings finishing it off. Rex Madula scored the Cobra goal in reply.
A ten-goal thriller completes the league action for the weekend as Westlands Playing Fields played host to a league clash between Redbridge Community Reserves and Just Play, the latter starting the day seven points ahead. The game saw the sides share the spoils with attack dominating defence in a 5-5 draw.
COUNTY CUP
It was quarter-final day in the Essex Junior Trophy for Chingford Harriers who had a trip to mid Essex ahead of them on Saturday to face Warley-based Brentwood Athletic in the last eight. A tight game was edged however by the hosts, Brentwood winning the game 2-1 to send themselves through.
Photo Credit: Chadwell Heath Spartans Reserves