WEEK 25 REVIEW: Big cup weekend sees semi-final places confirmed

Four sides have booked themselves in for a cup semi-final and placed themselves just one game away from a cup final at Dagenham & Redbridge FC after a big weekend of cup football.

In the Premier Division Cup Quarter Final, Jolof Sports were taken all the way to a penalty shootout by Melbourne Sports after a Kobie Ambrose goal for the Mels had seen the match end 1-1. League leaders, Jolof Sports, came through the drama of the shootout 3-0 and will now face Rainham Working Mens Club or Buckhurst Hill Under 21s in the semi-final. There was also a first round clash that took place as Blue Marlin hosted Chingford Athletic with the latter running out 6-2 winners as Gary Murray’s hat-trick added to goals from Michael Mignot, Scott Campbell and Michael Kelly.

Flyers have booked their place in the Division One Cup Semi Final with a 3-1 win at Cowley Community. Michael Konis was on target for Cowley but it wasn’t enough for the boys from east London as goals from Stephen Claxton, Lee Hattam and Jamie Howe booked Flyers a home semi-final against either Three Colts or Grove United.

There were two cup shocks in the Division Two Cup quarter-finals where seventh placed Custom House knocked out league leaders Singh Sabha Barking in a 2-1 win. It continues a remarkable second half of the season for the Dockers who saw off a strike from Indervir Virdi for the home side with two goals of their own from Jack Field and Paul Wooster to book a home semi-final spot. Meeting them in that semi-final will be Leyton Green who also knocked out a side above them in the table in the shape of Northend, in a crushing 5-0 victory.

Back in domestic action, in Division One, St Johns Deaf took advantage of sides around them not being in action to move up to third place with a 4-2 win over West Essex Reserves. Jason McLean bagged a brace of goals to go along with strikes from Ross Edwards and Huseyin Er. Chingford Harriers also move up in the table after a 4-0 win against Glendale as Paul Shawyer, Benjamin Stone, Edwin Jabbari and an own goal accounted for Harriers’ goal tally.

Next weekend, the first of this season’s semi-finals takes place as Chingford Athletic Reserves host Newham Royals for a place at Dagenham & Redbridge FC in May. Chingford Athletic’s first team also continue their terrific progress in the Essex Junior Cup Semi Final against Mid Essex League side, Pro Athletic, with their sights firmly set at booking their place in the county cup final.