WEEK 3 REVIEW: Round-up of all the league action from the weekend

SENIOR DIVISION

Two sides now sit joint top of the Senior Division after the third weekend of action as Chadwell Heath Spartans took their points tally to seven following a draw away to Rapid Chingford on Saturday. Bradley Downes got on the scoresheet for the visitors to help his side remain unbeaten, Rapid also netting in an eventual 1-1 draw.

Lymore Gardens have also climbed to seven points and trail the leaders by just goal difference as they picked up a 4-2 victory from their game against Blue Marlin. Andre Rashford netted twice with Bradley Williams and Rob Small efforts seeing them to maximum points on the day. Nathan Desnoes and Ni Acquaye scored Marlin’s consolation efforts in reply.

With two wins from two, Jolof Sports are now the only side with a perfect record thus far and they maintained that with a solid performance away at Tower United, earning a 6-0 win at Mabley Green to go third. Joshua Kweifio-Okai was the hero with a hat-trick for his side, further goals arriving through Moustapha Gueye, Mody Gaye and Fode Diakhite.

The battle between the division’s fourth and fifth placed unbeaten sides saw DTFC meet Woodford East at the Harlow Arena and it was the hosts who took an early lead through Jake Kissiedu. East however held on after that and earned themselves a valuable point late in the game with Jack Haspineall’s effort making it 1-1 in the dying embers of the game.

The division’s remaining game saw a glut of goals with FC Petrocub and FC Baresi combining for a total of twelve efforts. Baresi will ultimately have left the happier of those sides however as Tyreece Robertson scored a hat-trick, Hamza Shire scored twice and one apiece from Ashley Godwin, Raymond Pok, Marvin Smith and Paul Benfield completed an emphatic 9-3 win.

PREMIER DIVISION

The rest of the league joined the action this weekend and Frenford A made an early impact in the Premier Division with a 2-0 home victory as they took on Eastside at The Drive, both sides looking to build upon solid performances last term. Daniel Francis and Murilo Pereira efforts were the difference on the day as Frenford took all three points away with them to go top.

The division’s other two games ended in score draws with the most exciting of those witnessed at Castle Green as Dagenham United shared the spoils with new members, Crookz United, in a 3-3 scoreline. A brace from Lewis Bennett and an Iaia Jau goal accounted for the three Dagenham goals on the day while Abdouaziz Jeng, Kevin Osei and John Afrane-Kesey all responded to level it up.

Fourth and fifth places in the standings are held by league debutants Marcelona and North East Lions respectively after the opening action as they teams combined to record a draw in Harlow. Tashan Benjamin scored the Lions goal but Marcelona were up to the task and scored one of their own to ensure they level with a point in a 1-1 draw.

DIVISION ONE

There was just the one match in Division One on the opening day with two of the league’s new clubs meeting in Hackney where Renegade played host to RCXI with both sides keen to impress on their competitive debuts. It will have been the visitors who left the happier of the sides as Hassan Sesay and Sammy Anjorin both netted to give RCXI a 2-1 victory.

DIVISION TWO

A near full fixture list opened the Division Two football and Emerson & Upminster Reserves lead the way after a crazy 9-5 win in the first game of the season as they beat Loughton Lions at Debden Park High School. Tobi Onafeko and Ross Braybrooke each netted hat-tricks for Emerson with Sonny Scott, Alex Pizzey and Joshua Gibbins efforts rounding off the win.

Two sides sit level in second with FHN Athletic shading it on alphabetical order so following a 4-0 away win against debutants Newbury East in their clash in Newbury Park. Owen McConnell scored twice on his debut for FHN with Michael Barek and Terron Fordjoe goals earning the visitors maximum points to start the season.

Rainham Working Mens Club are the other side in second as they equalled the result of their rivals with a solid 4-0 home victory against another of the league’s debutants, Redbridge Community. Cameron Shakes really mixed things up with a brace as Nick Tormey and Sean Tormey goals rounded things off in favour of the hosts.

Goals were the order of the day in the remaining games where Royal Forest picked up a solid first win of the season as they entertained Ryan Under 23s at Roding Valley High School. Tom Osmond scored twice for Forest with Joe Owers, Harry Killick and George Taylor all scoring to give their side the points. Marley Wilson-Braithwaite grabbed a Ryan hat-trick in reply for the visitors.

There was a seven goal thriller in Newbury Park where two of the division’s stalwarts, Old Esthameians and Unitey, met for the opening games. Mohammed Abaker scored twice and Ahmed Dousa once for Unitey but their efforts proved in vain as Old E’s scored four times to come out on the right side of a 4-3 victory.

DIVISION THREE

The goals continued to flow into Division Three where Harlow Inter made a great start to life in the competition, producing a stunning performance to beat fellow new side, Terin, in a 10-2 scoreline at Chigwell School. Lindsey Marsh scored a hat-trick, Connor Starling and Ben Somewood both scored twice with Macauley Harrington, Matthew Koayloay and Sam Balmforth efforts finishing it off.

Sitting second in the table, Old Barkabbeyans Reserves produced their own top drawer performance as they defeated Lymore Gardens Reserves 8-3 at Barking Abbey. Mehdi Ahorbi scored a hat-trick, Robbie Osborne and Luke Sewell bagged braces and Klodian Meta picked up the final goal to give them a winning start to the new campaign.

DIVISION FOUR

Just alphabetical order keeps the two sides apart at the head of Division Four as Emerson & Upminster A confirmed an opening day 3-0 win with a victory away at Dagenham United Reserves at Castle Green. Nicholas Sofianov, Ryan Whitton and Stephen Lee all found the back of the net to make it a good afternoon for Emerson sides in the league.

One letter back in the alphabet, Fairlop Rovers Reserves made a winning start in Rainham on their competitive debut with a solid win away at fellow debutants, Newham & Havering Borough. Goals from Tino Daga and substitutes, Sean McGilloway and Toby Stephens, were enough to help Fairlop to a 3-0 win.

A familiar face at this level holds third place after this game week with Newham Royals taking on West Essex Under 23s at Salisbury Hall. Aaron Brooks and Daniel Mincer got on the scoresheet for West but Royals rattled in four of their own to take a 4-2 victory on the day, starting their season in a positive fashion.

In the day’s final fixture, two more of the league’s stalwarts met in Loughton where Chingford Harriers picked up an opening victory against Avondale Rangers. The experienced trio of Alex Diner, Nicholas Shawyer and Edwin Jabbari did the damage with their sides three goals on the day, Harriers returning home to E4 with a 3-1 win under their belts.

Photo credit: Dagenham United FC