WEEK 37 REVIEW: Review of all the league and cup action from the past week

FENTON CUP

This weekend saw the semi-finalists confirmed for this week’s Fenton Cup ties and it saw FC Petrocub put themselves ninety minutes away from a place in a third final of the season, overcoming a terrific fightback from Brimsdown who levelled the game up at 2-2, to win the resulting shootout and move through.

Facing FC Petrocub in the other half of that semi-final will be a side they know well, Kit Out London coming from behind to eventually progress against Premier Division side Chingford Athletic in a 3-1 scoreline at Wadham Lodge. Billy Happe had given the hosts a lead but Kit Out goals in reply from Rio Mudhar-Hedley, Amalraj Kakumanu and Yasin Zougui sent their side to the last four.

Also into the semi-finals are Woodford East who will have another tilt at a place in the final as they produced a winning performance at The Drive to defeat Frenford Development. Wisley Baltazar scored for the hosts but East goals from Ben Smith, Luke Dimond and Lucio Uare for the Peacocks was sufficient to put them into the hat.

SENIOR DIVISION

The final Senior Division fixtures of the season began on Monday evening with Sporting Hackney producing a 2-0 home win at Wadham Lodge on bank holiday to put opponents, Rapid Chingford, at the brink of relegation. James Davies and Joel Akuwudike both found the back of the net, a result which also saw the Parrots confirm a top three finish, a strong return in their first outing in the league.

On Tuesday evening, the big game came once again from Wadham Lodge where Walthamstow Reserves went into their clash with Kit Out London knowing they needed a point to all but secure their status. Stow led 2-0 through a couple of Matthew McDowell goals but Oliver Holmes and Rio Mudhar-Hedley efforts for the visitors made it interesting. A 2-2 full-time result however meant safety was confirmed.

Over at a very wet Oakside, May & Baker EC Reserves’ final game of the season saw them in action against Oakside, the latter’s safety now already confirmed. But that didn’t stop them putting in a big performance with Jahvid Irish netting twice once more and Khari Pobi scoring the other as ‘Side ran out 3-1 winners in tough conditions.

Just twenty-four hours later, Oakside returned for their final game of the season and it was Sporting Hackney the side they went up against. Much like the previous night’s game, it was Oakside who ended the season with some good momentum behind them, beating the Parrots 2-1 though goals from Freddie Anderson and Liam Foster.

PREMIER DIVISION CUP

On Saturday, the Premier Division Cup Final line-up was confirmed as CSM London took on Aveley Under 23s in their semi-final in Beckton. There was little between the sides on the day with a single goal separating them in the end, CSM the scorers of the game’s only goal to win 1-0, booking their place at New Lodge next week to face Fairlop Rovers.

DIVISION TWO

It’s congratulations to Snaresbrook who wrapped up the Division Two league title on Saturday afternoon with a sixteenth league win of the season, defeating Barking Potters over in Loughton. ‘Brook were 5-3 winners in an entertaining game to take them over the line and can now focus their efforts on the perfect season with two games to go, though two potentially tough games await them.

Over at South Park Drive, hosts OId Barkabbeyans completed their season with the visitor of cup finalists, FC Baresi Under 23s, on Saturday afternoon. Baresi started the day a point behind their opponents but leaped above them by full-time as Harrez Aliane and Kii Jean-Baptiste netted the goals against their rivals of last season to win the game 2-0.