WEEK 4 REVIEW: Round-up of all the EAL football action from the past week

SENIOR DIVISION

A busy week of top flight action began back on Tuesday evening where a thriller at The Drive saw Frenford Development take all three points after a Philip United fightback. Reon Murray-Whyte, Bilal Hussain, Amal Mujuzi and Tyler Shillingford all struck for the hosts, overcoming United goals from David Agboola, John Quissua and Caleb Roberts, the game ending 4-3 to Frenford.

On Wednesday evening, the focus was on The Drive once again as Chadwell Heath Spartans were in home action with the visit of AS Rapid Londra with both sides keen to kick on and earn some points. But it was Spartans who put in a strong performance, despite Ionut Labunt’s goal for the visitors, Brandon Johnson scored twice with James Hanly, Thomas Callagher and Billy Gipp netting the others in a 5-1 win.

There was double action on Friday night, beginning at Oakside where Lymore Gardens got back into the groove with a home fixture under the lights against local rivals, Fairlop Rovers. After a mixed start to the campaign, it was a three point haul in this clash with Artem Lukash and Dylan Roberts on the scoresheet to give their side a 2-0 win and a third win of the season.

Over at Parsloes Park, one of the league’s three unbeaten sides, CSM London, were in home action, taking in an FC Petrocub side who had seen some mixed results so far this campaign. After CSM got themselves into a two-goal lead through goals from Conrad Doggett and Jesse Jones, a red card for their keeper opened up the door ajar for Petrocub but they could only score once with the game ending in a 2-1 win for the hosts.

On Saturday afternoon, it was Frenford Development who moved back to the top of the table on goal difference after a comprehensive win on the road against Walthamstow Reserves, the visitors returning back around the A406 with all three points after a 6-1 win. Bilel Hussain extended his scoring record this season with a hat-trick, Faruk Abdullahi, Damilola Olaiya and Tyler Shillingford netting the others to render Bilel Benyoucef’s strike as just consolation.

At Ashton Playing Fields, Woodford Town Reserves continued their positive start to the campaign, recording a third win of the season with a 4-1 victory against Chadwell Heath Spartans. The sides started the day just a point apart but Town moved four clear as Arthur Massingham struck twice, Albert James and Jack Barnes netting the others, with Ryan O’Connell scoring the Spartans’ consolation.

Another side to have won three of their first five of the season are Ongar Town who jump into fifth place after the weekend’s results, this one seeing them record a 4-1 home win of their own, defeating Waltham Forest Borough at Mark Hall. The experienced Shomari Barnwell scored for Waltham but that proved not enough as Gilson Pereira, Scout Bown, Mofi Tunde-Ojolowo and Finlay Cook goals for Town sent the points their way.

After the disappointment of defeat in midweek, Philip United got themselves back on the wagon with three points in a closely fought encounter with Haringey Borough Under 23s, sending the visitors to their first defeat of the season. United won 2-1 on the day at Parsloes Park, that their third win of an indifferent start to the season so far, climbing into the top six.

Just below Philip sit seventh placed Kulture who made the trip to Lakeside Sports Ground on Saturday to take on AS Rapid Londra with both sides looking to add some vital points to their tallies. Kulture started the day two points ahead of their hosts and ended it having extended that to five, the visitors walking away 3-0 winners in West Thurrock to make it two wins from five.

Over at Wadham Lodge, there was a vital game towards the bottom end of the table where the two sides remaining without a point in the league met as Bakers693 were the visitors to Sporting Hackney on Saturday afternoon. It was an afternoon for the Parrots to remember as they earned their first points in a 7-0 winning performance, Bakers the only side remaining yet to record a point.

PREMIER DIVISION EAST

It was the first weekend of the season for all our other divisions with Premier Division East’s first leaders after the first weekend being Romford Town Flyers who completed their maiden win in the competition with a strong 5-2 home win against Something From Nothing at Westlands. A goal apiece from Tadiwa Chihonde, Bobby Brown, Seyhan Cucel, Rhys Ofori and Alvin Smeraldi set their side on the path to three points.

Sitting in second place after the first weekend are Inter Newbury who kicked off their campaign with a home clash against relegated Kit Out London in the Parsloes Park derby. Joshua Boateng-Obiorah struck for a new look visitors side but an Inter brace from Shaquille Ishmael and efforts from Meeshaq Malone and McRay Denov meant that the hosts win the game 4-1 in the end.

There was three points also for Redbridge Community who, after just beating the drop last term, started the new season with a win on the opening day, beating new league side, Motormen. Michael Barek, Jordi Riaco, Jason Adegbite and Pharrell Lamey all scored for the hosts with Harry Machovas and Josh Hubble scoring for Motormen as the game ended 4-2.

That result was reflected in the game up at Town Mead where last season’s cup finalists Waltham Abbey A and SOUL Tower Hamlet Reserves started their new season with a league battle this time around. Just over three months since their last meeting at Dagenham & Redbridge, it was the Abbotts once again who walked away the happier of the teams, winning 4-2 here to start their season in style.

After just missing out on a top two finish last term, Dagenham United’s first game of the season came at their new home with Barkingside Reserves the first team to visit them at Robert Clack Leisure Centre. A close game saw the sides finish level at full-time, 2-2 the scoreline as they settled for a share of the spoils and took away a point apiece.

Completing the opening day’s action from the East division, FC Baresi Reserves’ debut in the division after a lateral move to the East saw them open their season at Lakeside with a home fixture against league new boys, Greengate District. Tori Rendall was the first player on target for Baresi this new season but Greengate also struck with a goal of their own as the teams ended level at 1-1 to take a point.

PREMIER DIVISION WEST

There was just the one game completed in the West division where last season relegated Priory Park Rangers saw their quest to return to the top flight see them come up against North East Lions at Parsloes Park with both sides keen to begin in strong fashion. But it will be Priory the side to take the honours from this game, winning 3-0 to move top in the opening week.

DIVISION ONE

The Division One action started with a rush of goals, beginning with the early leaders in the division, Ocean Pacific, who opened their campaign with a thumping 8-1 away win against Freetown in Dagenham. Carlos Solis scored a hat-trick, Norlan Bautista and Florin Ivancia scored braces, Gabriel Merlo and Cesar Narvaez netting the others. Justin Ojo scored the Freetown goal in reply as they seek a better return next time out.

Sitting in second place after the opening weekend are Old Barkabbeyans who earned their first three points with a home win against last season’s cup winners, Lymore Gardens Under 23s. Michael Ryder struck with two goals and Geovany Cruz netted the other to give their side a winning start following elevation to the third tier this season.

In the first game of open age football at Langston Road for quite some years, Loughton Town’s first game of the season at their new home saw them entertain Old Esthameians, the game producing a five-goal thriller. Will and Tom Osmond both scored for Town but two Old E’s goals for Henry Gray and a Nelson Goncalves strike meant that their side walked away 3-2 victors.

There were six goals in the remaining game from this division where FC Alpha made their debut in the league with a home clash on the opening day against a Leyton City side in action for the first time in the third tier. A close game saw Serghei Scupoi, Denis Musteata and Ahmad Attahir all find the back of the net for Alpha but goals from Melchisedek Kalenga, Jonas Likalu and Sterlange Nzeze made it 3-3 at full-time and a point each.

DIVISION TWO

The leaders after the opening week of football in Division Two are new side Parsonage Leys who took all three points on their debut in Saturday football after a blistering start against Glendale at Paringdon, racing into an early lead. Casey Ajayi scored two, Bert Greenwood, Joshua Wilkening and Leon Arif goals setting them on their way with Amjad Gaber and Wasiu Lawal strikes in consolation for the Dales in a 5-2 scoreline.

Also winning on the opening day were last season’s high-flying Royal Forest who had a tough battle in the first game of the new campaign, up against a Chadwell Heath Spartans Reserves side looking to kick on this year. The sides produced a five-goal thriller with Forest the team to eventually take the win as Remel Green’s brace and a Daniel Thompson effort helped them to a 3-2 success, Jack Chawner scoring both in reply for Spartans.

Over in Dagenham, it was an opening day of the season draw for two of the division’s reserve sides with Ongar Town Reserves’ first outing in the league earning them a point against Dagenham United Reserves at Robert Clack. Cain Dash struck for Dagenham to open his scoring account of the new season with Keown Egbejobi scoring for Town in reply in a 1-1 draw.

DIVISION THREE

The early leaders in Division Three are IONA Wheels who, despite missing out on a top two finish by a small margin last term, got their new season off the best of starts with a 8-0 win against Cobra in the Parsloes Park derby. Jack Stockdale scored twice with Kai Geere, Max Hodgson, Jeffrey Nketia, Luke Fearne and Aidan Parker all netting to kick things off in style.

Trailing the leaders by the virtue of a single goal, Changing Lives sit second on alphabetical order after they started their new season with all three points, beating Chingford Harriers at Northbrooks. Agoro Fuad and Ismail Aziz both scored hat-tricks and Alan Valle scored the other as the Harlow based side got three points from their first outing.

Romford Town Flyers Reserves will also be quite happy with their performance on Saturday afternoon with a big 7-0 win at King Georges against Redbridge Community Reserves to move third in the table after the first weeekend. Sonny Davie and Thomas Makhan both scored twice with Alan Butt, Sam Walker and Davey Enever adding the others to scoresheet for Flyers.

There were two new sides to the league meeting at Hackney Marshes where Just Play opened their maiden season in open age football with visitors Jays also in their maiden outing. It was a closely fought game between the two sides with just one goal separating them, that being scored by Just Play who walked away 1-0 winners to earn three points, Maxime Moreau scoring the game’s only goal.

Another close game rounds off the weekend’s action where Buckhurst Way were in home action on the opening day with the visit of London Academics to Bancrofts Rugby Club, both sides keen to start their seasons in style. Onyema Uzokwe scored the Academics goal but Archie Jenkins’ effort for Way meant that the game ended in a 1-1 draw and the spoils shared.

Photo Credit: Greengate District FC