WEEK 7 REVIEW: Round-up of Saturday's league and county cup action

FENTON CUP

Three sides booked their place in the last sixteen of the Fenton Cup on Saturday including two cup giant killings that saw sides slip up to lower division opposition.

Rainham Working Mens Club caused the shock of the second round so far as the Division Two outfit, having started the season in superb form, hosted Division One’s East Ham Inter. Having fell behind to two Inter goals, Rainham battled back to level and then went on to win the game as they completed a stunning 4-2 turnaround on the day. Bobby Dinnen scored twice adding to Connor Kain and Billy Maynard goals for Rainham.

Another side who overcame higher division opponents were Docklands Albion who travelled to Romford to take on Premier Division side United London in a mouth-watering clash between two in-form sides riding high in their respective divisions. Albion demonstrated their abilities with a hard-fought win as William Hargreaves struck twice for this side to lead them to a 2-1 victory and a place in the next round.

The third side to book a place in the third round were London APSA who took on opponents from two divisions lower in the shape of Inter Plaistow. APSA overcame the threat of their opposition to secure safe passage with a 5-1 win on the day despite a Joshua Hall goal for the hosts.

The penultimate first round tie saw Division Two’s Chingford Athletic Reserves, a club steeped in Fenton Cup success, take on Division Three’s Kitroom in Waltham Abbey. Desmond Owusu and Robert Crane both got on the scoresheet for the visitors but it was doubles from Archie Stojic and Billy Harding who stole the show with James Lee-Legan’s goal rounding off a 5-2 win for Chingford.

PREMIER DIVISION

The match of the day in the Premier Division saw reigning champions, Jolof Sports, travel into Walthamstow to take on Docklands Albion Under 21s with both sides sporting impressive records so far this season. In the end it only took one goal to separate these two title contenders with Jolof getting it to keep them four points clear at the top of the table, inflicting Albion’s first defeat in the process.

Moving up to second in the table are Colebrook Royals who are now the only unbeaten side remaining in the Premier Division after seeing off the threat of Lopes Tavares London in West Ham. That man Chris Stowe was at it once again in front of goal, proving the difference in a tight affair with a brace, seeing his side over the line in a 2-1 victory.

Earning themselves an important first win of the season on Saturday were Blue Marlin who were visited at Barkingside Rec by Leyton Falcons. In a closely fought match that saw five goals, it was Blue Marlin who edged the game in a 3-2 scoreline to secure their first points of the year, moving off the bottom of the table and up to eighth place.

DIVISION ONE

If it’s goals that you want then you couldn’t have done much better than to be at Hainault Rec on Saturday where the considerable sum of fifteen found the back of a well peppered net as Ferns Seniors and Cowley Community adopted the best defence is attack policy. Lee Niven scored four for Ferns with Lee Luck’s hat-trick and a Chris Wilby brace accounting for their tally in an eventual 9-6 victory. Kyle Cargill and Gabriel Onireti netted braces in reply with Daniel Carr and John Hitchens goals scoring Cowley’s consolation goals.

Sporting Hackney Reserves made the most of their title rivals being out of league action this weekend as they faced up to Wapping in a Hackney derby. Sporting were victors by four goals to one as Josh Anderson scored twice on his first appearance with Keith Prouse-Ball and Dave Murphy strikes completing the 4-1 win. That keeps the Parrots unbeaten this season and moves them up to second in the table.

In the Highams Park/Chingford derby contest, Three Colts took on Ryan Reserves with both sides looking upwardly mobile towards the top end of the table so far. In a close battle, the Colts edged a five goal thriller by the odd goal as Tom Jakob, Jack Luck and David Watson scored the goals in 3-2 win that carries them to fifth place in the table.

Another close encounter was witnessed in Hainault where Melbourne Sports played host to Colebrook Royals Reserves in a very tightly fought contest. Ryan Lincoln and John Shubert both netted for the Mels but visitors goals from Robbie Carter, George McNamara and William Stacey proved just enough to edge a 3-2 victory.

DIVISION TWO

Lymore Gardens have extended their great recent run of form and moved top of the Division Two table following an emphatic 7-0 win at the weekend at home to St Francis. Having started the season indifferently, their run of late has seen vast improvement with Bradley Williams and Shaquille Jordan braces adding to strikes from Dushane Powell, Warren Isoka and Sinan Khan to complete the win.

Sitting just behind the leaders by the virtue of a single goal are Flyers who were visited by Custom House at the weekend at Noak Hill. And it was the host side who won convincingly against their promotion rivals from last season with Flyers completing a 4-0 victory to extend their terrific start to the season following the move up from Division Three.

United London Reserves are up to third place in the table following their trip across Havering to take on Lionside in Chadwell Heath. United took full advantage of lack of fixtures for sides around them to win 2-0 at Lionside, moving level on points at the top but third due to their goal difference being inferior to the sides above them.

Completing the division’s action, Newham United Reserves stay very much in the hunt for honours this year following a win on the road away at Forest Green Reserves. Their 3-1 victory was confirmed with a Sean Awobiyi brace and a Babatunde Akinlabi single to cancel out Tomas Pohunek’s goal for Green.

DIVISION THREE

Division Three’s action saw a goal glut on Saturday with 32 goals in just three matches as attacks reigned supreme. The highest scoring side on the day were in-form Chigwell who have moved top of the table following their 9-3 win at New Star Soccer in Seven Kings. George Martin, Dwaine Hitchman and John East all netted for New Star but their goals proved insufficient to halt Chigwell’s progress.

In a match of thirteen goals, it was an unlucky day for Gatcliffe who scored five goals through Chris Hobday’s brace and strikes from Michael Desmond, John O’Brien and Ollie Farnham – a tally that would win most matches. However FC Baresi responded with eight goals of their own with Delano Lloyd’s hot streak continuing with five goals of this own with Mark Matthews, Davion Bascoe and Jeffrey Carew rounding off an astonishing 8-5 win.

There was no shortage of goal action at Wanstead Flats either where London Caledonian Roses made it three wins from three matches as they beat an ever improving Custom House Community side 7-0 thanks to a Kadeem Francis hat-trick, a Shaun Porter brace and Matthew Baxter and Charlie Saywood goals.

DIVISION FOUR

Haver Town Reserves remain top of the Division Four table with the bookies’ odds shortening every week on them being champions in a few month’s time. Their latest victory came at the hands of Brooks City with Haver rounding off a 5-1 win with goals two goals each from Michael Brown and Ronnie Coules adding to Zak Robinson’s strike.

Moving up to fourth place in the table are Dagenham United Reserves who came through a seven goal thriller at home to Brentwood United Reserves at Manor Road.  Jeffrey Nketia was at it again scoring twice with Chris Mascall and Lee Green goals completing a 4-3 win for the hosts.

Newham Royals complete the day’s league action as they scored a big win over Avondale Rangers despite starting the day two places below them. Joseph Powell was on target for Rangers but Eric Hall’s hat-trick and goals from Gary Adams and Nicholas Johannesen scooped a comfortable looking 5-1 win.

COUNTY CUPS

In the Old Boys Senior Cup, there was a big win for a rejuvenated Old Esthameians side who extended their improved league form to the cup competitions, beating St James Old Boys 9-0 in Newbury Park.

In the Essex Junior Trophy second round, there was an all Essex Alliance League clash as Chingford Harriers travelled to Ilford to face Frenford A in their tie. With the entertaining game having ended at 4-4 after extra time, Harriers finally progressed from the tie, winning the shootout 8-7 to book their place in round three.

The day’s AFA Challenge Cup first round action saw Forest Green play host to Old Westminster at  Leyton Sixth Form and, after another match filled with goals, it was sadly not Green’s day as they went down 7-4 to their south London opponents.