WEEK 8 REVIEW: Round-up of all the EAL football action from the weekend

For our latest news and updates, please enter your email address
FENTON CUP
There were some big shocks in the weekend’s Fenton Cup action, beginning with the holders, Ongar Town, who saw their efforts to retain the trophy end in the second round as Premier Division high-flyers, Vallance, took the win on the day in a 4-2 scoreline. Ebenezer Fasoranti and William Lockett both struck for the hosts but those goals proved not quite enough in the end.
Over in Ilford, there was just a second win of the season for visitors Waltham Forest Borough who earned themselves a cup victory at Frenford Development to put themselves through to the third round, and increase their confidence in the process. Brandon Bullman was the game’s sole goalscorer, his effort enough to win it 1-0 for Borough.
On Friday evening, the cup action came from Lakeside Sports Ground as CSM London produced the goods once again to comprehensively defeat Bakers693 to put their name into the ring for round three. The visitors were 16—0 winners on the night as Dylan Flynn and Ramiz Mahmood both scored five, Nicholas Baginski struck two, Paul Mendes, Nana Sarfo, Luke McElroy and Rafael Da Mata the others.
There was a near miss in the weekend’s remaining tie as Premier Division side, Saint City, produced a top performance to hold top-flight’s Kulture to an exciting 4-4 draw. Denison St Louis scored a hat-trick and Liam Adams the other for the hosts with Samuel McNally, Theo Jones, Tyrese Sibanda and Landry Gogoa on target for Kulture. And it was Kulture who held their nerve to win the shootout 3-2 and head through.
FENTON TROPHY
There was also action in the Fenton Trophy and what a performance it was from Division Three’s Buckhurst Way who defied the odds to defeat an unbeaten side from two divisions above them, Old Esthaemians, in a 4-0 scoreline. Lenny Stead, Archie Jenkins, Liam Wallis and James Stevens all found the back of the net to put Buckhurst through into the last sixteen.
Also into the hat for the third round are Old Barkabbeyans Reserves who overcame a spirited fightback from Glendale to prevail from their tie in a 4-2 scoreline. Barks raced into a two-goal lead but for Maryis Shamku to then score twice, either side of the break, to bring the game level. But a Tunji Ebun-Cole hat-trick and a Miles Brown effort ensured it was the visitors progressing on.
SENIOR DIVISION
The top-flight action began back on Friday evening at Parsloes Park and saw Chadwell Heath Spartans in town to take on a Philip United side who sat five points ahead of their opponents before the start of the game. That gap saw an increase by the end as Philip ran out 5-0 winners on the night, a result which saw them secure a sixth win and climbing to fourth spot.
Sitting just behind Philip in the tables however are Woodford Town Reserves who took their victories tally up to five on Saturday, taking all three points away from Lakeside in a narrow 3-2 away win against AS Rapid Londra. Vlad Farcas and Costel Nitescu both struck for the hosts but Town goals in reply from Jack Barnes, Arthur Massingham and Albert James were enough for the win.
Over at Wadham Lodge, Walthamstow Reserves were up against a Fairlop Rovers side who started the day one place and two points apart with similar records so far in the league. An expectedly close game therefore saw the sides battle to a 2-2 score draw to earn a point apiece, that being enough for Stow to move up a place into ninth.
PREMIER DIVISION EAST
There was just the one game over in Premier Division East due to cup commitments but it was a big afternoon for Kit Out London who earned their first points of the new season against Something From Nothing, both sides starting the day pointless. Kit Out goals from Amalraj Kakumanu and Charles Ariwa proved just enough to win it 2-1, leaping up into ninth.
PREMIER DIVISION WEST
The West division has a new leader after the weekend’s action as Newham Wanderers moved two points clear at the summit after an emphatic 10-1 away win against City of Westminster. Michael Adu scored the hosts’ goal but four Robertson Morais efforts, three from Emmanuel Chukwumah and one each from Manuel Sanuo, Pedro Sami and Samuel Olubiyi made it a Newham win.
Moving up into fourth spot were Unitey who picked up a first win of the season for their account, coming from behind to beat North East Lions at Peter May Sports Centre. James Codling produced a superb opening goal for Lions but two Jai Perkins goals in reply meant that it was Unitey who walked away 2-1 winners.
The remaining game from the division came from Hackney Marshes as Priory Park Rangers were in home action with the visit of Stratford East for an east London derby. Rangers started the day above East who were still in search of a first victory but they ended the day both on three points, Stratford winning 5-2 to take the honours.
DIVISION ONE
There were plenty of goals in Division One, beginning with a thirteen-goal contest between Freetown and Old Barkabbeyans at Castle Green which saw Old Barks win the game 9-4. Michael Ryder and Josh Robinson both scored hat-tricks, Jerome Morris and Tyler Turner scoring the others. Donald Adaakwah struck two in reply with Victor Nwagbara and Seun Lasile netting the others for ‘Town.
There was a big game affecting the top end of the standings as two sides with perfect records met at Noak Hill, Condor facing leaders, Ocean Pacific. A hard fought game saw Ocean make it five wins from five this season as Gabriel Merlo scored twice and Alan Argenal once to overcome Liviu Tihon’s strike for the hosts, the visitors winning 3-1.
Over in Woodford, there was a cracker of a game between Leyton City and FC Alpha who produced a seven-goal thriller, won by the Alpha in the end, 4-3. Louison Kamba’s hat-trick for City proved not quite enough in the end as Denis Musteata’s brace and one each from Okeg Rosca and Ahmad Attahir meant it was their side walking away with a first league win.
The remaining game from Division One came from Parsloes Park and saw Lymore Gardens Under 23s in home action with the visit of West Essex Reserves, the latter going into the game with a six-point lead over their winless hosts. A close game was produced but it was West who walked away the happier, 3-2 victors to move up into third spot in the table.
DIVISION TWO
In Division Two, there was a third win of the season for second placed Royal Forest who made the trip across to Newbury Park on Saturday to face a CSM London Under 23s side, holding a three point lead at the start of the game. That was extended to six as Forest won the game 3-0 to remain the only side with a perfect record in the division.
Up into third place are Parsonage Leys who made it three wins for the season themselves on Saturday after coming away from their trip to Haringey United with a 6-3 win under their belts. Damanie Campbell, Amin Belkhadim and Jermaine Da Costa netted for the hosts but Leys braces from Bert Greenwood and Stanley Mukome plus Casey Ajayi and Leon Arif efforts proved too much.
A Richard Seixas hat-trick for Saint City Reserves helped them open their points account for the season in Dagenham at the weekend, Mohamed Koita scoring the other as the hosts defeated Dagenham United Reserves 4-0. That result saw City move up into seventh spot, leaping above their opponents who remain in search of a first win.
DIVISION THREE
There were wins for all of the top four sides on Saturday in Division Three, beginning in Harlow at the league leaders, Changing Lives, who make it three wins from three this season after a 4-3 success against London Academics, the latter’s first defeat. Agoro Fuad scored a hat-trick and Ismail Aziz once as Lives continued their strong start.
Romford Town Flyers Reserves remain hot on their tail, trailing by a couple of points after edging a close game away at Just Play by the odd goal, 2-1 winners. Raphael Kuperberg scored the hosts’ goal but Flyers efforts from Harry Glenister and Kane Ladeatte meant it was them who walked away with the three points.
Sitting third after a pair of wins are IONA Wheels who could move top with their games in hand, aided by their most recent success, a 4-1 away victory against Redbridge Community Reserves. Elsio Monteiro scored the Redbridge goal but Cody Harris’ hat-trick off the bench plus a Tommy Heneghan effort proved too much.
Over at Lakeside in the early kick-off, there was a Dagenham derby fixture between two of the area’s prominent youth setups, Jays taking on Cobra with just a point between them. A 2-1 Jays win saw them leap above their opponents however, Liam Greaves and Leo Milazzo scoring the goals, while Rex Madula struck for Cobra in reply.
COUNTY CUP
There was a glut of county cup action over the weekend, beginning in the London Senior Trophy where Sporting Hackney eventually got over the line with a narrow 4-3 away win against Barking Under 23s on Friday evening, setting up an away trip to step six’s Tooting Bec next month.
Heading out of the same competition however were Sporting Bengal United Reserves who put up a strong fight against a side two levels above them, beaten in the end 2-1 by local rivals SOUL Tower Hamlets from step six.
Former winners of the competition, FC Petrocub London, were another first round casualty after a difficult away trip across north London to take on London Tigers from the Middlesex County League. The hosts won the tie 2-1 to take their place in round two.
In the BBC Essex Premier Cup, there were some great performances from Premier Division sides, beginning in Hainault where Greengate District took out Manford Way in the first round, the visitors winning 1-0 to book a trip to Southend Manor.
Also through in that same competition are Inter Newbury who hosted an all-EAL match in the opening round as London Park City travelled to Parsloes Park. Newbury were too much on the day though and won 8-3 to secure a second round trip to Hashtag United Reserves.
Dagenham United had a potentially difficult looking away trip up the A12 as they visited rural Essex to take on Beacon Hill Rovers. Dagenham’s good start to the season continues however as they won that tie 2-1 and they now face a local derby next month at home to May & Baker EC Reserves.
A humdinger of a game at Parsloes Park saw Barkingside Reserves race into a five-goal lead against their White Ensign counterparts on Saturday, before the visitors mounted a strong comeback only to fall just short with ‘Side prevailing 5-4, their reward being a trip to step seven leaders CSM London next month.
Also safely through into the hat for the second round are Waltham Abbey A who had an interesting home game against Thurlow Nunn League opposition with Stanway Pegasus Under 23s making the trip across to Town Mead. The Abbotts won the game 2-1 and now travel to Toby in November.
In an inter-club derby fixture, Motormen twice came from behind in their early kick-off in the cup against Redbridge Reserves at Oakside but it was the latter who prevailed by the end, winning the game 4-2 to head through at Motormen’s expense.
Narrowly missing out on a place in round two, Romford Town Flyers had one of the longest journeys of the day, travelling up to Halstead Town Development’s Rosemary Lane ground. A close game saw the Thurlow Nunn League side earn a 2-1 win as Romford’s participating came to an end.
At Hendersons, Redbridge Community will rue their luck in the tie against Harold Hill, getting into a 2-0 lead in the game but seeing their opponents fight back to earn the win, scoring six in reply as Hill moved into the second round.
Also exiting the competition are SOUL Tower Hamlets Reserves as they had a home tie in round one with the visit of an unbeaten Hutton Under 23s side from the Essex Senior League’s reserves section. It was the in-form Hutton who took the win, 5-0 winners on the day.
There was also AFA cup action beginning in the Junior Cup where Loughton Town’s debut in county competitions saw them with a short trip across to Hainault where they faced a Leyton County Old Boys side. Town were 2-1 winners to take their place in the second round.
Also through after a close game are Old Parkonians A who travelled across the hedge to take on neighbours Bealonians 4ths in the Minor Cup first round. A seven-goal thriller was won in the end by Old Parks who progress on as a result.