WEEK 8 REVIEW: Round-up of Saturday's football action from the EAL

SENIOR DIVISION

It was a goal-filled weekend in the top flight with thirty-two goals scored across the six fixtures, ten of those coming in the clash between Chigwell Town and CSM London where Town ran out emphatic 9-1 victors. Mark Howe scored four of his sides goals, Ross Chimes two and one each from Joe Creasey, Lewis Mcgillicuddy and Harry Burgess. Keifer Cole grabbed the CSM goal back in reply.

At the top end of the division it remains very tight with FC Baresi still leading the way by a point, aided by a narrow win over the weekend as they took home all three points against Tower United at Mabley Green. Recent signing Ashley Godwin made the difference with the only goal of the game to win it 1-0.

DTFC are just behind and with a game in hand as they continued their quest for the title with a trip to West Ham to take on London Cranes. Two goals from Billy Golledge were accompanied onto the scoresheet by efforts from Terry Olivo, Jermaine Francis, Jake Kissiedu and Jamiah Plentie which saw them to a comfortable 6-0 win.

West Essex Reserves saw their chances hit as Blue Marlin took maximum points in Newbury Park, edging the contest 4-3. Goals from Jordan Mills-Smith, Josh Morris, Nathan Desnoes and Tyreese Robinson proved just enough as they overcame the three goals scored by West to hand Blue Marlin their second league win of the season.

That result allowed Lymore Gardens to close the gap on the sides at the top of the table after they returned home from Hainault with all three points in a 4-0 victory at All Prospects. A goal apiece from Andre Rashford, Dylan Roberts, Dushane Powell and Karel Francis earned Lymore a fourth league win in seven as they moved fourth.

Completing the top flight action, it was a good afternoon for Rapid Chingford as they continued their much improved recent form and put a temporary dent in Jolof Sports’ title credentials, holding their opposition to a 2-2 draw in Chingford. Gabriel Prisecaru and Andrei Boga goals accounted for Rapid’s goals as they moved up a place to eleventh in the standings.

DIVISION ONE

There were some huge results at the top end of Division One as present leaders, Leyton Royal, missed the chance to extend their lead too much at the top as they were held to a draw against Chadwell Heath Spartans in the battle between the division’s two unbeaten sides. Defences were on top of this one with the game ending 0-0 to keep both sides undefeated.

Second placed Woodford East couldn’t capitalise on those sides dropping points as they fell to second successive defeat as third placed Eastside beat them 4-0 at the Marshes. Johnathan Odutulu scored twice with Lawrence Amadi and Michael Dager grabbing one each to take their side to a fourth league win in six, extending a very promising start to the season.

Kit Out London remain very well placed to stay in the mix as the fifth placed side made it three wins from four on Saturday as they hosted old rivals London Park City at Noak Hill. In a closely fought game, Amalraj Kakmanu and Kachi Yassine goals were the difference on the day to secure a 2-1 victory.

Francis Luke continue their improved form and moved away from the bottom of the table after taking all three points home from their trip to Ilford to face Frenford A. Jordan McLaughlin had got on the hosts scoresheet but his efforts were in vain as Francis Luke scored three goals themselves to win it 3-1.

The remaining game in the division came from the Marshes were North East Lions were the hosts to take on Kwanzas London Sport. The two teams had to settle for a share of the points as Louis Blake’s goal for Lions was cancelled out by a Kwanzas strike to end this contest level at 1-1 on the day.

DIVISION TWO

It was first versus second in the game of the day in Division Two as Cowley Community hosted Belfry at the Leyton County Ground, the sides meeting for the first time. As predicted, this game was a close contest but Jeremy Lynch once again got on the scoresheet, Jamie Redington netting the other to secure a crucial 2-0 win for Belfry in their battle for the title.

Chingford Athletic A closed the gap on the sides above them as they got the better of Rainham Working Mens Club at Town Mead. Nathan Wilson scored for the Workies but braces from Luke Primett and Eric Kelly in reply plus an Aaron French goal enabled Chingford to run out 5-1 victors.

Keeping chasing with Chingford are Newham Wanderers with only goals scored keeping Wanderers below them in fifth. Newham’s promotion push was kept up with a big away win as they picked up a 6-2 local derby victory away at Forest Green. Malam Injai scored twice adding to Bradley Harris, Macane Caleir, Robertson Morais and Shazib Miah efforts.

Unitey also scooped themselves a big win, their second in succession, as they picked up all three points from their home clash against Old Esthameians in Loughton. Brandon Fulton had a memorable debut scoring four of the Unitey goals, Eddy Litambolo scoring the other in a 5-1 success.

Also in Loughton, Royal Forest had a much improved afternoon as they picked up their first league win of the season with an important win against St Francis. Tom Osmond scored four of the goals in a sparkling performance, Joe Owers and Samuel Gregory netting the others to earn their side a 6-2 win.

There was also a first league win for Barkingside A at the second attempt and it was a huge win as they were up against third placed Dagenham United at Nutter Lane. They bounced back well from defeat last Saturday to earn all this points this time around, ending as 3-0 winners and will be hopeful of extending that form with games in hand.

DIVISION THREE

The big result of the day in Division Three came from Barkingside where Fairlop Rovers made it two excellent wins in succession with a 4-1 victory against the league leaders, FHN Athletic. Cory Regisford scored for FHN but Rovers were in great form with Logan Simmonds netting two and one each from George Birch and Louis Goodman rounded it off.

That result allowed Melbourne Sports to close the gap on the leaders to just two points with a game in hand as the Mels’ good start continued with a 4-2 away win against Flyers Under 23s in Romford. That was Sports’ fourth win in six as they moved second while Flyers continue their quest for their maiden points this season.

Loughton Lions took advantage of results around them to go third and are another side likely to be in the chase, aided by their most recent victory, a 2-0 home win against ASA. That enabled them to also pick up a fourth league win and lie just a point off the promotion places going into the second quarter of the season.

Just through the hedge, there was a topsy-turvy game involving Glendale and Old Barkabbeyans Reserves where second half Dales goals from Mouhamed Gueye and Wesley Kangi looked to be sending them to victory. But late Old Barks goals from Klodian Meta and Kudzai Madziya earned them what had looked like an unlikely point in a 2-2 draw.

DIVISION FOUR

There was plenty of goal action in most of the Division Four games with Emerson United Reserves grabbing the result of the day with a big 8-1 victory against Newham Royals in Upminster. Archie Pitfield done most of the damage with a hat-trick with goals from Ross Braybrooke, Joshua Gibbins, Joe Reece, Harry Wilkins and Marcus Williams finishing things off.

Unbeaten Custom House United also made ground on the league leaders as the third placed side came out on the right side of a 5-2 win as they returned home with the points from their trip to Brentwood United Reserves. Jamie Wooster scored twice with Matthew Guy, Paul Wooster and Liam Sullivan efforts also making the scoresheet in their third league win.

There are always goals in Together United games and Saturday was no exception, combining with Avondale Rangers in a seven-goal thriller in Walthamstow. Chris Harper scored twice and Laurence Brady once for Rangers but their efforts proved just consolation as United got it together to score four themselves in a 4-3 win.

The form of Collier Row A hasn’t gone unnoticed as their recent form continued over the weekend, earning them a third league win in seven as they took maximum points from their clash at home to Dagenham United Reserves. Row edged the game by the odd goal in a 2-1 scoreline which sees them move up a place to fifth in the standings.

The day’s remaining game in the league involved the league leaders, Royal Forest Reserves, who were at home in Hainault against Chingford Harriers with the sides only having one defeat between them this season so far. You could have predicted a tight game therefore and so it proved with the matching ending in a rare goalless draw as defences reigned supreme.