WEEK 9 REVIEW: Round-up of all the EAL league and cup action from the weekend
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FENTON CUP
The Fenton Cup action continued across a wet weekend, beginning on Friday evening where it took a five-goal thriller to eventually separate the sides in the all-Senior clash. Haringey Borough Under 23s prevailed from that tie with a 3-2 win against AS Rapid Londra at Coles Park. Akiljo Balliu struck twice and Cairo Kelly once, overcoming Rapid goals from Andrei Boga and Jan Katuscak.
Saturday afternoon’s cup action saw the higher ranked sides all make progress albeit not without some challenges, including at Westlands where Romford Town Flyers provided a stern test for Philip United before the latter took a 5-3 victory. Erion Tmava, Ibrahima Sow and Seyhan Cucel were the Romford scorers in consolation.
Senior side Fairlop Rovers are also into the hat for the next round as they overcome a potential banana-skin tie with a home clash against Premier’s Greengate District at Fairlop Oak on Saturday. But two Rovers goals from Harry Rouse along with strikes from Joseph Head, Joseph Cloake and Ellis Simmonds proved enough to render Ruben Silva’s brace as consolation.
There was also some first round action too with an all-Premier Division match-up between hosts Unitey and Motormen who made the trip across to Loughton. A closely fought game saw Roy Stevens score twice for the visitors but it was Unitey who left with a place secured in round two as they netted three to edge it 3-2, Jai Perkins, Muhammed Camara and Jethro Edet netting.
SENIOR DIVISION
The big game from the top flight came on Friday night as Frenford Development put themselves top of the table following a hugely important victory against title chasing rivals CSM London in front of a big crowd at Parsloes Park. Keenan Gravillis and Isima Iguisi struck for the visitors before Eduard-Valentin Cojocaru’s goal back set up a grand finale, Frenford hanging on to win 2-1.
That result was also important for another side in Friday night action in Dagenham as Lymore Gardens fought off a Bakers693 fightback to run away 10-3 winners. Despite trailing, Bakers brought the game back to 3-3 with about half an hour to go but Lymore deployed the afterburners and a flurry of goals moved them into second place.
Just a couple of points further back sit fourth placed Woodford Town Reserves who made it six wins for the season on Saturday afternoon after completing the double over Waltham Forest Borough this season. Phorell Brooke scored the game’s only game for Town to send the visitors to another three point haul.
Level with Town and with a game in hand, fifth placed Ongar Town still hold things in their grasp for a challenge on the sides above them and it took another closely fought performance away win against FC Petrocub London to take all three points. Ethan Hook and Ebenezer Fasoranti both struck in a 2-1 win, their sixth win of the season.
Over at Wadham Lodge, it was a profitable afternoon for Chadwell Heath Spartans whose visit saw them hit seven goals in a 7-1 away win against Sporting Hackney. Billy Gipp was the hero with a hat-trick, Thomas Callagher scoring two, Peter Adeleye and Jason Thanni netting the others to beat the Parrots.
Rounding off the top flight’s action, Kulture climbed up into seventh spot after the weekend’s results but it took a seven-goal thriller against a Walthamstow Reserves who started the day just a point beneath their opponents in the table. But a narrow 4-3 win for Kulture saw them move four points clear by the end, a fourth league win for the hosts this season.
PREMIER DIVISION EAST
Dagenham United are now four points clear at the summit of Premier East as they remained unbeaten following the weekend’s results, a single goal from Danny Doyle enough to take all three points home with them from Waltham Abbey A. That was United’s fourth win in five while the Abbotts sit fifth.
Redbridge Community took full advantage of other sides around them being out of action to move up into second spot following a hard fought victory against Inter Newbury at Parsloes Park on Saturday. Kelson Tomas and Ifeanyi Umeh both scored Redbridge as they came away 2-1 winners and their points tally increased to nine.
Also in Dagenham, Kit Out London’s recent improved form saw them produce the goods against previously unbeaten Barkingside Reserves, the side relegated from the Senior Division last term taking all three points following a 2-0 success. Ismail Mohamud and Matthew Johnston scored the goals to help lift their side into sixth spot with win number two this term.
PREMIER DIVISION WEST
Over in the West Division, there’s just a goal between the top two sides now as leaders Newham Wanderers slipped to a first defeat of the season with a home loss against Sporting Bengal United Reserves in Custom House. Bengal goals from Stefan Kilron and Dayson Rosa proved enough for the visitors to win 2-0, now the only unbeaten side left.
That result meant that Saint City could move level if they could take a win against Stratford East but it took a hard fought performance to win the game 2-1 and move level at the top on nine points. City goals from Jordan Lemard and Liam Adams done the business for the visitors to keep them involved at the summit.
North East Lions used the results around them to close the gap at the top to just three points, sitting fourth after a big 6-0 away win of their own on Saturday after victory in Seven Kings against London Park City. A goal apiece from Nnamdi Efobi, James Codlin, Ilia Siaka, Dylan Mohammad, Lewis Momah and Shaquille Amara were the difference between the sides.
At Flanders Playing Fields, London Cranes produced a strong home performance to see the end of Vallance’s unbeaten start to the season in the division, Cranes winning the game 2-1 to record a second victory. Wyclef Kayonjo scored twice for this side to render Alador Fitzum’s strike as just consolation for the visitors.
Over at Hackney Marshes, winless City of Westminster went into their latest contest in search of their maiden points, up against co-tenants Priory Park Rangers who started the day with just one win of their under their belts. And it was Rangers who left the happier, winning 5-2 despite City goals from Michael Adu and Nizar Ayoub.
DIVISION ONE
There’s a six point gap at the top of Division One after Ocean Pacific earned a sixth league win of the season on Saturday after a comfortable looking 4-0 win against Leyton City in Walthamstow. They started the day eight points ahead of their opponents but that was extended to eleven by the end, Darwin Orozco scoring two, Florin Ivancia and David Banegas netting the others.
Also sporting a perfect start and with a couple of games in hand are Old Esthameians who sport four wins from four now this season after victory in Saturday’s home encounter against Old Barkabbeyans at Fords. Henry Gray scored two, adding to Mohammed Ahmed and Kane Williams goals in a 4-0 scoreline.
Condor remain one of the sides placed just below the top two and ready to pounce on any slip-up, their weekend’s action seeing them travel to Dagenham to take on Lymore Gardens Under 23s at Parsloes Park. Visitors goals from Darius Darie and Stefan Batrincea were the difference between the two teams as Condor won the game 3-0.
That result proved important as it allowed Freetown to move off the foot of the table with a first win of the new season, moving ninth on the back of scoring the game’s only goal against Loughton Town. Donald Adaakwah came off the bench to be the hero for his side, his goal meaning the visitors ended the day 1-0 winners.
DIVISION TWO
The goals were flying in Division Two, beginning in Loughton where Royal Forest sit top of the pile now helped by a thumping 12-1 home victory against Haringey United to make it four wins from four in the league. A trio of hat-tricks from Stanley Kweya, Remel Green and Fifi Banin helped them along the way with Leigham Stone, Joe Owers and Jonathan Hick netting the others. Damanie Campbell scored the Haringey consolation in reply.
There was an eight-goal thriller in Barkingside where an unbeaten Old Parkonians A went up against one of the early season front-runners, Chadwell Heath Spartans Reserves. In a game of plenty of goal action, the sides couldn’t be separated, ending 4-4. Owen Rami netted his customary hat-trick for Spartans, Jamie Pooley striking the other while Charlie Fiander’s brace joined Burt Cardy and Jourdane DeCourcy-Nolan goals on the Parks scoresheet.
Further down the Forest Road, at Fairlop Oak, Saint City Reserves are up unto fourth spot in the table as they produced a scintillating first half against Glendale to go five up at the break with Denison St Louis scoring two, Dimitar Nedyalkov, Mohamed Koita and Gasser Hendawi all netting. The second half saw a stalemate but that first half saw City walk away 5-0 winners.
DIVISION THREE
Romford Town Flyers Reserves sit as leaders in Division Three after a goal-filled home win against Buckhurst Way at King Georges. Michael Bain scored two, Archie Jenkins and Liam Wallis scoring the others for Buckhurst but a Romford brace from Jorge Rodriguez along with efforts from Rylee Baptiste, Peter Brinton-Quinn and Gurpreet Bajwa ended it 6-4 in their favour.
Just a point off the pace sit two other sides with IONA Wheels leading the chasing pack following a third league win of the season, earning that third win courtesy of a strong away win at Lakeside against Jays. Wheels goals from Kai Geere, Harry Gilham, Joshua Gibbins, Jack Stockdale and Luke Fearne earned their side a 5-0 success.
London Academics are just a point further back, sitting fourth in the table after a strong bounce back performance to earn a second league win, defeating Cobra 2-1 at the Marshes. Eden Nelson scored off the bench for the visitors but that wasn’t enough in the end as Academics scored twice of their own.
There was an eight-goal thriller in the final league game of the day at the Marshes where Just Play were the hosts to a Redbridge Community Reserves side looking move clear from the bottom. The teams started the day just a point apart but it was victory for Just Play in the end, winning for the second time this season after a 5-3 scoreline.
COUNTY CUP
There was some county cup football action at the weekend too, beginning in the Essex Junior Cup where West Essex Reserves saw the end of their run with a 4-0 home defeat against Manford Way Reserves at Wadham Lodge.
In the Essex Junior Trophy, it was a good afternoon for league sides, Ongar Town Reserves producing the most convincing of wins as they produced a 14-1 winning result to defeat north Essex based Walden United Reserves.
Also through after a big win are Changing Lives who followed up their league form with a win in the Essex Cup, returning home from Springfield B with a big 6-1 win under their belts to take their place in round two.
It was a win on road for another Division Three side as Chingford Harriers ensured safe passage through into round two, coming away 3-0 winners from Mid Essex League side Harold Hill Development.
Also up against Mid Essex opposition were Old Barkabbeyans Reserves as they were hosting a Harold Wood Athletic B side on Saturday at South Park Drive. Their recent strong form also continued into the county cup, running out 4-1 winners from the game.
The all-EAL clash of the day saw hosts Dagenham United Reserves up against CSM London Under 23s with both sides looking to reverse their fortunes from recent defeats. And it was Dagenham who left the happier, 3-2 winners to head on through to round two.
The only reverse of the day came from the north of the county as Parsonage Leys and Saffron Walden Town A produced an eight-goal thriller to draw 4-4 after extra time, before the hosts held their nerve from the spot, Leys losing the shootout 4-2.