WEEK 9 REVIEW: Round-up of Saturday's league and cup action

FENTON CUP

This Saturday saw the continuation of the Fenton Cup football with two more second round ties being played as the Road to Dagenham continued on.

In true Fenton Cup fashion, there is rarely a weekend without a shock result and this week it was the turn of Redbridge Development who overcame a two division deficit to beat Division One’s high-flyers Sporting Hackney Reserves. After a mixed start in Division Three, Redbridge showed their potential by beating their lofty visitors 5-3, overcoming Hackney goals from Mason Harris-Breen, Ricardo Balogun and Ruben Alves with braces from Daniel Pandele and Joshua Rowe plus a Chukwuebuka Igbosonu goal, to secure a last sixteen spot at London APSA.

While one game provided us with a shock result, this showed no repeat in the day’s other Fenton Cup tie with Debden Park from Division Four going down 12-2 to Premier Division title chasing Colebrook Royals. The majority of the damage was done by Chris Stowe who’s imperious goal scoring form continues with a six-goal haul, adding to Nicky Steward’s hat-trick and further strikes from Timothy Langer, Adam Connolly and Tommy Smith.

PREMIER DIVISION

The top two sides in the Premier Division were both successful at the weekend with the leaders, Jolof Sports, travelling to Hainault to face West Essex Reserves and coming away 6-1 winners on the day. Mike Nduakulu scored twice with Tahin Landry, Ahmadou Seye, Hervan Volney and Amadou Diaw also netting for Sports. That comfortable win keeps them five points clear of the chasing pack as the half-way point in the season looms.

Keeping pace with the leaders are United London who stay on the trail of their rivals following Saturday’s successful trip to East London where they faced London APSA. Both of United’s regular front two were on target with Billy Teixeira’s brace supplementing Harry Chalk’s strike to hand their side a 3-0 win on the day.

The day’s remaining match in the division saw two of the league’s mid-table sides come head-to-head with Lopes Tavares London playing host to Leyton Falcons in West Ham. With both sides eager to secure a victory that would break them into the chasing pack, they had to settle for a point apiece with a 1-1 scoreline the final result, Henry Williams the man accredited with the Falcons goal.

DIVISION ONE

In Division One, the last of the 100% records in the division came to end on Saturday as East Ham Inter produced a stunning performance to half the progress of Docklands Albion as the game finished in a 2-2 draw. Kamal Creary and Jesse Appiah each scored for Albion with Mursal Mohammad and Amalraj Kakamanu goals levelling things up. That result was enough to see Albion move back to the top of the table on goal difference with Inter also beneficiaries as they moved up two places to eighth.

Moving up to third in the table after the weekend’s results are Ryan Reserves who saw off the challenge of Singh Sabha Barking at Parmiters, overtaking their opponents in the table in the process. Ryan were victors by the odd goal in five as they edged a tight game 3-2 with the visitors dropping a number of places due to other results around them.

Three Colts go fourth in the league as they confirmed a third league victory of the campaign, beating Forest Green at home in Highams Park. The goal scoring damage was done by two substitutes as Fabian Donovan came on to bag a double and Matthew With scored the third Colts goal to send them to a 3-1 win.

Also securing a third league victory of the season were fifth placed Wapping as the promoted outfit travelled to Hainault to tackle Melbourne Sports. Anthony Gray scored for the Mels but his effort was in vain as Wapping edged to a 2-1 win helped by goals from Abdulwahid Zerkouki and Fuad Ibrahim to move themselves up the table, leaving Melbourne Sports eleventh in the standings.

There was a five goal thriller in Hainault where an in-form Ferns Seniors took on old rivals, Colebrook Royals Reserves, with just three points separating the sides before the match. Ferns goals from Sean Howe and Lee Luck were rendered as consolation as Royals stuck back with goals from Robbie Carter, Jamie Rolt and Jamie Wood to edge the match 3-2.

DIVISION TWO

The Division Two action centred around a top of the table clash on Saturday where the unbeaten ACD United were on the road away at Lymore Gardens in Leyton. In what was billed as a potentially very close game between two sides with aspirations of playing Division One football next season, it was the hosts who came through winning 4-0 with both Dushane Powell and Eugene Goumou scoring braces to hand victory to Lymore Gardens.

Taking advantage of results around them and moving up to second place in the table were United London Reserves who played host to Newham United Reserves in Romford. United followed the lead of their first team by winning 3-1 with Ryan Stacey, Adam Meragan and Joabe Barbosa all getting themselves on the scoresheet.

The biggest winners of the day were Rainham Working Mens Club who came from a goal down against Forest Green Reserves to run out huge 15-1 winners. Ugo Ibeabuchi’s goal had given Green the lead before five goals from Connor Kain, four from Joshua Perry and two each from Lee Alger, Franky Wooders and Reece Hewitt turned things around in stunning fashion.

Chingford Athletic Reserves remain as one of two unbeaten sides in what is turning out to be a highly competitive division, maintaining that record with a very important 4-1 win on Saturday against fellow promotion chasing Flyers. Jason Collins scored for Flyers but Chingford goals from Billy Harding (2), James Lee-Legan and Joe Cloake confirmed a Chingford win that moves them third in standings.

Another side keeping pace with the promotion group are Custom House who bounced back from their Fenton Cup defeat with a victory at home to St Francis on Saturday at Lyle Park. Saints scored twice but Custom House responded with four goals from Glenn Levy and a Charlie Clarke strike to make it four wins in six matches so far in Division Two.

It was a big day for Lionside as they picked up a second league win of the season on Saturday, taking maximum points in their match against winless Inter Plaistow at Warren School. Martyn Rifat was the hero for his side with a hat-trick, cancelling out a Samuel Garrett goal for the visitors to go home with the points.

DIVISION THREE

Chigwell remain top of the pile in Division Three and very much in the in-form side but faced a stern challenge at the weekend, edging a tight game against Gatcliffe in a 2-1 scoreline. Chris Bird was the Gatcliffe scorer but saw his effort superseded by visitor goals from Brandon Young-Chambers and Ross Chimes to hand Chigwell the points.

Moving up to second place are Old Esthameians Reserves who overcame the challenge of previously unbeaten Glendale at Newbury Park on Saturday. The in-form E’s showed why they should be considered as one of the sides in the promotion hunt this year, comfortably seeing off the Dales despite a wonder strike from Khari Pobi that had brought the visitors back into the game.

FC Baresi are up to third place and are now the only unbeaten side in Division Three after cruising to an emphatic 7-1 result on Saturday away at Frenford A. Delano Lloyd and Mohammed Khan both scored twice for their side with Davion Bascoe, Mark Matthews and Reece Western goals accounting for the remainder of the tally.

Also winning big in the division were Kitroom who maintained their recent goal scoring prowess by putting six goals past the previously unbeaten London Caledonian Roses. Omar Wilson scored twice adding to strikes from Mark Makeri, Justin Cummins, Desmond Owusu and Tyrell Imbert in a result which moves them up above their opponents into fourth place in the table.

DIVISION FOUR

There were victories for both of Division Four’s leading sides at the weekend with Haver Town Reserves running out emphatic 7-1 winners as they travelled to Loughton to take on Avondale Rangers at Avondale Drive. Michael Brown scored four goals for his side and Zak Robinson a hat-trick to render Paul Regan’s goal for Rangers as consolation and maintain a three point lead at the top.

Keeping the pressure up on the leaders are Royal Forest who made it five wins from six games so far in the league this season, battling to a 2-0 victory against fourth-placed Newham Royals. Goals from each of Kyle Balou and George Taylor were enough to edge a well contested match to set-up a mouth-watering clash between the top two next weekend.

Dagenham United Reserves hit Brook City for six on Saturday as United moved up to fourth in the table with a third league victory of the season. Chris Mascall scored with the other goals arriving through Craig Rivers, Jeffrey Nketia, Lee Green and Nana Agyekum in a 6-3 final scoreline that leaves them four points behind the top two sides from a game more.

Rounding off the day’s action, Wanstead Warriors made the short journey to Chadwell Heath on Saturday to take on Brentwood United Reserves at Westlands. A very competitive fixture saw the sides finish level at 1-1 and take home a share of the spoils. George Murcott was the man accredited with the Warriors goal as the sides remain in eighth and ninth place respectively.