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

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

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FENTON CUP

It was a day of giant-killings in Saturday’s Fenton Cup action as two of Division Four’s sides shocked their lofty opponents to progress on to the next round of the competition. In the first of those shocks, Soul Youth were up against a Division Three side in the form of Royal Forest who had only lost once this season. Sam Porter scored twice and Freddie Drew once for Forest however their efforts were in vain as Soul responded with braces from Nazmul Ahmed and Saddik Azizur plus an Amjad Gaber goal to hand a 5-3 victory to the Division Four side.

And it was a similar story in the day’s other match where Division Three’s Brook City saw their Fenton Cup campaign come to an abrupt halt as they were knocked out of the competition by Newham Royals after a closely fought contest. Anthony Adade and Joe Brickley both netted for the Royals as their side ended level at 2-2 with City. And in the resultant shootout, they held their nerve to win it 4-2 and secure a place in the third round for Newham Royals.

SENIOR DIVISION

The top of the Senior Division standings remains interestingly poised as ACD United extended their lead at the top to a couple of points, travelling to an in-form Docklands Albion side in a re-run of last season’s epic Fenton Cup final. On this occasion, ACD got their revenge for that cup final defeat as they battled to a 3-1 victory, picking up a sixth league win on the campaign and overcoming a Jayke Welch goal for Albion.

Second placed East Ham Inter missed the chance to keep themselves level at the top of the table as they conceded late on in their clash against an in-form Blue Marlin outfit who have been in some decent form recently themselves. Meeland Hamard got the Inter goal but Marlin late penalty secured a 1-1 draw and a share of the spoils.

It was also a difficult day for London Cranes who surrendered their unbeaten record after seven matches, going down 2-1 away at Singh Sabha Barking in Newbury Park despite a valiant late fightback. Ninth-placed Singh Sabha got themselves into a two goal lead against the title challengers but Cranes netted with under ten minutes remaining to set up a grand finale – but it wasn’t quite enough in the end.

There was also drama over in Hainault as local rivals West Essex Reserves and Grove United met at Fairlop Oak with a mere hedge separating the sides geographically. West Essex will have thought they had the match won with a 2-0 lead going into stoppage time at the end of the game. Miraculously, Grove scored twice deep into that stoppage time as Shaun Goddard and Aaron Scott provided the heroic goals to rescue the latest of “Desmond” 2-2’s!

DIVISION ONE

In Division One, FC Baresi’s continued ascent towards the top flight sees no end as they opened up a six point gap with the midway point of the season fast approaching. They put seven goals past Forest Green with Delano Lloyd’s four-goal haul leading the way and efforts from Adnan Miah, Tyler Kirby and Sikander Khan completing a good afternoon for the hosts. Krishan Singh scored both of the Green goals in reply for their side in an eventual 7-2 scoreline.

A quick look at the league table shows that Three Colts could yet prove a thorn in the leader’s side having been the only outfit to take points off Baresi so far. Colts’ unbeaten start continued on Saturday as they travelled to Rapid Chingford and returned home with all three points in a 3-1 victory. Jason Fox, David Watson and Nicky Blackwell scored the goals to render Ionut Pumnutiu’s effort as just consolation for Rapid.

7-2 was a popular scoreline with two other sides in the division partaking in such a scoreline as Chingford Athletic Reserves hosted Chingford United in a… yes you guessed it… Chingford derby, albeit one in which neither side actually plays in Chingford! Diego Panessar scored a hat-trick following promotion from the development side with Michael Boahene netting twice and one each from Riley Bowers and Billy Harding completed the win. Razvan Anghel and Dragos Aenasoaie scored the United goals in consolation.

Moving up to sixth place in the table were Chigwell who made the trip to Leyton to face fellow mid-table side, Lymore Gardens, at the weekend. Chigwell have leapfrogged their opponents in the standings after running out 2-0 victors, recording their third league win of the season so far.

The remaining game of the day in Division One saw two of the sides occupying the wrong end of the table as Wapping made the trip to Hainault to take on Melbourne Sports. The visitors will have come away with renewed hope as Wapping edged a seven-goal thriller to record a first league win of the campaign. Darnell Fuller scored twice and one each from Shamsun Noor and Hamza Hanif netted in the 4-3 victory that sees them up a place to ninth.

DIVISION TWO

There are new leaders in Division Two as Eastside took full advantage of their title rivals dropping points around them to secure top spot following a comfortable 6-1 win at home against a resurgent Upshire Forest side. Mark Lawn scored for Forest but Conrad Mullings’ brace plus singles from Wembi Ghenda, Waj Malik, Abraham Monae and Idris Shittu completed an important victory.

That outcome for Eastside was made possible as two of the division’s other front runners met in East Ham where Chingford Athletic Development were the visitors to face a CSM London side who were yet to drop any points so far. The two sides were clearly well matched but neither could break the deadlock with them having to settle for a share of the spoils in a goalless 0-0 draw.

One of the most in-form sides in the league at present are Puma Kings who have won six matches in succession, aided by their most recent win at home against Old Esthameians. Jordan Mills-Smith has a lot to do with that run with his form in front of goal showing now end, netting all four of his sides goals in a 4-1 win, keeping his side well in the frame at the right end of the table.

Cowley Community arrested a difficult run of results in recent weeks as they earned a hard fought 3-1 win against FC BKT at the weekend in Dagenham. Conor Harrington, John Hitchens and James Allen were all on the scoresheet for Cowley as they returned home with maximum points, moving up to fifth place in the table in the process.

And in the remaining game from Division Two, Rainham Working Mens Club secured a second league victory of the season so far as they made the journey across Havering to face Romford-based Flyers. The match was settled by the odd goal in a close contest with Connor Kain’s strike earning Rainham a 1-0 victory for the seventh-placed side.

DIVISION THREE

Top of the bill in Saturday’s Division Three action saw the top two sides go head-to-head with Frenford A visiting an equally in-form Haver Town Reserves in Harold Hill in a fascinating contest. Haver goals from Ben McAllister and Alan Butt were levelled up by visitor goals from Paul Isegohi and Louis Webster as the sides settled for a 2-2 draw to take home a point apiece.

Moving up the table to fourth place, Tower Hamlets Reserves will inevitably be a side pushing the leaders come the end of the season and their run of form continued with a big 7-2 win at home to Flyers Reserves at the weekend despite Flyers goals from Jayden Gustave and Rohan Francis. That result sees Hamlets to within a point of third place and just four points to the promotion spots with a number of games in hand still.

Custom House United could still be a side who pose a threat to the title chasing sides as the Newham based side recorded a fourth league victory of the season on Saturday away at Forest Green Reserves. Dieumerci Ngindu scored a hat-trick for Green and Tommy Whelan netted again but their efforts were in vain as Jamie Wooster scored four in reply for the Dockers with Matthew Guy and Bradley Routledge efforts completing a 6-4 win.

Moving up to eighth place in the table are New Star Soccer who recorded a second league win of the season at the weekend, beating off the efforts of Glendale in Seven Kings. Dwaine Hitchman scored a hat-trick for New Star along with Nathan Bailey and Samson Ogunwole efforts to overcome second half Dales’ goals from Khari Pobi and Valter Correia in a 5-2 win.

Also picking up a second league win of the season were Chingford Harriers who were up against a winless St Francis side on Saturday at Wanstead Flats and managed to return home as 3-1 victors. Edwin Jabbari netted his customary goal with Paul Shawyer and Simon Morton efforts rounding off the win for the Harriers.

DIVISION FOUR

Third placed Avondale Rangers have closed the gap on second placed Debden Park in Division Four as Rangers edged their IG10 derby by the odd goal in a 2-1 victory at the weekend. Adam Friend’s goal scoring double proved the difference for the visitors as they overcame a Max Halcrow goal to earn the points and close the gap to just two points.

It was an equally good afternoon for fourth placed Brentwood United Reserves who sustained their position in the table with a great win over a dangerous Loughton Lions side at Westlands. Will Osmond scored the Lions goal but two efforts from Sila Misambu and Oday Ibrahim’s goal carried Brentwood to an important 3-1 win.

The day’s remaining action centred around the contest between Chigwell Mens Club and Old Barkabbeyans Reserves where just one place and two points separated the sides before the game. A goal apiece from Old Barks’ Younis Faraz and Klodan Meta were the difference on the day as they helped their side win 2-0 and record a second league victory of the season, moving up from tenth to seventh place in the process.

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