WEEK 13 REVIEW: Round-up of Sunday's league and county cup action

PREMIER DIVISION

The leadership of the Premier Division has changed hands once again as Emerson Park moved back to the summit with a victory on Sunday away at Repton Park. The sides shared eight goals with Jesse Spearing’s hat-trick going unrewarded for Park as Kyle Paevie’s own hat-trick plus a Joe Harris double completed the 5-3 win for Emerson Park.

DIVISION ONE

In Division One, Leyton Celtic have advanced their own title ambitions after an excellent win at the weekend over local rivals, East London Old Boys, in Walthamstow. James Toppin and Ophel Idris both netted doubles with Charlie Saywood completing the scoring to render Thomas Quinn’s goal for the Old Boys as just a consolation in a 5-1 win.

FC Mexico have strengthened their hold on fourth place as they bounced back from last week’s shock defeat to beat Waltham Athletic this time around, securing a comfortable 4-0 win. Dean Hendrickson scored twice with a goal apiece from Christopher Glensman and Joe Ewenson completing the scoring.

There was a nine goal thriller in Barkingside where Valentines United played host to Park Tavern with both goalkeepers being overworked. Sean Tormey netted a Tavern hat-trick and Shaun Goddard a single but Chris Blohm’s hat-trick for the hosts and further goals from Sam Edwards and Jourdane Nolan saw Valentines to an exciting 5-4 victory.

Barking & Dagenham Wanderers have made ground in the standings, moving up to fifth place after this weekend as they secured a third league win of the season on the road at Korona Redbridge. Dawid Smolarek got himself on the scoresheet with the Korona goal but three efforts from Wanderers were enough to win 3-1 on the day.

DIVISION TWO

In Division Two, Wanstead United continue to hold a slender lead at the top of the table aided by another victory, a sixth of the season, in their win at Westferry Elite on Sunday. Adam Hunt, Jason Branche and Johnnie Offei were all scorers in the match to help their side move to a 3-1 win.

Barca are keeping the pressure up at the top and their own quest for promotion was strengthened with a good performance on the road on Sunday away at St Augustines. Matt Scarsbrook scored for the Saints but two goals from Mark Frostick and further goals from Billy Barr and Daniel Ezeorji completed a 4-1 victory to move within a point of the leaders with a game in hand.

Also coming up from the rear and posing a big threat are Upshire who made it six wins from eight matches so far at the weekend as they completed a double over Chingford Athletic with a hard fought win by the odd goal in a 3-2 win. James Goodbun and Michael Boahene scored the Athletic goals but three Upshire strikes took home the points to the Abbey.

In one of the big matches of the day in this division, two of this season’s strugglers came face to face as Masterman took on Lonsdale in Newbury Park in a real six-pointer. Masterman led at the break with Jack Tattingham, Kevin Davidson and Misha Djemaili all scoring for their side but second half strikes from Kalium Fletcher, Anton Gjergji and two from Klodion Gjings turned things around to hand Lonsdale an important 4-3 win.

And completing the action from this division, a local Hainault derby saw London Fire Brigade take on Flyhouse Athletic who faced a short hop across the road. Flyhouse will be the happier of the sides as they came away with a 3-1 win to their name, moving up to fifth place in the table and looking well placed to make a challenge in the upper echelons of the standings.

DIVISION THREE

The match of the day in Division Three was a top end of the table battle which saw Alpha travel to Chadwell Heath to face the unbeaten Goresbrook. It was always going to be a thoroughly engaging battle between two sides with very forward thinking ambitions with Roy Edmans’ effort in the second half the only goal in a 1-0 win for Alpha. That ends an unbeaten run going back over twelve months for the hosts who will look to bounce back in coming weeks.

That result has only strengthened the position of the top two sides who both took full advantage in securing wins of their own at the weekend. FC United of Hornchurch ran riot in Rainham putting twelve past Lings Elite with eight scorers getting their names on the scoresheet. Billy Pearce scored a hat-trick, braces from Luke McLeavy and Harry James and singles from Ben Walker, Paul Mangan, Tom King, Shane Cassidy and Reece Smith.

And just behind the leaders by a single point are Ridgeway Rovers who extended their unbeaten run in the league to ten matches with a closely fought match at home to Asianos Reserves on Sunday. Jordon Charles and Jaden Maloney goals for Rovers were the difference as they edged a 2-1 win to stay within a point of the leaders.

Dagenham United Reserves made it four league wins from seven so far this season with a victory at home to local rivals, Morfdown Elect, at the weekend. Gary Adams scored a hat-trick with strikes from Loui Hazlewood, Ricardo Teixeira and Sean Thomas completing a resounding win for the Daggers as they closed the gap on their opponents in the table.

Also keeping pace with the mid-table cluster of teams is Roneo Colts who bounced back well from a defeat last time out to beat Alliance United 2-1 in another Dagenham derby. Sam Taylor got onto the scoresheet for United but effort wasn’t quite enough as Shay Kelly and Billy Flaherty goals won the match for Colts.

DIVISION FOUR

Thames Ironworks Community made the most of Central Colts being out of action this weekend to cut the lead at the top to eight points. They faced the resurgent Oak Royals but Reece Lewis’ hat-trick and strikes from Tony Bones and Ben Glander helped their side to a 5-1 scoreline to take home the points.

Also winning with a 5-1 scoreline were Highams Park Royals who returned to winning ways with a comfortable victory, beating Epping Forest Falcons in Walthamstow. Goals from Luey Young, Macauley White, Ben Styles and two from Ryan Radley did the damage to cancel out Ryan Lawless’ effort for Falcons and move the Royals to within a point of second place.

A third side scoring five goals this weekend were Emerson Park Under 21s who took on Bata United in a local derby. Two goals form Mitchell McCabe and strikes from Ronnie Hobbrough, Ben Musselwhite and Tom Beckwith were more than enough to secure the 5-0 win that continues an unbeaten start for the youngsters.

There were six goals in the match between Grey Area and Custom House Community Reserves as the sides met in Chadwell Heath. Joe Humm, Connor Frost, Jordan Rodway and Calli Barnard all got on the scoresheet for Grey Area as they recorded a 4-2 win that lifts them up to fifth place in the table.

And completing the day’s league action, East Ham Inter made it six wins from their opening ten league matches with a 3-0 win at home to Newham Athletic in the Wanstead Flats derby. That win for Inter maintains their outside hopes of promotion in what is proving to be a competitive battle for promotion places this year involving seven teams.

COUNTY CUP

It was Essex Sunday Premier Cup third round day at the weekend with two of the Corinthian’s representatives in action with places up for grabs in the fourth round. Romford Elite made the long journey down the A13 to face Canvey Island-based FC Gulls. Goals either side of half time proved important before a Gulls goal in the last quarter made things interesting. Two late goals for Elite rounded off the victory however as they booked a fourth round tie at home to Witham United in January.

In the day’s other county cup clash, there was a really interesting battle as Flanders travelled to Dagenham to face the reigning champions of the competition, Global, from the Combination League. In a tightly contested match, it took just a single goal to settle the contest with Global grabbing that goal in a 1-0 victory.