WEEK 25 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

ENDEAVOUR CUP

In the Endeavour Cup, Valence United Reserves have moved to within ninety minutes of a cup final appearance as they overcame Chingford Athletic in Sunday’s quarter-final in Dagenham. Enzo Victoriano and Kamal Mahoney both scored twice with Ruben Carvalho, Kevin Bangura and Krystus Coleman adding the others in a 7-3 scoreline.

SENIOR DIVISION

The sole top flight action from the weekend saw a five-goal thriller as Critics took advantage of others being out of action to move second in the table following a 3-2 away win against Total Football at Roding Valley High School. Reo Griffiths scored twice and Dean Florence once for the visitors, overcoming Total goals from Marcus Painter and Oliver Marshall.

DIVISION ONE CUP

In the Division One Cup, AC Milano have confirmed a place in the last four of the competition, winning their penultimate group game at home to Barking Riverside in a 4-0 scoreline. That result saw the hosts leap up two places into second spot with just fixtures left and one place still up for grabs in the semi-finals.

DIVISION ONE

Back in the league, the biggest winners in the division were JK Silvertown who recorded just a second league win of the season, coming away 8-0 winners from their east London derby fixture at home against Wanstead. That result was enough to move the hosts up a place into sixth on goal difference while Wanstead remain rooted with five games to go in their season.

Also securing a win at the weekend were fourth placed Benchviews who earned themselves a fifth league success of the campaign with a strong 3-1 home win against Barking & Dagenham Wanderers at Flanders. Tyler Houston-Taylor scored a hat-trick for the hosts, his goals the difference on the day between the sides.

DIVISION TWO CUP

It was semi-final day for two sides in the Division Two Cup where Debden Sports Reserves had a difficult looking trip down to Castle Green to face FC Galaxy in their last four clash. A close game it proved to be with just one goal enough to separate the sides, that being scored by Billy Barr who netted in a 1-0 Debden win, confirming their second successive cup final.

There was quarter-final action over in Chigwell where hosts Colebrook Royals Seniors were looking to prolong their involvement in the cup but were up against an in-form East London Ballers side. A five-goal thriller ensued between the sides with Kaci Henry and Ivan Machado scoring for the hosts but Baller goals from Qusay Mohammed, Kishawn James and Yaya Bamba netted them a 3-2 win.

DIVISION TWO

In the league, there are new leaders at the top of the division where Belfry took advantage of others being in cup action to move to the summit with a solid 4-0 home win against Ainslie at Fairlop Oak. Four different goalscorers set up with the win with Dan Osborne, Jamie Redington, Sam Harold and Ryan O’Connell all on the scoresheet.

Also scoring four in an important victory in the context of the promotion race were Cloud 9 who put away four against Daglanta in a 4-2 victory. James Runham done most of the damage with a hat-trick, Kane Hearn scoring the other for the hosts, rendering visitor goals from Gersi Lika and Marcelo Pontes as just consolation.

There was a close game in the division’s remaining fixture as Leytonstone Athletic played host to Condor at Wanstead Flats, in search of points to beat the drop. Despite the gap between the sides in the league placings, it was a closely fought contest, though the higher-ranked Condor did end up as winners, 2-1 the final scoreline in their favour.

DIVISION THREE CUP

The line-up for this season’s Division Three Cup final is now complete and it will be Upshire Forest making a return to the cup final stage after their came away narrow 2-1 winners at Town Mead against Valence United. Rowan Newland struck for Valence but a pair of Freddie Bose goals for Upshire was enough to net them a important victory and a place in the final.

DIVISION THREE

Over at Robert Clack Leisure Centre, City Site faced up to a Barking side, the former still well in the chase for the league title in the remaining weeks. A strong City performance saw them net a 6-2 win as Peter Edenogie, Robbie Farrell, Donatas Briedis, Thomas Turner, Alex Paraskeva and Muhammed Camara all scored. Ibrahim Adegbite and Tunji Ebun-Cole goals accounted for Barking’s efforts.

DIVISION FOUR

The race for the title remains hotly contested in Division Four and Woodford Town continue to be well placed in that battle, earning themselves win number eleven on Sunday with an 11-3 victory against Kit Out London. Aaron Matthews struck twice for the hosts but Town were in scintillating form themselves in front of goal to take the points.

DIVISION FIVE

There were goals galore in Division Five, beginning at Castle Green where Lonsdale and Mansfield Rangers combined for a nine-goal thriller. It was Mansfield who eventually took the honours, 5-4, with Billy Happe and Claudius Edwards scoring twice each and Jake Magson one. Kalium Fletcher, Alfred Marku, Charlie Owen and Anthony Scott netted the Lonsdale goals in reply.

Manford Way were able to move up into third spot in the table, leaping above their opponents, Alpha, to record their ninth win of the campaign. Two Jake Li goals plus efforts from Brendon Osholake and Charlie Saltmarsh earned them a 4-2, overcoming Alpha goals from Jake Skeet and Stephen Maitland.

And there were four goals also for the winning side in Dagenham where May & Baker EC continue to threaten in the mid-table area of the standings, moving two points behind the next best side following a 4-0 home win against Hainault Athletic. Johnny Gallagher and Robbie Norris both scored twice to account for their goalscoring efforts.

DIVISION SIX CUP

In the Division Six Cup, it was semi-final day in one half of the draw on Sunday and it saw Epping Royals in home action with the visit of Brymans Park to St Johns School. After a close first half, Royals eventually moved clear to win 5-1 by the end with Joseph Bothwell and Louie Brownlie scoring twice each and Asaph Lomena once, overcoming Daniel Munroe’s goal for Park, to confirm a cup final place.

DIVISION SIX

Hosts FC Mexico were on cloud nine on Sunday morning with a scintillating 9-0 home win in Barkingside against Barking Colts. Alfie Wilkinson scored a hat-trick for the Mexicans to lead the way, Emmanuel Rowe scored twice off the bench, further goals coming from Lorcan Mulgrew, Zac O’Halloran, Jack Wilkinson and Alex O’Halloran

DIVISION SEVEN

It was certain a case of attack on top of defence in Division Seven where an eleven-goal thriller from Hainault saw Warren United record a terrific 6-5 win against league leaders, Debden Sports A. That confirmed an eighth win of the season for Warren, moving fourth, while Debden remain three points clear with a few games to go.

And there was just the nine goals in the division’s other contest which saw Epping Forest Falcons face Emerson & Upminster at Hall Lane, both sides throwing caution to the win in this thriller. Louis Cook-Forrester scored twice, Talor Gibson and Flynn Treanor netting the others for Emerson, but those proved just consolation in the end as Falcons flew to a narrow 5-4 victory.

COUNTY CUP

It was quarter-finals day in the London Sunday Challenge Cup and it saw Baiteze Squad with home advantage against Grand Athletic, continuing a sequence of battles between the sides. Grand led in the game but Baiteze bounced back to win it 3-1 by the end, sending them into the last four of the competition.

CHARITY CUP

Rounding off the weekend’s action, Brook Athletic made a journey south of the river on Sunday afternoon for part two of their dual with Hatcham this season, this time in the Plumstead Challenge Cup. It was a case of de ja vu however on the day, Brook going down 3-1 to the SFL leaders to see their cup participation reach an end.