WEEK 27 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

TROPHYLAND CUP

In the Trophyland Cup, it was semi-final day on Sunday where both matches were completed simultaneously, both seeing Division Four sides cause a shock. That began at Woodford Town where the hosts were up against a higher-ranked Singh Sabha Barking side, making the most of a man advantage for a good proportion of it to win the tie 5-1.

Over in Hainault, there was a similar dramatic match at Fairlop Oak where Silencio belied their league position against a title chasing AC Milano Reserves side from a division above. With the game ending in a 3-3 draw at the end of ninety minutes, it needed a penalty shootout to separate the sides with the lower ranked Silencio prevailing 4-3 to win the tie.

ENDEAVOUR CUP

The Endeavour Cup quarter-finals saw the Division Six sides prevailing against lower ranked sides with Epping Royals into their second semi-final of the season following a big 5-1 away win against Ridgeway Rovers in Walthamstow. Matthew Winter scored two, Daniel Booker, Joseph Bothwell and Asaph Lomena goals rounding it off, rendering a Ryan Vallance Rovers goal as consolation.

Over in Hainault, it was last eight action in the day’s other tie where Warren United faced London Legacy once again for a place in the semi-finals. The two sides were well matched on the day with the game finishing at 2-2, Lucas Tavares and Mohamed Noor goals accounted for the Legacy efforts. In the resulting shootout, it was Legacy holding their nerve to win it 4-2 and head through.

SENIOR DIVISION

In the top flight, league leaders, Baiteze Squad, had another profitable morning in their quest for a first league title with the league, taking all three points in a 6-2 win at home against Critics. Daniel Izekor and Joshua Osude both struck twice with Philip Brown and Obi Onyeahwara also on the scoresheet for the hosts.

It was also victory for a now fourth placed Flyhouse Athletic who jumped up two places in the standings following a victory over the reigning champions, Hatch Lane, leapfrogging their opponents in the process. A close game saw a five-goal thriller with Flyhouse the side to come out on top by full-time in a 3-2 scoreline.

DIVISION ONE CUP

It was a crucial final day in the group stage of the Division One Cup with a semi-final on the line for St Augustines as they took on an already-qualified AC Milano side in Newbury Park. But it was to be AC who walked away with the points from this one to take second place in the group, 3-0 winners following goals from Zekariyas Hailu, Fayyaz Patel and Aaron Browne.

The competition’s final game ahead of the knock-outs was a battle between two sides already through with JK Silvertown looking to finish top of the group with Barking Riverside seeking to finish with a home draw. Another closely fought contest was eventually won by JK who took the tie in a 2-1 scoreline, setting up a home semi-final.

DIVISION ONE

There were plentiful goals in the day’s Division One action where Cinoci faced Wanstead looking to cement a mid-table finish. It was certainly a case of attack dominating defence with the game ending 4-4. Alex Dang, Ryan Cornelius, Astrit Loshaj and Gideon Adomakoh netted for the hosts with Charles Eyesan, Laurynas Arbaciaskas, Haytham Bekhlakh and Hugu Martinez responding for the Stags.

DIVISION TWO

There are new leaders in Division Two as Colebrook Royals Seniors earned the points they needed to go top of the table with six games to go, beating Condor 6-2 at Grange Farm. Kaci Henry added a hat-trick to his goal tally, Presley Evans scored two and Jay Bothroyd netted too to make it three clubs sitting level on top, Royals ahead by one goal.

East London Ballers have almost reached the mid-point of their league season, a double header success against Ainslie on Sunday enabling them to move above their opponents. They were 4-0 winners in game one with two Kishawn James goals and efforts from Ibrahim Khan and Yaya Bamba. They were 5-0 winners in game two with two Teyon Weston goals plus strikes from Qusay Mohammed, Yaya Bamba and Hamza Khan.

Over in Hainault, Daglanta have pushed themselves back in the promotion and title race, sitting two points off the top following a narrow 3-2 win against title rivals, Belfry, in their game on Sunday. Jamie Redington and Lukas Mazevicius both scored for the hosts with Afolabi Soyemi-Ololade, Gersi Luke and Excellence Muhemba goals eventually giving Daglanta the points.

There were plenty of goals also in the remaining game from east London where Higham Hill were in home action with the visit of Cloud 9 to the Jubilee Ground, the visitors holding a seventeen point lead going into the game. And that was extended further as Cloud won 7-4 on the day to record an eighth league win, now sitting just four points off the top in a heavily congested top half.

DIVISION THREE

There are new leaders at the top of Division Three where City Site took advantage of others being out of action to move to the summit on the back of a 4-1 away win against Upshire Forest at Town Mead. Harry Watkins and Alex Paraskeva both scored twice to move Site two points clear, rendering Daniel Roult’s goal for the hosts as just consolation.

At the other end of the table, it was two rival sides involved in the other game as Barking were looking to seeking to end their league season on a high, up against United Amateurs at Mayesbrook Park. Tunji Ebun-Cole scored for the Blues but two Leon Arif efforts and a Berty Frith goal were enough in the end for United to win the game 3-1.

DIVISION FIVE

Manford Way have moved to within a point of the top of the table, taking full advantage of results around them to earn win number eleven this season, completing a 5-0 victory away at Mansfield Rangers. Jake Li set the tone with a Manford hat-trick, Daniel Moulden and Jake Foster scoring the other goals to keep their side in full control.

That outcome was made possible as the league leaders, Royal Lions B, dropped crucial points in their own quest for the title, falling to a late goal against May & Baker EC in a 1-0 scoreline at Hainault Rec. With the game seemingly heading for a stalemate, Deon Spelling’s effort for Bakers helped his side record a seventh league win.

It was a seven-goal thriller in Beckton on Sunday where Athletic Newham were the hosts to a Hainault Athletic side in need of points to avoid the drop. Denzel Dura and Terry Downing both scored for the visitors but Newham goals from Ronnie Wilson (2), Jamie Wooster and Russell Jones ensured it was the hosts who walked away 4-3 winners.

If seven’s not enough, there were eleven goals at Castle Green as cup final bound, Coppice Row, were the visitors to face the holders, Lonsdale. Despite the gap between the sides, Kalium Fletcher scored a hat-trick and Charlie Owen once for Lonsdale but Mergim Marku’s hat-trick in reply for Row, along with goals from Jordan Santos, Afolabi Olugbile, Stefano Muis and Jake Mernagh ensured their side won it 7-4.

DIVISION SIX

The sole Division Six action came from Barkingside where hosts, FC Mexico, saw their penultimate action of the season, taking on Valence United Reserves at Old Parkonians. Jamie Allen’s hat-trick proved pivotal for the visitors, his goal accompanied by one from Thierry Harry on the scoresheet in a 4-2 success for Valence. Dean Hendrickson-Garrett and Emmanuel Rowe struck with the Mexico goals.

DIVISION SEVEN

The race for the title in Division Seven has new leaders once again this week after Colebrook Royals A put themselves top with three games to go, producing a comprehensive 12-1 home win against Zone 4 Athletic to move a point clear. Jake Austin scored four, James Deaney and Wilfred Sills two apiece, Daniel O’Toole, Harvey Webb, Oliver West and Jedd Coster all scoring with Chris Gunning netting the Zone effort.