WEEK 28 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

ENDEAVOUR CUP

The first Endeavour Cup finalist of the season has been confirmed following the weekend’s semi-final action with Valence United Reserves making the showpiece occasion. They finished level in their game with London Legacy at 1-1 at ninety minutes as Ruben Carvalho struck for the hosts with Tyler York on the Legacy scoresheet. But Valence held their nerve to win the shootout 4-2 to take their place at Mayesbrook Park.

SENIOR DIVISION

In the Senior Division, leaders Baiteze Squad continued their unbeaten record this season in the league but saw Flyhouse Athletic level the contest up late on to take a point in a 2-2 draw. That saw Baiteze move their points tally onto twenty five, a five point gap over the chasing pack, while Flyhouse remain fourth, ten points off the pace.

A little further along Forest Road, Critics’ latest endeavours saw them facing fellow title contenders Brook Athletic at Old Parkonians as both sides sought to close the gap on the leaders. It was Critics who earned themselves a 4-2 win by full-time as Kazim and Kieran Bishop both netted, along with strikes from Dean Florence and Dylan Broadley.

In matters affecting the other end of the division, Club 1017 secured their top flight status, moving off the bottom with a game to go into seventh spot, taking all three points against FLY in east London. Club were 2-1 winners in the game, their third win of the season, taking them a point clear of the danger zone with teams below having completed their fixtures.

DIVISION ONE

In Division One, Barking Riverside have secured the runners-up position in the division at least with two games to go, their eighth win of the season seeing them pick up a 4-1 home win against JK Silvertown at Castle Green. Aaron Matthews scored twice with Jonathan Mogege and Soloman Asomah goals completing the scoresheet, ahead of a big game against the league leaders.

The other fixture from the division saw Benchviews give themselves a great chance of a top half finish as they took all three points from their penultimate game of the season, defeating Wanstead 7-1 in east London. El Hadi Gueye scored for the Stags but Bench braces from Rehal Theobalds and Tyler Houston-Taylor, plus goals from Fabio Rocha, Jesse Jones and Daniel Baeth saw their side take the spoils.

DIVISION TWO

Colebrook Royals Seniors are the leaders in Division Two on goal difference, their latest fixture seeing a goal glut with Higham Hill, the two sides producing a sixteen-goal thriller. It was won 9-7 by the Royals in the end with Joe Cole netting five, Nedret Ozkasim scoring two, Nicholas Chrysanthou and Omar Mahmood the others on target.

With games in hand, it’s second placed Debden Sports Reserves who have matters in their hands, their weekend’s efforts seeing them take all three points against Daglanta with a hard fought 2-1 away win against their promotion rivals. Charlie Harper netted for Sports with Afolabi Soyemi-Ololade scoring the hosts goal in consolation.

East London Ballers are slowly making their way up the league table and sit eighth with nine games to go, courtesy of a four-point double header haul at Condor. Trevor Owusu scored the first game’s only goal to win that 1-0, with the second encounter ending in a 1-1 draw as Andre Graham’s effort for Ballers was levelled by a Serghei Vitan goal from the visitors.

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, Singh Sabha Barking have moved into second place from their final game of the season, their trip to Valence United on Sunday seeing the visitors earn a twelfth win of the season, winning 3-1 at Barking Park. Victor Ferrini, Denim Nnamudi and Sarwan Birak scored for Singh Sabha with Ben King netting the Valence goal in reply.

Over in Dagenham, it was JP8 who were hosts to an AC Milano Reserves side on Sunday with the teams due to meet again later in the season too. It was AC who secured the win on this occasion, netting nine in a 9-0 victory which sees them sitting third with two league games to go in their quest for the league title.

DIVISION FOUR CUP

Byron Red Star have made it three cup finals in a row in successive seasons as the Hornchurch based side pulled off a big 5-0 cupset to overcome the league leaders, Warren Senior, in Sunday’s semi-final. Gabriel Ogunmokun scored two with Adrian John, Stefanos Ladoukakis and Richard Oduwole goals sending them into the final once again.

DIVISION FOUR

Back in the league, Woodford Town have moved three points off the league leaders with those sides still to meet next month, their thirteenth win of the season coming off the back of a 6-1 victory on Sunday against Kit Out London. Luke Dimond scored a hat-trick, Sam May-Parrott added two and Joshua Simpkins grabbed the other.

It was an important weekend for Silencio who moved themselves out of the relegation places with a solid home performance against Cardinals Athletic at Fairlop Oak. Sion Daley scored a hat-trick, Eri Beitja scored twice with Fadhil Ibrahim netting the other in a 6-2 win that moves them into eighth place with two games to go.

Just across the hedge, at Hainault Rec, there was a mid-table contest in the game between Prospect Protégé and Eastern Avenue with the visitors starting the day seven points adrift of Prospect. But that had reduced to just four by full time with Albert Prempeh, Thomas Harford and Gerald Longwe goals giving Avenue a 3-2 win, despite two Jevonte Cassar goals from the hosts.

DIVISION FIVE

Coppice Row have reduced the gap on the promotion places to just a point as they took advantage of results around them to earn a 3-1 away victory against fourth placed Mansfield Rangers at Douglas Eyre. Jake Mernagh scored all three of the Row goals, his performance the difference between the sides on the day.

That result was made all the more important as Royal Lions B, sitting second in the table, dropped a vital three points in their race for promotion, going down 2-0 at home against ninth placed Young Royals at Hainault Rec. That result saw the visitors pick up just a fourth win this term, moving them five points clear of the drop zone.

With games in hand, matters are still within Ace Athletics’ hands to beat the drop this year and, with seven games still to play, took a well earned point in a 2-2 draw away at Alpha. Joshua Craske and Alex Mason both got on the scoresheet for the visitors to keep their hopes alive while a point helps to keep Alpha in the hunt for a top half finish.

Over in Beckton, the division’s other game saw Athletic Newham with a home fixture, up against a May & Baker EC side seeking a strong finish to the season. And it was the visitors who recorded the win, their eighth in the league this term, winning 4-0 through a Robbie Norris brace and efforts from Danny Rudd and Frankie Westland.

DIVISION SIX

In Division Six, Epping Royals have moved into third place in the table with three games to go, coming away winners from Town Mead with all three points following a 5-3 victory against runners-up, Chingford Athletic. Fraser McCarthy scored a hat-trick for the cup finalists, with Joseph Bothwell and Louie Brownlie netting the others to pick win number nine.

Over at Whitbreads Sports Ground, Woodford Town Reserves’ penultimate league fixture of the season saw them up against Titans United side needing the points to beat the drop at the bottom end of the division. A close game ensued between the sides but Town walked away 2-1 winners in the end to move close to a half century of points.

DIVISION SEVEN

Ping City Phoenixes have extended their hopes of a push for the title this season, moving to within two points of top spot following a hard fought 1-0 home win against Epping Forest Falcons at Redbridge Sports Centre. Charlie Thompson was the man on target with the game’s only goal, netting a tenth league win with three games to go.

It was a double-figures win for Dagenham based Gatcliffe who moved closer to a mid-table finish in their first season of adult football, defeating Zone 4 Athletic in an 11-0 scoreline in Newbury Park. Steven Morton and David Elliott both scored two, William Wood, Tom Brown, Tyler Carter, Alfie Jones, Daniel Morton, Albie Smith and Dane Young also on the scoresheet.

Over at Hall Lane, sixth placed Emerson & Upminster put a big dent in the title aspirations of Ridgeway Rovers, the Havering outfit producing one of their performances of the season to win 4-1, their sixth win of the season in the league. Harry Pitt, Louis Cook-Forrester, Flynn Treanor and Tashan Diamond scored the goals with Harley Hillman netting in reply with the Rovers consolation.