WEEK 5 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

TROPHYLAND CUP

The opening league cup action of the new season took place on Sunday with Trophyland Cup action from Town Mead as Eastern Avenue were the visitors to Upshire Forest. And despite a division deficit on their opponents, it was Avenue who came away the happier of the sides, winning 2-0 through goals from Daniel Nyabowa and Paulius Olisauskas to head into round two.

DIVISION ONE

In Division One, it’s been a great start to the campaign for top of the table Benchviews who put themselves six points clear at the top with their fourth win on Sunday, beating new boys Wanstead in a 3-0 scoreline at Flanders. It was Jeffrey Nguede who they had to thank for the result as he netted all three goals in a hat-trick performance.

With things tight towards the bottom of the division, the weekend saw a vital win for St Augustines who were up against Cinoci in their fixture, both sides in need of points to move clear of danger. But it was the Saints who walked away the happier side as Jonathan Davies and Mateen Khelifi goals saw them win 2-0 in Newbury Park.

DIVISION TWO

Things remain tight at the top of Division Two where Belfry lead the way after four games of the season, adding their fourth success against a Higham Hill side. Joshua Robinson scored a hat-trick, accompanied by goals from Nathan Casey, Lewis Prainer and Daniel Lawman. That keeps the leaders top by a few goals from the second placed side.

And that team sitting second are Debden Sports Reserves who have also made a strong start to their season with four wins in five games, back to winning ways with a 4-2 away win against Ainslie at Wadham Lodge. Eric Kelly scored twice for the hosts but Sports goals from Dylan Bruns, Alfie Harris, Charlie Thomas and Callum Thomas turned the game in their direction.

Daglanta are up into sixth spot in the table after they produced a stunning win to end Cloud 9’s unbeaten start to the season. An eleven-goal thriller eventually went in the host side’s favour, winning 7-4. Two goals apiece from Eric Sowonola and Excellence Muhemba set them underway with Ruben Aiyegbusi, Humoud Majid and Gersi Lika also netting.

Also on the rise are Colebrook Royals Seniors who moved up into fourth spot as they took all three points from their fixture against Leytonstone Athletic, moving four points clear of their opponents. Kaci Henry’s four goal haul paved the way, with Max Sutton netting the other in a 5-3 success. Goerge Burton, Ben Jones and Rogger Caldivieso scored the Athletic goals in reply.

After a couple of indifferent results, Condor will have been more satisfied with their result from Sunday as they earned a strong point in a 2-2 draw with FC Galaxy in Dagenham. Valeriu Nenescu and Mihail Bejenaru got themselves on the Condor scoresheet with their efforts, that result enough to move them up a place into tenth spot.

DIVISION THREE

City Site have moved top of Division Three, taking advantage of sides around them being in cup action to leap above them, winning 1-0 against Valence United to take the spoils. Robert Garvan was the hero, scoring the game’s only goal at Barking Park to make it three wins and two draws in an unbeaten start.

Also unbeaten at the start of the season are AC Milano Reserves who made it two wins from three this term with a 2-1 home success against Singh Sabha Barking at Flanders. That result saw the hosts move into third spot in the table while Singh Sabha sit seventh with just the one win to their name so far this season.

JP8 jumped into the top half of the standings on Sunday as they overcame an Asianos Vets side placed above them to win 3-1 in Dagenham. Robert Coe scored twice for the hosts and Ryan Kelland once to send them on the way to a second league victory, Isa Hussain scoring the visitors’ goal in consolation.

DIVISION FOUR

It’s tight at the top of Division Four also where Colebrook Royals Reserves still lead the way by the odd point as they remained unbeaten with a 5-2 away win in Debden on Sunday, defeating Horse & Well. Brandon Fulton scored a hat-trick for the visitors, Oscar Simmons scoring the other two, with Joe Powell and Darren French netting in reply for Well.

Second placed Woodford Town are pressing hard at the top and kept in touch with Royals with a five goal win of their own. They defeated third placed Byron Red Star 5-1 at Hylands Park as Sonny Clarke (2), Luke Dimond, Sam Jarvis and Bayley Clarke all got on the scoresheet. Richard Oduwole’s effort accounted for the Byron goal in reply.

Warren Senior are up into fourth place in the table, producing a fabulous nine-goal win against a Silencio side who had made a decent start to the season themselves. Braces from Anthony Cooke, Lewis Gardener and Brady Jones, plus singles from Harry Glenister, Lloyd Ross and Daniel Ross finished off the scoring in a 9-1 result.

It was a second win of the season for Cardinals Athletic who sit in seventh place in a congested middle area of the table, their latest success coming away at Kit Out London on Sunday as the visitors won 5-1. Daniel Acquaye scored a hat-trick, Isaac Clarke and Kadeem Kazeem efforts rounding off a good morning’s workout.

DIVISION FIVE

After defeat last weekend, Coppice Row have returned to the top of the Division Five standings as they took advantage of results around them to go top by one goal. Their 4-2 home success against Hainault Athletic earned them a third league win with Matheus de Lima’s hat-trick leading the way and Jack Speakman scoring the other. Matthew Baxter and Ashley White both netted for Hainault.

Mansfield Rangers also benefitted from results around them to move level on ten points with the two sides above them, their success seeing them all three points away from Dagenham against May & Baker EC. Billy Happe’s brace and one each from Jay Kanber and Jake Magson led Rangers to a 4-1 win, Deon Spelling scoring the consolation effort for the hosts.

Eighth placed Athletic Newham moved outside of the relegation zone on Sunday, producing their first league win of the campaign as they defeated a top half Alpha side in Beckton. Jamie Wooster scored a hat-trick with Tim Mason, Jack Andrews and Jack Field also bagging to complete a 6-2 win for the hosts, moving them up.

High scoring games have become a feature of a Lonsdale performance and they did the same yet again this week to end the perfect start of the league leaders, Manford Way, holding them to a 5-5 draw in Dagenham. Denis Hilaj grabbed himself a hat-trick, Charlie Owen and Christopher Roberts scoring the others for Lonsdale while Callum Owen (2), Oliver Dosad, Jake Lie and Cieran Fox struck for Manford.

DIVISION SIX

The goals were flying in Division Six, beginning at the league leaders, Woodford Town Reserves, who went down to their first defeat of the season with Valence United Reserves winning 4-2 at Whitbreads. Enzo Victoriano scored twice for the visitors, Ryan Crowley and Malakye Meade scoring the others, while Ronan McGoldrick and Conor Medhurst responded with goals for Town.

It was a six-goal winning performance from Brymans Park who moved into the middle of the table with a second league success, defeating Titans United 6-0 over in Newbury Park. Ife Bakreen came off the bench to score twice, Luke Broomfield, Grant Eagle, Archie Liman and Shane Hurst goals completing the scoring for Park.

The mid-table congestion means that eighth placed Epping Royals remain closer to the top of the table than the bottom, securing their second win of the season with a 4-2 victory against FC Mexico B. Joseph Bothwell scored his customary couple of goals for the visitors with Fraser McCarthy and Asaph Lomena also netting.

London Legacy are one of four sides at the top who sit on nine points, sitting third on goal difference, helped by their most recent win which saw them defeat Barking Colts in a 5-1 result over in Loughton. Lucas Tavares’ hat-trick was pivotal in the result, his effort accompanied by goals from Walid Benmouna and Ashley King-Campbell.

DIVISION SEVEN

In Division Seven, it’s Debden Sports A who sit a couple of points clear of the chasing pack, making it four wins in five this term on Sunday, edging a five-goal thriller against Ping City Phoenixes in a 3-2 scoreline at Chigwell Lane. Montel Odunsi, Aman Gill and Nicholas Wilson all notched for the hosts, that result keeping them top while Ping sit seventh.

Second placed Ridgeway Rovers are now the only unbeaten side remaining in the division and they kept that record going with a terrific win over the previous leaders, Warren United. Goals from each of Ryan Vallance and Harley Hillman for Rovers helped their side produce a 2-0 win to move them level on points with the opposition.

At the other end of the table, there was a first victory of the season for Zone 4 Athletic who jumped up three places with a 3-1 away win against FC Leytonstone Reserves at the County Ground. Waleed Aslam struck for the hosts but Zone goals from Craig Janes, Amaan Chowdhury and Ricky Wenhold ensured the visitors went home with the points.

Over in Chigwell, fourth placed Colebrook Royals A also moved their points tally onto ten for the season and sit as one of the sides challenging at the top, their latest endeavours seeing them take all three points in a 3-2 home success against Royals Lions C. That result sees them trail by just goal difference on the sides above while Lions remain sixth in the table.

The remaining league game in the division saw a couple of well-matched sides go head-to-head with Gatcliffe taking another point, sharing the spoils with Emerson & Upminster despite going into the game trailing their opponents by a five-point margin. Oliver Mills struck with the Emerson goal, his effort helping the game finish 1-1.

COUNTY AND OUTSIDE CUPS

It was first round day in the Essex Sunday Premier Cup and it saw the holders, Flyhouse Athletic, in action with a clash against Brook Athletic, semi-finalists last year themselves. And on this occasion, it was Brook who took the honours as they won 3-0 to progress on into round two.

There was a cupset over in Rainham where JK Silvertown were the visitors to take on Brentwood Sunday League top-flight outfit in the form of CFC Rainham, featuring a number of former players from the Corinthian. Trailing in the first half, JK bounced back well and netted a winner to make it 3-2.

In another of the all-Corinthian clashes, it was a second match-up between Total Football and FLY on Sunday as those sides met in the county cup. Another high-scoring game between the pair saw FLY eventually take the honours in a 5-2 win, the sides meeting again shortly in the league cup!

Semi-finalists from last season, Barking Riverside, had a tough quest in the first round this year with a trip to Hainault to take on Sungate from the Brentwood Sunday League. And ‘Gate were the side to take the spoils on this occasion, winning 4-2 to sent Barking out.

Completing the action was another Brentwood vs Corinthian match-up as Critics’ great start to the season continued, beating one of the top sides from the Brentwood League in the form of Emerson Park Under 23s. Critics were 2-1 winners to head on through to the next round in a few weeks.

In the London Sunday Challenge Cup, it was a clean sweep for the Corinthian sides with London All Stars eventually prevailing from their tie away at Super League side D.U.A.  All Stars came away as 3-2 winners to make progress into round two.

Last season’s semi-finalists, Hatch Lane, had it all to do as they trailed The Wall 2-0 heading towards half-time on Sunday in Loughton. But a goal just before the break kept the game alive before Hatch eventually turned the screw and went on to win 4-2.

Also scoring four in a first-round victory were an in-form Baiteze Squad side who travelled west to Barnet Sunday League side, ShoTime, and came away with a win under their belts, a comfortable 4-0 scoreline for the visitors.

In the London Sunday Trophy, Barking & Dagenham Wanderers were on the road to north London with a trip to West Hendon to take on Fireside from the Barnet League. It was to be the end of the road for Wanderers in this competition, going down 4-0.

Also heading out at the first-round stage, in the London Junior Cup, Young Royals had a long trip south of the river to take on Egg Fried Reus of the Southern Sunday League. It proved not to be a fruitful trip as the hosts won 4-1 to end Royals out of the competition.

In the Plumstead Challenge Cup, AC Milano are through into the third round of the competition with their second win of the season in the competition, this time defeating Eltham Ducks in a 1-0 scoreline in south-east London.