WEEK 5 REVIEW: Round-up of Sunday's league and county cup action

COUNTY CUP

There were a host of county cup fixtures on the fifth weekend of the new season as both the London and Essex competitions got into full flow.

In the Essex Sunday Junior Cup, St Augustines caused a shock as the Division Two outfit beat their Division One opponents, Valentines United in a Barkingside derby match. The Saints continued positive recent form with a 2-1 victory to secure their spot in the second round.

In the Essex Sunday Junior Trophy, there was another shock as Division Four side, Grey Area, played host to Roneo Colts from Division Three in their opening round match-up in Chadwell Heath. Following a goal-filled and entertaining clash, it was a vastly improved Grey Area side who prevailed from the tie in a 6-4 scoreline.

The biggest winners of the day were Barca who made their debut in the competition with the visit of east London based Brockwell Rovers in Hainault. Barca were in scinterlating form as they knocked fourteen goals past their opposition, running out eventual 14-3 winners.

Goresbrook were another Corinthian side to make it through to the next round of the competition as they took on fellow Corinthian outfit, Custom House Community, in Sunday’s opening round action. Coming from behind, Goresbrook turned the match on it’s head in the second half to pull through 2-1 winners in a tight match.

It wasn’t such good news however for Epping Forest Falcons who saw their campaign ended with a 4-1 away defeat at Ravens while Morfdown Elect were involved in an entertaining clash that contained eight goals as they visited West Essex Reserves. Unfortunately, Elect were on the wrong end of a 5-3 defeat that sees their participation ended.

Continuing the theme of high-scoring clashes, East Ham Inter took on Royal Albert in Hainault and despite ten goals in the match, only four of them were in Inter’s favour as they exit the competition. Going out with them is Hornchurch Oakmont who put in a valiant display at home to JK Silvertown but were edged out 2-1 in the end.

There was another close game in the London Junior Cup where Asianos Reserves were on the road at top-flight Edmonton based outfit, Ganadores, in their opening round match-up. But it was the hosts who came through the tie as they edged Asianos by the odd goal in winning 3-2.

CORINTHIAN CUP

In the Corinthian Cup, a first round clash saw Aldborough Hatch visited by Premier Division high-flyers Peacock at Newbury Park. A game full of goals saw ten of them shared by the end of extra-time meaning the dreaded penalty shootout was needed to separate the sides. And it was Peacock who prevailed as they secured passage into the second round.

TROPHYLAND CUP

In the Trophyland Cup, Westferry Elite have made it through to the quarter finals of the competition after they overcame the challenge of a high-flying Division Three side in the shape of Ridgeway Rovers. Elite were 4-2 winners on the day as they became the second side though to the quarter-final draw.

PREMIER DIVISION

Emerson Park remain top of the Premier Division and unbeaten after the fifth weekend but it wasn’t a game for the feint hearted against Flanders. The visitors led 2-0 early on only for Emerson to level things before the break at 2-2. An equally open second half witnessed two more for each side and a missed penalty as an entertaining match finished level at 4-4. Ricardo Edwards netted a hat-trick for Flanders and Sydney Ekiyo a single to match up goals from Reece Sargent, Joe Woolley and a brace of own goals for Park.

Keeping apace at the very top of the table are Romford Elite who are a point adrift of Emerson Park following a second win of the season away at Liberty Stars on Sunday in Beckton. Chris Bird was on form with a double with both Joshua Thompson and Paul Scott also finding the back of the net to help their side to a 4-1 win.

DIVISION ONE

There are new leaders in Division One after East London Old Boys moved top with victory at the weekend. Their latest success came at the hands of Barking & Dagenham Wanderers, edging a tightly contested match 2-1. Nick Read got the Wanderers goal but strikes from Thomas Quinn and Joe Parker handed the points to the Old Boys.

FC Mexico handed down a first defeat of the season on Park Tavern as the close rivals saw a tight game settled by a single early goal. Adam Roberts got the all important winner in the opening stages of the match and, despite plenty of chances at both ends, that proved to be the one that mattered on the day.

Ultimate Vision are second place in the table after they were the biggest winners of the day in this division, notching up eight goals against Waltham Athletic in Leyton. Jack Mooney and Ryan Chapman both scored hat-tricks for their side with Charlie Birleson and Luke Thomas also scoring to take the points in a 8-3 victory.

DIVISION TWO

Wanstead United were another side to score eight goals at the weekend as they ended Chingford Athletic’s perfect start to the season, beating the previous league leaders 8-2 to move top of the table themselves. Johnnie Offei was the hero with four goals for his side adding to strikes from Shaun Clarke, Bradley Drisdale, Adam Hunt and Jeffrey Nketia. Luke Arnold and Matt Thompson netted Chingford’s consolation goals in response.

London Fire Brigade’s second season in this tier is going to plan with a third win keeping their perfect record intact so far. Lonsdale were the visitors this weekend and despite a Mark Angliss goal for them, Fire goals from David Ellis, Yomi Popoola and Joshua Carr proved enough to win 3-1 and take home the points.

There was a very closely fought match at Manor Road where Masterman were the visitors to take on Dagenham United. The two sides shared six goals and a share of the spoils as the match ended 3-3. Timmothy Clutterbuck scored twice for United and Billy Baldry once but Masterman goals from Harry Rixon, Kevin Davidson and Leslie Juch gave them their first point of the season to build upon.

DIVISION THREE

There was just the one game in Division Three this week due to county cup commitments and it saw FC United of Hornchurch in home action for the first time this season. Alpha were the visitors and they continue their great upturn in form since the opening weeks with a second successive win, running out 4-2 winners through goals from George Burton (2), Brentton Barrett and Ashley Godwin. Shane Cassidy and Harry James netted for the hosts but their goals proved not quite enough to take anything from the match.

DIVISION FOUR

Highams Park Royals remain top of the table in Division Four but it took an improved second half performance to overcome Thames Ironworks Community in a game that saw the end of the latter’s unbeaten record. Reece Lewis was the Thames goal scorer but braces from Mitchell-Christopher Edmonds and Macauley White plus further goals from Ryan Radley and Ben Styles completed the resounding victory.

In the other game involving sides at the top of the table, Central Colts kept up their own promotion push with the visit of Oak Royals to Dagenham on Sunday. Colts were comfortable winners as Tyler Belcher, John Mbamarah, Ricky Rix, Colin Wiles and Shannon Nyabunze all found the back of the net in a 5-1 win for the hosts.

CHARITY CUP

There were plenty of goals in the West Essex Sunday Charity Cup where Korona Redbridge made their debut in the competition with the visit of Leyton Celtic, another side taking in their first charity cup action. The visitors confirmed a big win as Celtic put ten past Korona with the match ending 10-2.