WEEK 10 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

CORINTHIAN CUP

It was a big weekend in the league cup competitions, including in the Corinthian Cup where Repton Park produced the shock of day as they defeated top flight opposition, Club 1017 the side to see their run ended at the second round stage. Repton braces from Thomas House and George Hellen set them on their way with Albert Hellen grabbing the other as they won the tie 5-3.

Over in Newbury Park, the holders of the competition, AC Milano, are through into the last eight but did need to overcome a strong fight to overcome second tier Colebrook Royals Seniors in their game. There were just two scoring moments in the match, both going in favour of the hosts as Seedorf Mendes and Melanijus Butkus goals put AC through 2-0.

Also through are JK Silvertown who were involved in an all-Division One clash at home to Benchviews on Sunday morning, the two sides producing a five-goal thriller. It was the hosts who left the happier of the two sides as goals from Dave Sofola, Gravlyn-Boss Kitondo and Nathan Matembele helped JK edge it by the odd goal, winning 3-2.

Through to the quarter finals in a more comprehensive fashion are Division One’s Debden Sports Reserves as they came through their tie with Division Two’s City Site by netting double figures, Sports completing a 10-0 win at Chigwell Lane. Archie Hammond scored four for the hosts, Sonny Binet bagged a brace with Joseph Lane, Harry Maslin, Callum Thomas and Antonio Vullo goals completing it.

Former finalists, Baiteze Squad, kept their hopes alive of repeating that feat of a few years ago, completing a comfortable win at Parsloes Park, ending the hopes of Division Two’s AC Milano Reserves. Daniel Izekor struck four goals for the hosts, Yassin Fares added two with Norman Wabo netting the other in a 7-2 win. Yasser Maalin and Hamza Esa scored the Milano goals in reply.

TROPHYLAND CUP

The biggest shock of the day in the Trophyland Cup came from Hainault Rec where Division Three’s runaway leaders, Leytonstone Athletic, succumbed to lower league opposition in the cup with East End United producing the best win of their history so far. Leytonstone were ahead at the break but two Jevonte Cassar strikes plus a Loui Grech effort meant United walked away 3-2 winners.

There was almost another shock at the Rec where a ten-goal thriller of a game saw Royal Lions and Mansfield Rangers conspire to produce a enthralling 5-5 draw by the end of their game with Jay Kanber and Ayomide Lemoshe both scoring twice and James Scott once for Rangers. But it was a higher ranked Lions who held their nerve in the shootout to win that and head into the quarter-finals.

It was a similar story in another of the David vs Goliath ties which saw Division Five’s Alpha make a trip to Chigwell to take on Colebrook Royals Reserves from two divisions above them. This was another game that ended in a draw with the sides finishing at 2-2 at ninety minutes. It was Royals who eventually prevailed, winning the shootout 3-2 to make the quarter-finals.

It needed another penalty shootout to separate two of Division Five’s sides on Sunday where Chingford Athletic made the trip to Ongar to take on Romford Rovers at Love Lane. Neither team could be separated by the end of the game with a rare goalless draw seeing defences on top at 0-0. It was Chingford who edged it in the shootout, 4-3 winners to make it through to the last eight.

Goal scoring was less of a problem in the remaining tie of the day which Division Five’s leaders, Epping Town, attempting to cause a shock with a trip to Division Three’s Romford Town Flyers. It was the higher ranked side who won this one after a 7-4 goal glut, Alan Butt scoring a hat-trick to go with further efforts from Harry Glenister, Louis Albon, Daniel Ross and Thomas Makhan. Jack Mitchell and Joseph Bothwell both scored twice for Epping in consolation.

DIVISION ONE

Back in the league, Roose took advantage of sides around them being involved with the cup action to move to within a point of top spot with a game in hand, picking up a fourth win of the season to stay unbeaten after a 3-1 home win against Barking Riverside.  Abdul Yusuf scored the Barking goal but that proved just consolation.

It was a morning of firsts in the other two fixtures, beginning with St Augustines who earned their first league win of the season at the sixth attempt, taking their points tally to six with a 4-1 home victory against Critics at Newbury Park. James Edelman scored twice with Alex Baker-Merry and Aaron Francis-Hendricks grabbing the others to move their side seventh.

Also picking up a first win of the new season was now ninth placed Total Football who moved off the bottom of the table after a 4-0 win on the road away at UK Moldova in east London. Visitor goals from Daniel Acons, Aaron Dadzie, Thomas Butler and Carl Parsons proved the difference between the sides who changed positions as a result.

DIVISION TWO

There are new leaders in Division Two as FC Galaxy moved to the summit on goal difference after a goal-filled home win on Sunday morning against Stone Town. Mihai Mareniuc scored four goals, Tatian Radu scored a hat-trick with Ilie Cojocaru and Alexandru Saru netting the others to make it five wins in seven this season.

Sitting level on points but now three goals behind the leaders are Woodford Town who followed up their top of the table win last time out with another victory this week against fifth placed Barking & Dagenham Wanderers. Town were 6-3 winners at Robert Clack as they also racked up a fifth win, albeit with a game in hand on the leaders.

It was a closely fought game in the other from this division as Singh Sabha Barking were in home action with the visit of East London Ballers Under 23s on Sunday morning. It was a game which saw a single goal separate the sides by the end with Omari Williams the man to make the difference in the end, his goal for Singh Sabha moving them up into third spot as 1-0 winners.

DIVISION THREE

There was just the one game in Division Three as South Ilford Catholics moved to within five points of the leaders in the division with a third win of the season, staving off a Warren Senior fightback to net all three points in a 3-1 scoreline. That saw the hosts move onto ten points as they look ahead to their upcoming fixtures.

DIVISION FOUR

It’s as you were at the top of Division Four where Manford Way remain a point clear at the top as they earned a seventh win in eight games so far to remain unbeaten, walking away 7-1 winners from Eastern Avenue. Gerald Longwel scored for the hosts but that proved in vain as Jake Li scored four of his own for Manford, Jake Crump adding another two and Charlie Fawsitt netting the others.

Second placed Debden Sports A remain within touching distance and continue to ramp up the pressure with a seventh win of their own on Sunday morning, returning home from Walthamstow with all three points after a 4-1 success at Asianos. Oscar Simmons scored two with George Scott and Zachariah Appauh also on the scoresheet.

Over in Dagenham, it was a good morning for hosts Cardinals Athletic who picked up just a second win of the season to move away from the relegation zone, beating Coppice Row in a 6-3 scoreline. Daniel Acquaye netted a hat-trick with Isaac Clarke, Ousmany Dibaga and Dean Hurch also bagging to move their points tally onto six for the season.

DIVISION FIVE

With a number of sides in cup action on Sunday, May & Baker EC took advantage of that to move up into the top half of the table after a third win of the season, beating Young Royals in a 5-0 scoreline. A couple of goals each from Josh Russell and Honest Agbonifo plus Billy Biggs’ effort meant they moved up three places in the table.

It was a similar story in the other game affecting the bottom half placings as Lonsdale travelled to Hainault to face Legacy City with just two points between the sides at the start of the contest. But it was Lonsdale walking away the happier, 6-0 winners as Emmanuel Ntoi scored a hat-trick, Kalium Fletcher added two and Charlie Owen grabbed the other.

DIVISION SIX

There were some big results at the top of Division Six on Sunday as leaders, Ping City Phoenixes, saw their unbeaten start reach an end at the hands of Colebrook Royals A, Royals coming away 4-0 winners from the game to close the gap. George Marlborough scored twice with Jedd Coster and Wilfred Sills adding the others in a strong performance.

That result also presented an opportunity for Newbury Drive to make a move on the leaders and they duly obliged, but only just, a narrow win by the odd goal at bottom side Inter Newbury securing win number six this season. Alfie Mobey, Mason Stafford and Mitchell Edmonds scored the goals to enable Drive to take a 3-2 win in Hainault.

Just across the hedge in Hainault Rec, hosts Hainault Athletic starting their game against JK Silvertown Reserves trailing their opponents by three points with both looking to move themselves clear of any imminent danger. A couple of Samuel Bayon goals though set it up for JK with George Hamberger adding the topping to a 3-0 visitors win.

Down at Chigwell Lane, Debden Sports B have seen an upturn in form in recent weeks and are now sitting comfortably in mid-table, adding a fourth win to their account after a hard fought, single-goal victory at home against fourth placed Ace Athletics. Neel Patel was the game’s sole scorer, his effort ensuring Sports ended 1-0 winners.

DIVISION SEVEN

In Division Seven, there were wins for each of the top two once again as Valence United C kept themselves three points clear of the next best after a 9-1 win away at Zone 4 Athletic at Oaks Park. Reece Stanley was in fine form, scoring four, Jordan Cook and Liam Sullivan adding two each, Robert Devlin grabbing the other to overcoming Daniel Munroe’s strike for Zone.

Second placed Warren United are still keeping tracks on the leaders and have a game in hand over them, moving to eighteen points after a 2-0 away win against United Amateurs Reserves in the Hainault derby. Teddy Good and Oliver Regan were the game’s sole scorers to rack up win number six for Warren.

Also with games in hand on those at the top are fourth placed Gatcliffe who continued their own positive start on Sunday with another win for their account, beating Romford Bullsharks in a 3-1 scoreline. Jack Newins struck for Romford but Dillon Copley, Joe North and Nico Bunduku all struck for Gatcliffe in reply.

COUNTY CUP

One of the highlights of the day came in the London Sunday Challenge Cup second round as the tie of the round pitted the all-conquering AFC Hammersmith up against former London Cup winners, Hatch Lane. Despite the long trip to west London and having to play with nine men for a spell, Hatch put on a performance to be proud of, winning 2-0 to head into the last sixteen.

CHARITY CUP

There was a clean sweep of wins for Corinthian sides against outside sides in the West Essex Sunday Charity Trophy, London Legacy producing a shock to defeat Hackney League Division One side Loxford Lions. Legacy were 3-1 down at the break but produced a comeback to win it 4-3 as Lucas Tavares scored two, Walid Benmouna and Mohamed Noor adding the others.

Also through after a tight contest are Athletic Newham who had it all to do against a higher ranked JP8 sitting with a perfect record in the Brentwood League so far this term. But with the teams finishing level at 1-1 after ninety minutes, Newham held their nerve to win the shootout 4-3 to continue their journey into the quarter-finals.

The action from the weekend is concluded with the first round tie from Hylands Park which saw Byron Red Star with home advantage and Northbrooks making the trip down from Harlow to battle for a place in the last eight. Byron will have been pleased with their efforts against a side ranked three divisions above them, winning 5-2 to make the quarter-finals.