WEEK 10 REVIEW: Round-up of Sunday's league and cup action

CORINTHIAN CUP

As games of football go, you’ll go some way to beat the drama of the Corinthian Cup first round tie between Elda and El Valiente. Having shared twelve goals in the league, they went one better by netting thirteen this time with Elda winning it 7-6. Tommie Turner scored twice with Jack Jeffries, Calvin Poku, Patrick Duggan, Joey May and debutant Adam Hunt scoring to put them through to the second round. Consolation braces were scored by Matthew Ball, Kieran Bishop and Sam Edwards in reply.

Also into the hat for the next round are FC Mexico A who were victorious in their rearranged tie away at Abridge Village, a tie that had looked like a possible banana skin on paper.  Dean Hendrickson-Garrett scored twice with Terrell Miller and Joe Ewenson goals rounding off a 4-2 win. Scott Burdett and Jake Syme were on target in reply for Abridge.

TROPHYLAND CUP

In the first round of the Trophyland Cup, another rearranged game saw Division Five’s Custom House Community make the trip to Wanstead Flats to face Division Three’s Alpha and put up a real sterling effort against their higher league opponents. Nicholas Muir netted the Alpha goal as the sides finished 1-1 after extra time and they reigned supreme in the shootout, winning 4-2.

PREMIER DIVISION

Romford Elite have closed the gap at the top of the Premier Division to just five points as they romped to a big win at home against Warren United. Tyrone Scarlett scored twice with Jordan Sabaroche and Lloyd John goals for Elite rendering Alex Yearwood’s effort from United as just a consolation in a 4-1 scoreline.

Moving up to third in the table, Flanders are on the climb as they picked up a third league win from three so far this season with a 3-1 victory away at Barking & Dagenham Wanderers in Newbury Park. That victory moves the East Ham based side up to within a point of the top two sides with a number of games in hand still on those teams.

DIVISION ONE

Chingford Athletic closed the gap at the top of the table as they earned a narrow win from their short away trip to fellow Waltham Abbey based side, West Abbey. Chingford were 3-2 winners on the day as they moved to within six points of the division leaders with a game in hand too.

That lead was cut as KLIK, the present leaders of Division One, were held to an astonishing 6-6 draw in their clash against Korona Redbridge who are fast becoming the draw specialists of the division. Ricardo Teixeira and Loui Hazelwood both scored twice with Sean Thomas and Aaron Nuet efforts completing the tally. Dawid Smolarek scored a hat-trick in reply for Redbridge with Tomasz Cenin netting a brace and a Daniel Siwek one to earn a point.

DIVISION TWO

The race for the Division Two leadership could not be much closer as Walthamstom Avenue took the chance to close the gap on the leaders with a 6-3 home win against Chingford Athletic Reserves. Bradley O’Donovan scored a hat-trick and Zachery Leitch scored twice, supplemented by a Jack Peters effort to earn maximum points from their efforts.

There was a seven goal thriller in the game in Hainault where Roose were the hosts to Barking on Sunday. Barking were victors by the odd goal on the day as Charlie Surridge scored twice with one apiece from James Hobday and Denzil Mensah earning their side a 4-3 win.

For every high-scoring game there has to be a goalless draw and that was the case in unlikely circumstances as top of the table Central Colts were stunned by bottom side Frenford, defences on top as the game ended 0-0. That result sees Colts stay a point clear while confirms Frenford’s first point of the season to give them much hope.

DIVISION THREE

There was a cracking game in Walthamstow over the weekend where E4 Rangers, the leaders of Division Three, were taking on Roneo Colts. The two sides culminated in an eight-goal thriller as James Pottle’s hat-trick and a Charlie Dann single for Colts levelled up braces from Ryan Radley and Eli Fanga for Rangers in a 4-4 draw.

That result allowed Barking Riverside to close the gap on the leaders to five points with four games in hand as they ran out 2-0 victors from their away game at an in-form Havering Well in Hainault. Bukele Mukudi and Leithan Brimah got the goals for Barking to maintain their perfect record so far this season.

Completing the action in Division Three, Newham Athletic and Chigwell United combined for four goals in their match in Beckton. Anthony Cooke’s form in front of goal continued as he netted both of the Newham efforts to see them move off of the bottom of the table in a 2-2 scoreline.

DIVISION FOUR

Inter Ladzio have closed the gap on the promotion places at the top of Division Four to just three points as they secured a 5-2 home win on Sunday in their clash against local rivals, United Amateurs. Victor Davis and Jordan Cook both netted for the visitors but an Inter brace from Zayddin McKop plus other efforts from Matthew Hunt, Glenn Owen and Anthony King.

Asianos Reserves cemented their place in fourth position so far as they reigned victorious in their home match against Titans United. There was just a point between the sides prior to kick off but the hosts put daylight between the teams, earning a 3-1 to keep themselves in the hunt for promotion as they approach the midway point of the season.

Upshire Forest Reserves made it a good weekend for the club, following up their Saturday sides win to record their third three-point haul of the campaign with an important victory against Ping City Phoenixes. Tom Lawn and Sam Tulley scored the goals to earn Forest the win that moves them to eighth place in the standings.

DIVISION FIVE

The day’s only surviving action in Division Five came in Newbury Park where two sides with almost identical records went head to head with Eastern Avenue the visitors to face Singh Sabha Barking. With just a single goal keeping the teams apart in the league, it was perhaps no surprise that the game finished level with defences reigning supreme in a 0-0 scoreless draw.

FA SUNDAY CUP

It was round two day in the biggest competition for Sunday sides with Asianos making the trip up the A12 to take on Chelmsford Sunday League based, Priory Sports. Sporting a depleted side however they were well beaten with Priory earning a place in round three following a 10-3 win.

ESSEX SUNDAY JUNIOR CUP/TROPHY

There were some good results for our clubs in the Essex county cup competitions with two wins for sides in the Essex Junior Cup, both occurring less than a mile apart. Goresbrook were 5-4 winners at Warren School where they saw off the efforts of north Essex side, Flitch United. They now face a long away day next month with either a trip to Braintree based Finchingfield or Clacton based Sokretez.

The other win saw Hornchurch Oakmont, semi finalists in last season’s Essex Sunday Junior Trophy, make their move into round four once again, earning a narrow home win against Railway Academicals from Southend. They now face a tough away game in the next round, heading to the coast themselves to take on previous county cup finalists, Leigh United.

Head out of the competition at the third round stage, Oceana saw their maiden run in the county cup come to an end with a big defeat as they trekked to the countryside to face Notley. The hosts were emphatic 9-1 winners to go through to the next round.

In the Essex Sunday Junior Trophy, the biggest victory of the day came in Theydon Bois where Harlow based Brays Athletic Reserves were the visitors to take on an free-scoring Theydon side. The hosts moved comfortably through with an 8-2 win to their name, booking a slot against Romford Athletic Dons.

Romford Athletic Dons reached that stage of the competition themselves on the back of an excellent performance which saw them overcome a man deficit against Thurrock Sunday League based Grays Athletic. They were 1-0 winners on the day, securing their place in round four against fellow Corinthian side, Theydon.

One of two all Corinthian match-ups came in Walthamstow where an in-form West Essex side from Division Three were pitted up against Keith Park Rangers from Division Five. Rangers were unable to cause a shock as West won 5-1 on the day to make safe passage to an away tie against Great Bradfords or Loxford Lions.  

In the weekend’s other all-Corinthian outfit, an extraordinary tie saw Ridgeway Rovers Under 21s Reserves take on Ridgeway Rovers Under 21s! With both sides having made decent starts to their seasons, it was no surprise that the game was close with the first team ultimately edging a tight game 1-0 after extra time, securing a trip to Mayland Village.

Completing a hugely successful morning for our sides in the Trophy competition, Monkhams put on a really strong performance as they took on Angels Athletic in their clash in Loughton. The hosts made good use of home advantage, cruising to a 5-2 win and now take on another Sceptre League team, this time away, against Power Town.

MIDDLESEX SUNDAY JUNIOR CUP

Kulture Klub became the first side to represent the Corinthian League in Middlesex county cup action as they hosted Barnet Sunday League’s Muswell Hill on Sunday. Klub put on an excellent display to beat their top-flight opposition in a seven-goal thriller, winning 4-3 to go through to the third round of the competition.

WEST ESSEX SUNDAY CHARITY TROPHY

Last but not least, Sunday’s fixture list threw up yet another inter-club cup tie as the West Essex Sunday Charity Trophy action continued with Thames Ironworks Community Reserves taking on their first team counterparts at Wanstead Flats with three divisions separating the teams. The first team made that advantage count in the end with a 4-1 win.