WEEK 12 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

CORINTHIAN CUP

There were just two Corinthian Cup ties at the weekend but one did almost see a major upset as Division Two side Barking & Dagenham Wanderers went very close in their tie at home to top flight FLY. Ultimately, a Tariq Humaid hat-trick was just enough, overcoming goals from Luke Read and Alex Leslie for the Wanderers in a 3-2 scoreline.

In the day’s third round clash from Newbury Park, a high-flying Flyhouse Athletic side avoided any kind of slip up with a home win against FIFE as the former confirmed a place in the quarter finals with a 4-0 victory. They will, in fact, now face a “Fly” derby in the last eight as those sides now meet in the new year.

DIVISION ONE

The big game in Division One from the weekend saw league leaders Roose add another victory to their terrific league record so far as they ended Gants Hill’s unbeaten start in a 3-1 success in Hainault. Shaye La Rose scored twice and Samuel Murray-Sharpe grabbed the other to make it eight wins in the league so far this term.

That result also enabled Theydon Green to step up their own promotion challenge as they came out on the right side of a 5-0 home win, beating visitors Royal Lions A over in Loughton. Ben Harris, Frankie Licheri, Harry Carter, Noah Friend and Luke Dimond all got on the scoresheet for Green who also remain unbeaten and just three points off the lead with a game in hand.

With games in hand still on those above, Barking Riverside could yet put a spanner in the works in the promotion race and they completed a solid win on the road on Sunday with a 7-1 success at St Augustines. Ryan Gardiner and Solomon Asomah scored twice, along with goals from Kevin Ituko, Ansalem Obi and Godfrey Kambaza to take the points home with them.

Over at Castle Green, it will have been a morning to remember for Benchviews who picked up their first three point haul in the league this season with a hard fought victory away at FC Galaxy. Mihai Marenciuc netted for the hosts but visitor goals from Jahvarn Crouch-Oswald, Darius Izukanne and Zachariah Aliane turned things in their favour in a 3-1 final scoreline.

DIVISION TWO

With the league leaders out of action in Division Two, AC Milano were able to close the gap at the top to just five points as they came out on the right side of a 2-1 victory against Debden Sports Reserves. Nadeem Khankhara and Tayyab Akhtar both scored for the hosts who made it six wins from eight this season in the league.

Abridge Village also had a productive morning, moving up to fourth in the standings as they took home all three points from their trip to Leytonstone Athletic as they met in Hainault. Pat Ambrose scored for the hosts but Abridge goals from Jmichael and Jochanan Katende, plus a Joe Parrott goal, helped the visitors go home 3-1 victors.

Over in South Ockendon, it was a winning performance from hosts East London Harriers climbed a number of places into sixth as they earned win number two with a 2-0 victory against bottom of the table Barking. Owen Tribe and Riley Garrick struck the goals to hand their side a win, increasing their points tally up to eight.

DIVISION THREE

There was just the one game able to proceed in Division Three and that saw Singh Sabha Barking follow up their terrific last minute win last weekend with another victory this time out, beating Alpha 2-1 at Wanstead Flats to move up to third in the table. A goal apiece from Ryan Dubb and Matthew Vasu were all important for their side, that being SS’s fifth win in six.

DIVISION FOUR

Byron Red Star were the biggest winners of the day in Division Four as they produced a super home performance to beat a plucky Prospect Protégé side at Hylands Park. A 7-0 win was secured by seven different goal scorers too, those being Ramel Smith, Oluwagbeminiyi Adeaga, Adrian John, Richard Oduwole, Edward Okadigbo, Perry Robinson and Alfie King.

It was a morning to remember for Brymans Park who secured their first league victory of the season to move out of the bottom two, United Borough being the side to fall to Park in a 3-1 scoreline. Shane Taylor scored twice for the victors, adding to a Luke Broomfield goal, to confirm their maiden win at the eighth attempt.

The same scoreline was recorded over at Town Mead in Waltham Abbey where Horse & Well made the trip up from Debden to take on a Chingford Athletic side. Well goals from Joshua French, Tom Tatican and James Marsh were the difference between the sides as Horse & Well won 3-1 to take the points.

DIVISION FIVE

There were goals aplenty in Division Five where victory for the league leaders, Colebrook Royals Reserves, enabled them to move six points clear at the top of the table. They were narrow 3-2 winners away at Titans United, overcoming United goals from Robert Devlin and Tommy Edwards with one apiece from James Rose, Benjamin Whomersley and Kamran Latif.

Royal Lions B moved into second place in the table, earning themselves a win on the road in the Hainault derby match, nipping through the hedge to overcome Mayfield Kings. Younes Ferhani scored the Kings goal but his effort proved in vain as Lions roared to victory in a 5-1 scoreline, taking their own wins tally to six in eight.

The division’s final game was also another filled with plenty of goal action and saw a Dagenham derby fixture between hosts Ultimate Vision Reserves and Dagenham Rangers. The sides went into the game with three points between them and that was exactly how it finished, the sides sharing the spoils in a 3-3 draw.

DIVISION SIX

The race for the title in Division Six continues to excite with at least two sides really pushing hard this year and looking to take it to the wire. Valence United Reserves sit second, just a point off the pace, after they came away winners in an eight goal thriller at Epping Forest Falcons. Billy Biggs’ hat-trick set them on their way with Keenan Mitchell and Tanis Newill goals making it a 5-3 win.

Ping City Phoenixes went into their home game with London Legacy sitting three points above their opponents and ended the day having extended that to six with a terrific 6-1 victory taking them up to eighth in the standings. Daniel Arnot and Jack Flood both scored hat-tricks for the hosts, overcoming a Motayyab Saeed effort from Legacy to earn the points.

The Hainault Rec derby fixture between Royal Lions C and Warren United saw the two sides well matched on the day and, despite an eight point gap in the table, this was not on show in the fixture, the sides ending up finishing level at 2-2. Oliver Regan and Harry Turner struck for Warren but two Lions goals saw the sides take a point each.

COUNTY CUP

It was a busy day in the Essex cup competitions as, firstly, in the Essex Sunday Premier Cup, all three of our representatives made it through starting with Brook Athletic who headed into the last sixteen with a terrific 4-1 win at home against Harlow Sunday League leaders, Harchester Ducks.

Baiteze Squad also faced Harlow League opposition with a trip to Paringdon to take on Risden Wood. The game saw the visitors have to come from behind to level it up 1-1 by full-time, eventually prevailing after an extra thirty minutes in a 3-1 scoreline.

Things were somewhat more routine for Hatch Lane who made a successful first outing in the competition with an win against Rainham Working Mens Club from the Combination League top flight. The London Cup holders were 5-1 victors to take their place in round three next weekend.

In the Essex Sunday Junior Trophy, there were some big wins for our clubs with last season’s finalists Valence United continuing their love for the competition with a big home success against Ridgeway Rovers. United were 7-0 victors to head into round three next month.

Also through after a big win are United Amateurs who secured their place on the back of a 9-3 home win against Division Five’s high flyers Mansfield Rangers. That win means they set up a trip up the A12 next month to take on Woodham Radars Reserves.

In the day’s all-Corinthian clash, it was another winning performance from Ainslie against their Ace Athletics counterparts, confirming a second win in as many weeks in a 4-1 away victory at Redbridge Sports Centre. Ainslie will now host either Writtle or Ongar United in the next round.

Eastern Avenue saw their run in the competition come to a halt at the second round stage as they lost narrowly in their fixture away at Ockendon Manor Reserves, going down 1-0 on the day to exit the cup.

Also heading out after being edged out narrowly are Manford Way Reserves as the Division Five side were beaten 2-1 at home by Belhus Park Athletic, seeing their run come to an end in the second round stage.