WEEK 20 REVIEW: Review of all of the weekend's league and cup action

CORINTHIAN CUP

The first cup finalists of the season were confirmed on Sunday as Division One’s Barking saw off the threat of Premier Division side, Liberty Stars, in a 2-0 victory. An end-to-end game was settled by a goal in each half from Daniel Cook to send the Mayesbrook Park outfit to their first final with the league.

TROPHYLAND CUP

In another January semi-final, last season’s Trophyland Cup finalists FC Mexico took on Division Two rivals E4 Rangers in Hainault with a place at Thurrock at stake. A brace from Sam Prince and a great strike from Rhys Tyrrell were enough for Mexico to book another trip to Ship Lane in a 3-0 win.

In the quarter-final tie played, Division Three’s title challengers, Wanstead United, took on Division Two’s Waltham Athletic at Cave Road with a place in the semi-final against SL Menfica the reward for the winner. Jason Branche was the hero for the hosts as his hat-trick led Wanstead to a 4-3 win after extra time with Stanley Fabowale also on target.

DIVISION THREE CUP

AC Milano Reserves are through to the quarter-finals of their Division Three Cup after a comfortable 6-2 at the weekend over Fairlop Rangers. Doubles from Zeeshan Nabi and Adil Kakuji, added to singles from Umarfaruk Ahmed and Talha Ali confirmed victory in Walthamstow for the visitors.

PREMIER DIVISION

There were eighteen goals in just two matches in the Premier Division as goals rained down. James Peagram moved top of the goal scorer’s chart with an astonishing seven-goal haul for Warren United as they beat co-tenants Valentines United in an 11-2 win. Bobby Wise scored twice with Bradley Gates and Joe Smallwood once to add to Warren’s tally, cancelling out hosts’ strikes from Maxwell Logan and Kwame Agyei.

There was a seven goal thriller at the Flats where Repton Park edged the narrowest of victories, seeing off Downs in a 4-3 win. Justin Cummins scored twice and Leon Lewis once for the hosts but their efforts proved in vain as Jesse Spearing’s hat-trick and a George Pummell goal took the points home for Repton.

DIVISION ONE

There aren’t many occasions that a side scores seven goals and doesn’t win, yet that was the case for both sides in the Emerson Park and Aldborough Hatch encounter in Hornchurch. The sides shared an incredible 7-7 draw to take home a point each. Rob Clark (2), Scott Perkins, Mitchell Frearson, Joe Woolley and Harry Larner were each on target for Emerson with a hat-trick from James Gibbings and braces for Tobi Alabi and Terlochan Singh levelling things up for Hatch.

Valley Park have moved up to fourth in the table after beating Dagenham United in a 2-0 scoreline. A goal from Chris Turner proved decisive for the hosts to climb the table and close the gap on the chasing pack.

Another high-scoring encounter was played out in Barkingside where Warren United Reserves triumphed by the odd goal in nine with a 5-4 victory over St Augustines. James Masters netted a hat-trick with Conor Tallon and Darren Burns completing the scoring for the hosts to cancel out Thomas Neale and Joe Rowlatt goals for the Saints.

Barking & Dagenham Wanderers keep up their chances of promotion with a 3-0 win on Sunday at home to Korona Redbridge, a result which saw them move up a place in the table. Strikes from Daniel John-Baptiste, Nick Read and Lewis Ashworth completed victory for the Wanderers.

DIVISION TWO

Docklands Albion have gone top of the table in Division Two following a hard fought victory on Sunday over London Fire Brigade. Goals from Tashan Benjamin and Roberto Rosero proved decisive as Albion moved a point ahead of their opponents with a number of games still in hand.

There was a second league win of the season for Morfdown Elect at the weekend as they beat Romford Galaxy 3-2 in Dagenham to close the gap at the bottom in the race to avoid the drop. Gary Smith and Craig McNutt were both scorers for Galaxy but Elect goals from Gareth Edwards and Adam Davis were enough to take home the points.

DIVISION THREE

League leaders, Upshire Reserves, were held to a 3-3 draw in Division Three as Alpha took home a share of the points on Sunday. Kai Haysman was the Alpha scorer for all three goals as his hat-trick confirmed a point in Waltham Abbey.

FC United of Hornchurch secured a huge win in the division’s other match as they beat mid-table rivals Asianos Reserves 6-1. Braces from Shane Cassidy and Billy Pearce plus strikes from Billy Rungay and Shaun Farrow were enough to confirm a victory which sees them move up to sixth in the table.

DIVISION FOUR

Congratulations go to SL Menfica who secured the first honours of the season on Sunday with a 3-2 home win against Oak Royals seeing them to the Division Four title in their first season with the league. Their perfect record so far was extended with goals from Charlie Parish, James Dobson and George Boffa to cancel out strikes from Jack Gotobed and Ross Travers for the visitors.

Making a late charge for the runners-up spot in the division are Goresbrook who beat promotion chasing Epping Forest Falcons 8-0 in Chadwell Heath. Charlie Barrett continued his sparkling form in front of goal with a hat-trick with Liam Coney and William Cox also scoring twice each and Dimitri Pafnouti rounding things off for the hosts.

And completing the Division Four action was a six goal thriller in Dagenham where Central Colts and Hornchurch Oakmont shared a 3-3 draw and took home a point each. Ross Woolward, George Terry and Charlie Woods all scored for Hornchurch but with Colts’ red-hot striker Tunde Olagunju netting twice for his side, a goal from Shannon Nyabunze meant that the sides had to settle for a point apiece.

COUNTY & CHARITY CUPS

In the quarter final of the Essex Sunday Premier Cup, Premier Division leaders Upshire exited the competition after a single goal defeat, going down 1-0 away at Parsloes Athletic in Harlow.

In the West Essex Sunday Charity Trophy quarter final, Alliance United completed a giant-killing as they knocked out Division Two’s Lonsdale to book a place in the semi final of competition.

Repton Park’s hopes of charity cup glory were sadly ended however as they played a second game of football in two days and went down 6-3 to Dagenham-based Romford Elite in the quarter finals.