WEEK 20 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

FA SUNDAY CUP

East London Ballers have earned their place in the last eight of this year’s national FA Sunday Cup competition after a strong performance at Parsloes Park against rivals AC Milano. A couple of goals in each half were enough in the end, setting up a trip to south London next month as they take on Under The Radar.

SENIOR DIVISION CUP

Group stage leaders, Baiteze Squad, have all but confirmed their place in the semi-finals of the Senior Division Cup this season, making it three wins from three on Sunday after a hard fought 3-2 win on the road away at Brook Athletic. Reece Simpson and Dion Johnston both struck for the hosts but Baiteze netted three to take the win.

DIVISION ONE CUP

The first quarter-finalists were confirmed in the Division One Cup where St Augustines earned their place on the back of an away win against Barking Riverside, edging a close game at Castle Green by the odd goal, winning 3-2. Solomon Asomah and Gideon Adomakoh netted for the hosts but those proved in vain as Saints took the win.

Also through into the last eight are another side who won away on the road, Repton Park netting themselves a place in the last eight as they returned home from east London with the win under their belts, beating UK Moldova 3-1. Repton’s reward for that win is an away quarter-final at Benchviews in the coming weeks.

DIVISION ONE

The sole Division One action from the weekend came from Barkingside as Critics took on a Total Football side with both sides keen to move up the table. It was a comfortable looking win for the hosts here though as Critics wrapped up a 6-0 win with Harry Brislen-Hall scoring a hat-trick, Dylan Florence scoring two and Hayden Edwards-Watson the other.

DIVISION TWO CUP

It was quarter-finals day for two sides in the Division Two Cup as Stone Town looked to cause an upset with the visit of AC Milano Reserves at the weekend. The higher placed AC Milano did the business however to place themselves ninety minutes away from a possible final, winning the game 8-2.

DIVISION TWO

In Division Two, Woodford Town have moved level with the leaders on goal difference following Sunday’s results but missed the chance to go top themselves after being held to a 1-1 draw away at East London Ballers Under 23s at West Ham Park. Razat Rahman scored for the hosts and Luke Dimond netted his customary goal for Town to share the spoils.

That result also presented the opportunity for FC Galaxy to close the gap on the teams above and they duly obliged, netting a 6-2 win away at City Site to move to within a point of the promotion places. Mihai Mareniuc scored two, adding to goals from Mihalache Dumitru, Giovani-Ionut Paladoiu, Alexandru Saru and Tatian Radu.

Fourth placed Daglanta are also part of the promotion picture themselves and sit a further single point back, their result at the weekend seeing them take a point from an entertaining contest with Upshire Forest. Andy Morris’ brace plus goals from Gersi Lika and Eric Sowonola accounted for the Daglanta goals while Leighton Hughes-Franklin’s double and singles from Costi-Marian Varsoi and Jack Roult meant this one ended in a 4-4 draw.

Over at Fords Newbury Park, hosts Singh Sabha Barking and Barking & Dagenham Wanderers went one better, the sides combining to produce a nine-goal thriller, this one won by Singh Sabha 5-4. Omari Williams scored twice off the bench with Jordan Hamilton, Baldip Boparai and Sarwan Birak also on the scoresheet for their side who climb to fifth.

DIVISION THREE CUP

There was quarter-final action in the Division Three Cup on Sunday where Leytonstone Athletic earned their place in the semi-finals with a hard fought away victory against Ainslie in the Waltham Forest derby match. Tom Carter and Ryan Radley were both scorers for the hosts but Leytonstone goals from Ryan Kelland, Robert Sangbey and Albert Edwards netted their team a 3-2 win.

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, with the previous leaders in cup action, Woodford Town Reserves took full advantage to move top of the table, netting themselves a big 5-0 away win against Warren Senior. William Sandell and Ronan McGoldrick both scored twice for their side, Max Painter adding the other to push their side to the summit.

Third placed Colebrook Royals Reserves were also able to cut the gap on the promotion places to just four points with games in hand, their weekend’s efforts seeing them take all three points at home to United Amateurs in the Hainault derby. Djean Holland and Harley Lewis scored the game’s only goals to net Royals a 2-0 success.

In the next field, South Ilford Catholics were in home action as they took on a Romford Town Flyers side at Hainault Rec, a game which saw a close contest settled by the odd goal. Harry Glenister struck for Romford but host goals in reply from both Orintas Mikulskas and Nero El Amino meant that it was South Ilford leaving with the points in a 2-1 scoreline.

DIVISION FOUR

With the league leaders in cup action, Debden Sports A went into their away trip to Coppice Row in the knowledge that they could cut the gap at the top with a win. They didn’t get things all their own way however and needed the odd goal in three to take the points as Jack Sawdon and George Scott goals overcame an Afolabi Olugbile effort for Row, 2-1 the score.

Third placed Eastern Avenue kept up their decent run this season with a hard fought home win, beating Cardinals Athletic in east London by the odd goal. Gerald Longwe, Paulius Olisauskas and Milan Pajak all found the back of the net for Avenue and that proved just enough to earn a 3-2 win on the day.

That scoreline was reflected in the next game from the division which saw Royal Lions in action at Hainault Rec and taking on an East End United side sat a couple of points behind them at the start of the day. Lions moved five points ahead of their opponents however with a 3-2 win here, overcoming Joseph Connor’s double for the visitors.

Over at Low Hall Sports Ground, hosts Asianos were up against a Prospect Protégé side positioned a couple of places and a couple of points ahead of them as they got underway in east London. Their well match league positions were reflected on the pitch, neither side able to find a winner as the game ended in a 1-1 draw, Juan de la Puente netting the Prospect goal.

DIVISION FIVE

Division Five remains a hotly contest title chase and there were wins for all of the top three sides with Romford Rovers sitting top of the pile as things stand, a point clear with games in hand after a 3-1 away win on Sunday, beating Legacy City in a 3-1 scoreline. Georgi Meloyan scored City with Liam Adams, Peter Oola and Jake Griffin on the scoresheet for the visitors.

Epping Town sit a point behind the leaders and kept up their own credentials for promotion with a hard fought home win, scoring the game’s odd goal in three to net a 2-1 win against Young Royals. Johnny Pryor and Ben Stone were the men on target with the Epping goals to give their side the victory at Stonards Hill.

Chingford Athletic are another side amongst the mix for the promotion places and they produced an impressive away win to net all three points at Lonsdale, winning 4-0 in Dagenham on Sunday. Darryl Wilson scored twice, accompanying Sam Matthews and Justin Clarke onto the scoresheet to make it a winning start to the new year.

Seventh placed Alpha are also up a place in the standings following the weekend’s results, earning a win against Mansfield Rangers at Douglas Eyre to make it four wins for the season. Billy Happe scored twice for Rangers but those were not quite enough after Tariq Mahmoud had put away a hat-trick for Alpha, Tafari Miller, Jake Skeet and Humza Qamar adding the others in a 6-2 result.

DIVISION SIX CUP

The day’s quarter-final action in the Division Six Cup pitched JK Silvertown Reserves up against London Legacy with the former looking to bounce back from quarter-final defeat last time out. But it was Legacy who prevailed from this one as Ahmed Ali’s brace and a Lucas Tavares goal saw them win the game 3-2 at Parsloes Park.

DIVISION SIX

There were some big results affecting matters at the top of the Division Six standings, firstly as Newbury Drive moved into a four point lead at the top after beating rivals Ping City Phoenixes in a 4-1 scoreline at Redbridge Sports Centre. That result saw them record a tenth league win, albeit from a couple of games more than their closest rivals.

The other important result in the race for the title was that achieved by Colebrook Royals A who were up against Hainault Athletic on Sunday in Loughton. Royals continued their decent form from the first part of the season, putting away eight goals courtesy of a trio of braces from Lenny Hunt, James Deaney and Jake Austin, Daniel O’Toole and Jedd Coster adding the others to win 8-0.

It was a Forest Road derby match in the game between hosts Ace Athletics and Inter Newbury, the latter still needing vital points to keep alive their hopes of beating the drop. And Newbury did just that, producing an impressive 5-2 win through two goals each from Sammy Bartle and Ali Turkmany, along with Qasim Ali’s effort. Charlie Land and Joshua Craske scored the Ace goals in reply.

DIVISION SEVEN

With their closest rivals involved in cup action, Gatcliffe took full advantage of that to move up into second place in the table, making it eight wins in the league this term after a 2-1 home success against fourth placed Emerson & Upminster. That result puts the second placed side just two points off the pace with plenty of football still to be played.

Fifth placed Barking Colts also used that result to make inroads themselves and moved level with the fourth placed side, trailing by goal difference, following their own win on Sunday against Romford Bullsharks. Colts won the game 4-1 at James Hornsby as Emmanuel Fowowe’s hat-trick separated the teams, Shakil Khan netting the other, while Ronnie Pemble grabbed the Romford goal in reply.

The final league action of the day came from Hainault Rec and saw United Amateurs Reserves in home action with the visit of Zone 4 Athletic. A close game between the sides in seventh and eighth ended in a narrow win for United who had Henry Sleight to thank, his goal helping them over the line in a 2-1 win, despite Daniel Munroe’s goal for Zone.

COUNTY CUP

There was a clean sweep for Corinthian clubs in the Essex Sunday Premier Cup, first as JK Silvertown wrapped up a third round victory at the second attempt, travelling to Parsloe United and taking home a 2-0 win from Harlow to confirm a fourth round tie against Wormingford Newtown.

Not too far away, it was the turn of Hatch Lane to enhance their credentials as they travelled to Harlow to take on a Primos Mineiro side at Barn Mead. The holders were in fine form once again to book their place in the quarter-finals this coming weekend, winning 4-1 to set up a trip to Toby.

Division Seven’s Warren United continued a quite remarkable run in the Essex Junior Trophy on Sunday, making it to the quarter-finals following a 6-2 victory away at a Herongate Athletic side placed five divisions above them. The reward for their performance is a home tie in the last eight against Stanford Royals.

Also through after a win against much higher ranked opposition are Debden Sports B who entertained Colchester Sunday League side Chesterwell at Chigwell Lane at the weekend. Debden scored the game’s only goal against a side four levels above them to secure a trip to Rochford next month.

Byron Red Star were finally able to get on the field to complete their third round tie, taking on Herongate Athletic Reserves for a place in the last sixteen at Hylands Park. Despite their opponents sitting one level above and unbeaten, it was Byron who completed a 4-2 win, taking on Rainham Working Mens Club next.

Another Division Four side also through on the day are Manford Way who were pitched against fellow Corinthian side Valence United C on Sunday at London Marathon. Despite the three division gap, a fairly close game eventually saw Manford prevail in a 3-1 scoreline to book a quarter-final berth.

Heading out of the competition though at the last sixteen stage were May & Baker EC, last year’s quarter-finalists seeing their run reach an end at the hands of local rivals JP8 in a fiery encounter. An early goal putting Bakers on the backfoot before further efforts in each half from the hosts put their side through, 3-0 the final scoreline.

CHARITY CUP

In the West Essex Sunday Charity Trophy, Athletic Newham were in quarter-final action with a trip further into east London to take on CSM London Under 23s. It was victory for the hosts however in this one with CSM taking a 4-0 win to net a place in the semi-finals of this season’s competition.