WEEK 22 REVIEW: Review of all of the weekend's league and cup action

COUNTY CUP

Barking & Dagenham Wanderers have kept the Corinthian flag flying and sealed a place in the semi-final of the Essex Junior Trophy following a sparkling 6-2 win on Sunday against Laindon Orient in Newbury Park. They will face Leigh United Reserves in the semi-final now on March 5th.

DIVISION ONE CUP

In a rescheduled Division One Cup tie, Warren United Reserves and Dagenham United served up a ten-goal thriller with Warren running out 6-4 victors to book a place in the quarter-finals. Darren Burns scored a hat-trick, Alfie Soutar a brace and James Masters a single to confirm their progression.

DIVISION TWO CUP

The Division Two Cup quarter final between Park Tavern and Romford Galaxy was a tight affair with the former running out winners by the odd goal in a 2-1 victory to confirm a place in the semi finals. Chris Gunning was on target for Galaxy but a David Hornsby brace sent his side through.

DIVISION FOUR CUP

Central Colts have confirmed themselves a place in the semi-finals of the Division Four Cup despite a 2-1 defeat at the weekend to Oak Royals in Group A. Kelvin Malcolm scored the Colts goal by strikes from Sam Hart and Ryan Mitchell confirm a Royals win.

In Group B, SL Menfica wrapped up top spot with a perfect record, seeing off Goresbrook in a tightly contested 5-3 win. The league’s top goal scorer, Charlie Barrett’ scored twice for the home side and Liam Coney once but strikes from Thomas Rice (2), Connor Wheatley, Charlie Parish and Jake Muller saw Menfica safely into the semi finals.

Also confirming a place in the semi finals were Hornchurch Oakmont who beat Epping Forest Falcons 3-2 with strikes from Ross Woolward, Lewis Minton and George Terry seeing them through on the last day of the group stage.

PREMIER DIVISION

Repton Park have moved up to fourth in the table in the Premier Division after beating Ainslie Wood narrowly 3-2 in Barkingside. Charlie Graham and Eric Kelly both scored for the visitors but a Jesse Spearing hat-trick proved to be the difference between the sides on the day as Repton went home with the points.

Upshire made it ten wins from ten league matches with a comfortable 5-1 win at Downs on Sunday. Ryan Dear scored twice for his side with a John Gregory hat-trick seeing the visitors closer to the victory line. James Healy was on target with Downs‘ consolation goal.

Flanders secured an important victory in their battle to avoid the dreaded drop as they beat Valentines United 4-1 in Barkingside. Shane Campbell scored twice with Lawal Alhada and Matt Hector goals completing the win for Flanders on the day.

DIVISION ONE

The goals were flowing in Division One where Emerson Park beat Valley Park 4-2 to maintain their position at the top of the table. Stuart Box scored twice for Valley but hosts’ goals from Reece Sargent, Joey Harris, Scott Day and Harry Payne keep their title hopes very much alive.

Chingford Celtic have moved second in the table after a thumping 8-1 win on Sunday over Korona Redbridge. Lee Pearce scored a hat-trick for the hoops adding to a Mark Howe brace and further goals from Ross Chimes, Tom English and Dom Farmer. Adam Waclawczyk was Korona’s scorer for their consolation goal.

Also climbing up the table this week are cup finalists Barking who won 7-0 at home to St Augustines to go third in the table. Goal scoring doubles from each of Daniel Cook, James Jacobs and Ben King added to a James Hobday effort to complete a resounding win against the Saints.

DIVISION TWO

Docklands Albion have maintained their position at the top of the Division Two table with a 3-0 win on Sunday at home to Lonsdale. Roberto Rosero was the difference between the sides, netting himself a hat-trick to confirm victory for the Albion.

Waltham Athletic remain in close proximity with the leaders, just two points back, aided by their latest win on Sunday away to Morfdown Elect in Dagenham. Charlie Saywood scored twice to see off a Ricky Barwick goal for the hosts and carry his side to a 3-1 win.

Securing an emphatic win in Manor Park on Sunday were previously ninth-placed E4 Rangers who travelled to face high-flying Westferry Elite and ran out big 7-1 winners. Tim Dye and Stuart Griffiths both scored twice with Mitchell-Christopher Edmonds and Macauley White goals completing the win that aids their attempts to beat the drop.

FC Mexico completed a win of their own at the weekend as they hosted London Fire Brigade in Emerson Park and came away 4-1 winners on the day. David Ellis scored for the visitors but Alex O’Halloran’s brace plus goals from Jack O’Neill and Alan Liddell were enough for the men in green to take the points.

DIVISION THREE

The biggest winners of the day were Upshire Reserves who knocked an astonishing thirteen goals past Fairlop Rangers without reply with all barring two players finding the back of the net. Luke Casey scored a hat-trick, Joe Rozasty a brace with a long list comprising the remaining scorers: Sidney Stojic, Jack Archer, Thomas Smith, Danny Haigh, Mickey Clark, Tommy Marchant, Tyler Paterson and Ross Paterson.

Rivals for the title, Wanstead United, kept up the challenge with a 5-2 victory at home to Asianos Reserves. Goals from Jason Branche, Shaun Clarke, Bradley Drisdale, Kane Greene and Oron Bristol saw United to victory and move within five points of the leaders with games in hand.

After the goal-glut of the other games in the division, just a single goal was enough in each of the remaining game as AC Milano Reserves beat Alpha to keep hopes alive of staying in this division. Zuber Patel scored the only goal of the game to keep AC Milano within striking distance of safety.

Another game settled by a single goal saw Alliance United travel to Ridgeway Rovers and come away 1-0 winners on the day. Joe Phillips made the difference as he scored the only goal to move Alliance up above their opponents and into third place in the table.