WEEK 24 REVIEW: Round-up of Sunday's league and cup football action

DIVISION FOUR CUP

The first cup final line-up of the season has been confirmed following both Division Four Cup semi finals played at the weekend. Newham Athletic are the first of those finalists as the league leaders faced fellow promotion chasing East Ham Inter in their clash in Beckton. Joseph McEnroe’s rich vein in front of goal continued as he scored twice with Leon Anderson and Chris Jennings scoring the others in a 4-0 win.

And facing Newham Athletic in the final will be Asianos Reserves who continued what has been a terrific season so far as they travelled to face Grey Area on Sunday in East Ham. Asianos were ahead early but were pegged back to 1-1 by the break. The second half saw Asianos move ahead early and then miss a penalty. A third goal was scored midway through the half to see them earn a 2-0 victory and a place in the final at Aveley on Friday 22^nd March.

PREMIER DIVISION

It was a busy morning in the top flight with most sides in action once again. Repton Park’s ascent to their maiden league title is looking increasingly ominous but their progress was pegged back on Sunday as they were held to a 2-2 draw away at rivals Warren United. James Peagram scored twice Warren with Oliver Slater and Ciaran Kelly getting the goals to earn a share of the spoils for Repton.

El Valiente took advantage of that part slip up by the league leaders as they ran out victors in their away league clash against Barking & Dagenham Wanderers in Newbury Park. A goal apiece from Ricky Field and Kane Malone saw the visitors win 2-0 and close the gap to three points on the leaders.

The side in third place are Romford Elite who are three points off the top two places following their visit to FC Mexico on Sunday. Chris Bird and Joshua Thompson were on target for Elite once again, levelling up affairs as Dean Hendrickson and Rhys Tyrrell netted for the Mexicans.

Making it a third 2-2 draw out of four fixtures played in this division, Ultimate Vision also had to settle for a share of the points in their contest against the visiting Flanders side down in Chadwell Heath. Jon Melia and Sean Bush were the Ultimate scorers to help the relegation threatened side to a ninth point of the season.

DIVISION ONE

In Division One, Chingford Athletic have gone back to the summit of the table as they took advantage of inactivity by SL Menfica to usurp at the top. Joe Middleweek was the hero of the hour as he scored the only goal of an otherwise tight contest that finished 1-0 to keep Chingford in title and promotion contention.

And moving up a place to second in the table, Ridgeway Rovers are another side who have had a stunning season this year. Following a double promotion, they have adjusted well to life in the second tier as they earned yet another 1-0 win for themselves in beating a vastly improved Wanstead Albion side by the odd goal, this being Rovers’ ninth league win of the season.

DIVISION TWO

The odds on Dagenham United securing a second league title in succession are shortening by the week as one of their biggest rivals for the title, Royal Albert, saw their hopes suffer a blow as they gained just a point from their double header away at now second placed FC Kulture Klub. The first game ended 2-2 with Jamal Dzotsi and Michael Dale on the scoresheet for Klub and Lloyd Makhanya adding to a Timothy Lukwago effort for Albert. Then in the return game, Klub won 4-3 with Michael Dale on target with a brace this time around, cancelling out the efforts of Timothy Lukwago who scored a hat-trick.

Ferns Senior have retained hopes of a promotion place and, in their current form, could be an outside bet for a top two finish as they overcame a man deficit to earn a narrow win against Bretons Manor. Greg Bowles grabbed the Manor goal but Ferns efforts from Lathan Jordan and Chris Wilby secured the points for the visitors in a 2-1 win.

In the battle between two of the division’s improving sides, Goresbrook were the hosts as Walthamstow Avenue made the trip to Chadwell Heath looking to continue their unbeaten calendar year. Liam Nicklin and Zachery Leitch helped them to do just that but they did have to settle for a point apiece as Goresbrook also scored twice in the 2-2 draw with Josh Keeble and Ricky Cripps efforts on the scoresheet.

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, Thames Ironworks Community remain mathematically in the race for the title as they recorded a 3-1 home win over Alpha in Plaistow, overcoming a Kai Brown goal with efforts from Jason Turner, Paul Scanlan and Billy Scott. Thames will need to win their remaining five match to overtake the current leaders, Central Colts, who have finished their league campaign for the year.

Hornchurch Oakmont’s promotion charge took a serious blow as they were sent to a narrow defeat at home to E4 Rangers at Westlands. James Mitchell, Bobby Cass and Luke Newman all netted for the hosts but Rangers’ braces from Charlie Parry and Ryan Mallett saw the visitors stun the county cup semi finalists in a 4-3 result.

Completing the action in the fourth tier, cup semi finalists, West Essex, kept their momentum going into an important phase of the season with a win by the odd goal in three against Dagenham United Reserves. Connor Brathwaite hasn’t had too much difficulty in finding the net in recent weeks as he scored twice again, cancelling out a Jay Simmons effort for the Daggers.

DIVISION FOUR

With most of the top half sides in cup action on Sunday, the biggest moves in Division Four were Monkhams who moved themselves up to fourth in the table as they ran out big 5-0 winners away at Oak Royals. That win, their eighth of the season so far, keeps them in the picture for a top two place albeit will need some results to go their way in the run in.

AC Milano Reserves have consolidated their place right in the middle of the table as they earned a win in their home clash against Custom House Community. An AC win by 3 goals to one carried West Ham based side to a sixth league win, keeping them seventh in the table with still a number of games in hand over the sides immediately above them.

Thames Ironworks Community Reserves made significant in-roads into their points deficit at the bottom of the table as they made the trip to Dagenham to face previously eleventh placed Alliance United in a double header. A big 7-3 win in the first game was achieved by Thames through a Lee Mpensah hat-trick, a Benjamin Jeffrey brace and singles from Martin Davies and Kurt Smith. In the return game, the goals kept flowing as Thames won 4-2 with Jeffrey scoring twice again and Tony Bones’ double seeing their side to six points on the day.

Completing the day’s league action, Epping Forest Falcons will have been happy with the morning’s efforts as they had a tough trip to Wanstead Flats to face a good Woodford side. A close game was settled by just a single goal with Falcons the beneficiaries of that effort from Ricky Bronson in a 1-0 victory for the Woodford based side. That was their fifth win of an inconsistent season but have moved five points clear of the sides below as they attempt to avoid a bottom two finish.