WEEK 26 REVIEW: Round-up of all the league and cup action from the weekend

ENDEAVOUR CUP

The last Endeavour Cup semi-final spot was confirmed on Sunday as Valence United confirmed their place in the last four with a terrific home win against Division Six side Colebrook Royals Reserves. Rowan Newland scored twice off the bench with Aaron Legget, James Cook and Michael O’Brien all netting too to win the tie 5-0. They now face Ultimate Vision A in the semi-finals next weekend.

SENIOR DIVISION CUP

In the final game of the group stage, Flyhouse Athletic ensured their passage into the knockout stages of the Senior Division Cup as they earned second place through a 7-2 home win against Barking Riverside. That victory sees them move through to a quarter-final away at Brook Athletic while Barking move into the Premier Division Cup to take on United Dian.

DIVISION ONE CUP

The remaining semi-final in the Division One Cup was completed on Sunday as Theydon Green looked to follow up their county success of the week previous with a trip to Waltham Abbey to take on Chingford Athletic. A close game was settled by just a single goal as Harry Barrett’s effort for Green saw them win 1-0, booking another final, taking on AC Milano in just a fortnight’s time.

DIVISION TWO CUP

It was also semi-final day in the Division Two Cup where St Augustines and Royal Lions A met in Walthamstow with a cup final place on the line. The teams couldn’t be separated by full-time, drawing 2-2 with Aaron Francis and Ed Shepherd-Bowman both netting for Saints. And it was their side who held their nerve in the shootout, winning that 4-2 to book their place at Parkside.

Facing the Saints will be a resurgent Total Football side who have been in terrific form recently and saw off the threat of Thames Ironworks Community in their own semi-final on Sunday, winning the game 3-1 in East Ham to send them to Aveley. Nile Painter decorated the game with a hat-trick to put his side through to the maiden cup final next month.

DIVISION FOUR CUP

The first of the Division Four Cup semi-finals also reached their conclusion in Hainault where Blackwall Rovers were the visitors to take on Romford Athletic Dons, the former trailing twice to Dons goals but responding quickly to level at 2-2. But the cruellest of own goals, emanating from three deflections, handed Dons a 3-2 win on the day.

DIVISION SIX CUP

In the Division Six Cup, Royal Lions C were sat waiting their opponents for the upcoming final at Aveley with either Mansfield Rangers or Epping Royals to come. A close game was edged by the odd goal in three as leaders, Rangers, eventually prevailed in a 2-1 scoreline as Kemston Allen and Jack Cousins goals overcame a Joseph Bothwell effort to put their side into their first ever cup final.

SENIOR DIVISION

Two late second half goals made all the difference for Hatch Lane on Sunday as they overcame a plucky United Dian side to stay six points clear at the summit. After a goalless first half, strikes from Jermaine Francis and Amaree Robinson-Jones helped them to an eventual 2-0 win and confirm their twelfth league win in the process, ahead of a crucial county cup semi-final next Sunday.

Second placed FC Ballr also ensured they stayed in that position for another couple of weeks at least as they came through a tight game against El Valiente in East Ham, winning the game 2-1. Montel Shonubi and Dami Oyerinde both found the back of the net to earn their side another top flight victory.

PREMIER DIVISION

Roose have ensured themselves of a top half finish in their first season at Premier Division level as they overcame Avintul in Hainault in a 4-2 scoreline, with third place now in sight for them with a point from their final game. That was Roose’s sixth league success of the campaign while Avintul confirmed their placing in fifth spot.

DIVISION ONE

A terrific game in Division One saw Oceana made the trip to Abridge Village at the weekend knowing they needed to earn maximum points to keep up the pressure on the league leaders. And they did just that but were made to work for it, winning the game 4-3 as Matthew Koczan (2), Robert Coe and William Weightman goals overcame Abridge efforts from Reece Clarke, Jerome Headon and Leon Adeyemi.

DIVISION TWO

Asianos took advantage of results around them to move up into the promotion places in Division Two, coming out winners from their trip to Eastbrook United after scoring the only goal of a tight game. The visitors were 1-0 victors to make it ten wins this season, just goal difference keeping them off the top though they are being trailed closely by the Saints also.

There was a terrific performance by third bottom side Frenford who came home from their trip to league leaders Roneo Colts with all three points after a 5-3 win at Robert Clack. Keenan Gravillis, Dwayne Francis-Riley and D’jean Holland all got on the Colts scoresheet but their efforts were ultimately in vain as Frenford took home the points.

Korona Redbridge ensured they will take their battle against the drop into the last five games after coming away winners in the Old Parks derby match against FC Mexico B. Dawid Smolarek scored twice with Marcin Sierminski, Milan Pajak and David Pietras also striking for Korona to hand their side a vital three points.

DIVISION THREE

Things at the top of Division Three have gotten very close all of a sudden as Alpha put a cat amongst the pidgins following a 3-0 home win against Higham Hill at the Flats. Kai Brown was on fire, scoring all of the game’s goals, his hat-trick performance earning his side an eighth league win of the season and taking Hill’s lead at the top to just a point.

And that points deficit was further reduced as Debden Sports Reserves put ten goals past Mayfield Kings on Sunday to put the hosts into pole position for the title given their game in hand and goal difference. Callum Thomas scored three and Charlie Thomas two to set them on their way with Harrison Andrews, James Crowe and Harry Maslin also striking in the 10-0 success.

In the division’s other game, Upshire Forest’s own quest for league glory was continued with a vital three point success from their trip to Inside Success. Quam Deen and Halameen Agbaje both struck goals for the hosts but Forest goals from Daniel Roult (2), Riley Bowers, Aaron Rich, Hayden Essam and Mark Lawn done the business to take a 6-2 victory.

DIVISION FOUR

In Division Four, our congratulations must first go to Singh Sabha Barking who were crowned league champions on Sunday following results in the division and we congratulate all those involved at the club on their deserved success.

That was despite United Amateurs doing their level best to keep the race going as they put in a top performance in front of goal in the Rec derby, defeating Lonsdale 7-3. Eraldo Quni, Anton Nikolli and Kalium Fletcher struck for the visitors but a Jack Chawner hatty, two from Bradley Bennett and one each for Thomas Cardnell, Billy Biggs and Paul Bennett took their goals tally to ninety-nine.

Over in Romford, it was ninth versus tenth in division’s final game with hosts Raphael Park Rovers and Ace Athletics starting the game just four points apart. They could not be separated by full-time, thus taking a point each in a 1-1 draw with James Dixon netting for Rovers and Billy Baldry for Ace.

DIVISION FIVE

Colebrook Royals Vets picked up a vital 1-0 win at the weekend with a hard fought performance on the road away at Belfry Reserves to ensure they kept themselves well ahead in the race for the title, albeit with games running out. A single goal was all that separated the teams in Hainault with Royals benefitting from that key moment to earn win number seventeen in a memorable season.

Ultimate Vision A warmed up for their big semi-final fixture next weekend in the Endeavour Cup by securing a terrific home victory against Young Royals in the Forest Road derby. Ryan Maun scored twice with Scott Watkins and Max Massow netting the other two to hand their side a 4-0 win, moving them up a place to eighth in the standings too.

DIVISION SIX

The sole game in Division Six also came from a busy Hainault as cup finalists, Royal Lions C were in league action with a home game against another Forest Road tenant, Ping City Phoenixes. A close game saw the sides share five goals with the odd goal going the way of Lions who added league points to their tally with a 3-2 win, despite Ping goals from Jack Flood and Esat Yurtseven.

COUNTY CUP

It was semi-finals day for Baiteze Squad in the London Sunday Challenge Cup as they faced Trabzonspor, trying to emulate their past performances. Despite a difficult start in which the home stopper easily confirmed man of the match status, Baiteze had the better of the middle part of the game, leading 1-0. But the visitors fought back hard, levelled from a penalty and then won it mid-half in the second period to deservedly take their place in the May’s showpiece final.