WEEK 28 REVIEW: Round-up of all the league and cup action from the weekend

DIVISION ONE CUP FINAL

It was the first cup final Sunday of the season over the weekend with the triple header kicking off with the morning game as AC Milano and Theydon Green battled it out for the Division One Cup. The first half was a tight affair with not a great deal of clear cut chances through both sides as they went in goalless at half time. As the game opened up after the break, the chances began to flow with both sides going close before a splendid Sam May-Parrott volley for Green in the 65^th minute flew into the top corner to break the shackles. With AC pushing for a leveller, Green made sure of it with good finish in the 76^th minute from Noah Friend, confirming the silverware heading back to Loughton!

DIVISION THREE CUP FINAL

The second final of the day saw the conclusion of the Division Three Cup competition as two of the division’s top sides, Upshire Forest and Higham Hill, met at Parkside to battle for the silverware. Upshire were in the early ascendency with some good chances created but were hit on the counter by Hill as Zachery Leitch broke clear to slot past the keeper in the 12^th minute to hand them a lead. Further chances came and went for both sides as Hill went into the break one up. Upshire started the second half stronger but were once again hit by a Leitch solo effort as he worked the space to round the keeper and score, making it 2-0 in the 61^st minute. Upshire fought back hard and grabbed one back in the 87^th minute via Rhys Thurgood but Leitch was to be a hat-trick hero, netting his and Hill’s third in stoppage time to win it 3-1 and seal the cup!

DIVISION SIX CUP FINAL

The early evening final was greeted by the sunshine at Parkside as Mansfield Rangers and Royal Lions C went for cup glory in the inaugural Division Six Cup Final. A tentative start from both sides saw neither able to create many chances until the 22^nd minute when Lions broke the deadlock, netting from six yards. They had the better of the chances for the rest of the half but were unable to extend the lead, going into the break at 1-0. Mansfield had their best spell in the early throws of the second half but were pegged back again as a deep free kick was met by a towering Lions header in the 56th minute to make it 2-0. Rangers’ best chance of the game then followed but a stunning save prevented a comeback and when Lions netted from the spot in the 82^nd minute then struck a fourth in the 89^th, it was clear their name was going to be on the cup. The referee’s whistle blew shortly after to confirm a piece of silverware heading back to Hainault.

NATIONAL CUP

A little further north on Sunday afternoon, up at Boston United, it was Baiteze Squad’s big day as they went in search of a national cup final place, taking on Middlesbrough Dormans. They were behind as early as the fifth minute then saw a penalty saved, perhaps leading you to think it might not be their day. But Baiteze’s attacking threat was constant and having weathered the storm, a Malachi Napa leveller in the second half sent the game to penalties once again. Trailing in the shootout, Baiteze fought back once again and the returning Cruikshank netted the crucial fifth to confirm his side’s place in the biggest game of football a Sunday team can play! They will now face Highgate Albion in the final with a date and venue to be confirmed shortly.

SENIOR DIVISION CUP

There was quarter final action in the Senior Division Cup where Flyhouse Athletic, the remaining second tier side in the competition, continued their excellent run with a penalty shootout victory against Brook Athletic after the sides had finished level at 2-2. A 4-3 shootout victory was enough for Flyhouse to book their place in the semi finals.

And they will now meet El Valiente as the top flight side overcame a potential banana skin tie against Premier Division Roose down at Flanders on Sunday. The hosts have been in fine scoring form recently and home goals from Nathan Wilson, Luke With and Martin Arowoshaye were enough to send their team through to a home semi final next month.

Also into the hat for the last four are Hatch Lane who had to overcome the threat offered by Secret as the teams met in Hainault. Nickal-David Luzolo struck for the visitors but braces from Tremayne Coley and Jermaine Francis were too much, Mekael Williams also finding the back of the net to complete a 5-1 win for Hatch. They now face East Way Athletic in the semi-final next month.

DIVISION FOUR CUP

It was semi-final day for two further sides in the Division Four Cup where top played second in Newbury Park, Singh Sabha Barking hosting United Amateurs for the right to face Romford Athletic Dons in May. Bradley Bennett’s goal scoring form continued for United with him notching for the visitors but Barking goals from Jordan Hamilton and Indervir Virdi were enough for Singh Sabha to win the game 2-1 and book their place in the final.

SENIOR DIVISION

There was just one top flight fixture owing to cup commitments but that did see a big result for Repton Park who sealed just their second league success of the season with a 3-2 win on the road away at fourth placed East Way Athletic. That result by the odd goal means they can still avoid relegation with games in hand to make up but they will need a sequence of results to go their way.

DIVISION ONE

Abridge Village had a great morning in Division One as they moved third in the standings on the back of a solid 7-2 victory at home against Chingford Athletic. Joe Parrott swept in to score a hat-trick, Reece Clarke netted two and one each from Perry Clarke and Kurt Freeney sent the points home with the hosts.

DIVISION TWO

Division Two’s only fixture saw an unbelievable game of football played out between promotion rivals Asianos and St Augustines, the former having led 4-1. But Saints fought back incredibly to lead 5-4 with fifteen minutes to go with Kyran Allen (2), Jonathan Davies, Ed Shepherd-Bowman and James Edelman striking back. But unbelievably, Asianos levelled and then stole it late on to win 6-5. What a game!

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, an important game in the context of the promotion race saw Leytonstone Athletic face their local rivals, Alpha, down at Oaks Park. The game proved a close contest with it finishing level at 2-2, Pat Ambrose and Ben Jones netting to keep Leytonstone second though they only have one game left to lay down the gauntlet to the chasing pack.

DIVISION FOUR

There were plenty of goals in Division Four where Ultimate Vision Reserves were the biggest winners of the day as they rattled in a 4-1 win against Raphael Park Rovers to remain fifth in the standings  with three games still to play. Jake Li was the Rovers man on target with their consolation effort as they attempt to stave off the drop in their remaining two fixtures.

An eight goal thriller rounded off the football in the division where Romford Athletic Dons and Ainslie combined in Hainault to produce a 4-4 draw, putting a dent in the latter’s promotion hopes. William Hunt, Kailem Gayle and Kane Patmore all struck for Ainslie but a Scott Buckland hat-trick in reply for Dons and a Jacen Worboyes goal were enough to level it up by full time.

DIVISION FIVE

The race for the title in Division Five is now almost certain to go down to the last games in May as Colebrook Royals racked up win number eighteen this season with a superb 5-1 win against Byron Red Star in Hornchurch. Ben Sitki scored two while teammates Nicholas Chrysanthou, Omar Mahmood and Paul Noonan also on the scoresheet to win the game handsomely.

But that result was matched by their rivals for the title, Valence United, who mirrored the result with a 5-1 success in their away game at Belfry Reserves on Sunday. Tarron Tennant scored for the hosts but a Rowan Newland hat-trick and strikes from Scott Gillick and Aaron Leggett proved enough to send the points back to Dagenham.

Over at the Flats, hosts Eastern Avenue knew that they really needed to take full points should they want to remain in the promotion race but were only able to take a point from their game against visitors, United Borough. Miguel Conceicao and Virmantas Olisaukas scored the Eastern goals with Jake Griffin netting both in reply for Borough as the game finished 2-2.

DIVISION SIX

In Division Six, Colebrook Royals Reserves and Valence United Reserves went toe to toe in the latter’s final game of the campaign, the sides producing a tight affair with the game ending 1-1. Keenan Mitchell scored for Valence with Phorell Brooke netting for Royals as they continue to hunt for silverware, though they will possibly now have to win every remaining game to take the title.

It was a good day for the Epping sides as Epping Royals continued their quest for a top half finish with a 6-2 win against Ivory United. A Jordan Kirkby hat-trick set them on their way with Matthew Robinson, Louie Brownlie and Andrew Smith goals finishing things off, despite Ivory efforts from Zac Riches and Sammy Taylor.

And Epping Forest Falcons gave themselves the best chance of avoid a bottom place finish with two games to go as they defeated top half side Ping City Phoenixes in Barkingside. Emmanuel Addo done the damage with a hat-trick, adding to a Soma Sundhu effort to win it 4-0 and give them plenty of hope for the rest of this and the start of next season.