WEEK 29 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from Easter weekend

CORINTHIAN CUP

In the Corinthian Cup on Sunday, it was Senior Division’s FLY up against Division One front-runners, AC Milano, in quarter-final action, both sides seeking a place in the last four. And it was the top-flight side who produced the goods on the day as Chaka Barnett, Warren Kayembe and Jaedon Phillips all struck in a 3-0 win.

SENIOR DIVISION

Back into the league, the race for the title is reaching it’s pivotal point as Baiteze Squad racked up a tenth win of the season on Sunday, defeating second placed Critics in a 5-1 scoreline to move eight points clear at the summit, overcoming Dylan Florence’s goal. A victory in their next game will all but confirm the title with just a goal difference landslide stopping any certainty.

Over in Dagenham, Hatch Lane warmed up for their upcoming Essex Cup final next weekend by taking on the side who took that title twelve months ago with Flyhouse Athletic the side they faced at Parsloes Park. It was a 5-0 result in the end for Bowers bound Hatch as Daniel Couldridge struck two, Tremayne Coley, Andre Spence and Henderson Browne all netting.

DIVISION TWO

In Division Two, Debden Sports Reserves have returned to the top of the table and have a game in hand, the visitors taking home all three points on Sunday against FC Galaxy in a 4-1 scoreline. Ruben Costache scored for the hosts but Callum Thomas’ brace plus strikes from Will Osmond and Jamie Rones keeps their title hopes in their hands.

Fourth placed Daglanta lost ground on the sides above in the promotion race with a defeat away at Ainslie at Wadham Lodge. It was win number six this season for the hosts who had Eric Kelly to thank for their win, his four goal haul helping them win 6-3 with Ryan Radley and Georgie Fairhead also netting, overcoming goals from Eric Sowonola and Ahmed Boka.

Condor were another side to win at home over the weekend as they faced a Leytonstone Athletic side reaching a pivotal point in their quest to beat the drop. A close game was edged by the hosts with Condor 2-0 winners in the game through goals from Cristian Rotari and Andrei Bargan, the eighth league win for their side this season.

DIVISION THREE

In the sole game from Division Three over the weekend, it was United Amateurs’ last game of the season as they took on cup-final bound JP8 at Hainault Rec. And it was the latter who continued their momentum into that occasion, earning a 4-2 win despite United goals from Deividas Sertvietis and Damola Aremu.

DIVISION FOUR

There was a huge result in Division Four at the weekend where league leaders, Warren Senior, dropped vital points in the title race with a 4-2 defeat against mid-table Eastern Avenue. Gerald Longwe was the difference between the sides, his hat-trick leading the way alongside a Henry Boaventura goal. Alfie Boland and Brady Jones netted the Warren goals ahead of their title decider game.

Elsewhere in the division, Prospect Protégé have moved into fourth place in the standings with a big win of their own after beating cup finalists, Byron Red Star, in a 5-2 win at Hylands Park. Samuel Edusei and Archie Kieran both scored twice, Joseph Hill netting the other to end Prospect’s season with an eighth win of the year.

DIVISION FIVE

The Division Five action saw a glut of goals, beginning in Loughton where cup finalists, Coppice Row, saw their promotion hopes take a hit, held to a 5-5 draw at home against Athletic Newham. Mergim Marku scored a hat-trick, Jordan Aymer-Jeffrey and Jordan Santos also netting but Newham goals from Jamie Wooster (2), Paul Wooster and Robert Wooster, along with a Jean Francois effort levelled it up.

Over in Dagenham, it was a mid-table battle as May & Baker EC took on an Alpha side sitting a point ahead of them going into the contest. But by the end the sides had swapped places with Bakers moving fifth on the back of a narrow 3-2 win. Frankie Westland, Joe Hack and Ryan Rodwell all found the back of the net for the hosts to make it nine wins this term.

DIVISION SIX

In Division Six, goals were the theme here too with the league champions, Woodford Town Reserves, completing their season with a big win away at Brymans Park, winning 7-1 in Newbury Park to rack up win number seventeen in the process. Ife Bakreen scored for the hosts but his efforts were in vain by the end as Town struck seven.

Another cup final bound side, Epping Royals, made the trip down to Hainault Rec on Sunday to take on Barking Colts, the latter knowing that only three points would do in their efforts to beat the drop. But it was a Royals win on the day, Joseph Bothwell scoring a hat-trick, Fraser McCarthy adding two and Maximus Harvey also scoring in a 6-2 scoreline.

Just down the road in Barkingside, there was a nine-goal thriller in the game between FC Mexico and London Legacy who sit seventh and sixth respectively. Alan Lidell, Emmanuel Rowe, Jack Wilkinson and Dean Hendrickson-Garrett bagged for the hosts but Legacy goals from Mason Harper, Jordan Bolasingh, Mohamed Noor, Tyler York and Lloyd Barfour made it a 5-4 success for their side.

DIVISION SEVEN

The Division Seven title race is a real nail-biter with two points separating the top four sides with anything possible over the next fortnight or so. Debden Sports A moved into second place on goal difference after they came out on the right side of a 6-4 victory against fifth placed Warren United, Sports’ eleventh win this season.

Third placed Ridgeway Rovers are the side with things in their control, a crucial game in hand which would see them top with a win. Their 3-1 home success in the replay against Zone 4 Athletic on Sunday enough to retain their favourites tag as Dillon Woods netted two and Lewis Marshall once in a 3-1 success. Ross McGlynn scored the Zone goal in response.

The late season Emerson & Upminster form has seen them put a dent in the title race and they finished their season with another big scalp, defeating Ping City Phoenixes in a 2-1 scoreline at Hall Lane to leave the visitors two points off the top with two games to go. Flynn Treanor and Archie Larking were the Emerson goal scorers to complete their maiden open-age season with a seventh win.

CHARITY CUP

In the West Essex Sunday Charity Cup, the holders of the competition, Brook Athletic, made their way safely into the last four of the competition with a 3-0 home victory, making it a cup double over Colebrook Royals Seniors this season. Brook’s reward is a home semi-final against either AC Milano or Critics.