WEEK 30 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

COUNTY CUP

It was a big county cup weekend, beginning at a rain-drenched Heybridge Swifts on Friday evening where the Essex Sunday Junior Trophy Final saw Valence United taking on Colebrook Royals for the county title. In horrendous conditions, it was Valence quickest out of the blocks looking to reverse their fortunes of last year, racing into a deserved 3-0 lead, Rowan Newland slotting in after twenty minutes, Michael O’Brien nodding in the second on half time, Newland then doubling his tally moments after the break to seemingly put the game to bed. But it all turned in the final thirteen minutes as Michael Farley reduced the deficit for Royals, followed by an own goal, before Ben Sitki headed in to level with six minutes to go. Extra-time was therefore required and with Royals holding the momentum, two terrific Jay Bothroyd efforts, firstly a free-kick and then an effort from long range, were enough to turn things around for Royals to win 5-3 and become champions of Essex.

On Sunday afternoon, in the somewhat warmer and drier surrounds of Bowers & Pitsea, the top Essex competition saw Flyhouse Athletic and Hatch Lane in action to battle for the coveted Essex Sunday Premier Cup. A very even contest saw little between the sides early on with both teams going close to taking the lead before the deadlock was eventually broken just before half-time as Lucio Vare’s close range finish gave Hatch Lane a 1-0 lead. That lead should have been doubled in the early throws of the second half and they were made to pay, Flyhouse then taking control of the game for a devastating spell as Kieron James levelled things up, slotting away to make it 1-1. The tie was turned on it’s head only four minutes later as James turned provider for Solomon Ogunwomoju to find the bottom corner making it 2-1 to Flyhouse. And it was Kai Brown who put the seal on it, racing through to score in the dying moments to make it 3-1, confirming Flyhouse Athletic as the Kings of Essex!

TROPHYLAND CUP

The last two semi-final slots were confirmed on Sunday as Belfry Reserves put themselves through into another last four place, defeating Colebrook Royals Vets in Hainault in a 4-0 scoreline to send them through to a tie against Manford Way Reserves. Jamie Redington scored twice, Nathan Casey and Daniel Lawman netting the others to take the honours.

The other quarter-final tie saw Upshire Forest in action with a home game against United Amateurs at Town Mead, the two Division Three sides seeking to keeping their run in this competition alive. But it will be United Amateurs who walk away the happier of the sides, making another semi-final appearance following a 5-1 win as Jack Chawner, Gabriel Mendy and Richard Waters all netted.

SENIOR DIVISION

In the Senior Division, Manford Way have moved further clear at the top and with four games to go now hold a five-point lead over the chasing pack. They returned home from east London with all three points from their trip to El Valiente, coming away 3-2 winners to confirm win number eight for this season.

It was honours even in the day’s double header action as Brook Athletic and FLY renewed acquaintances, each side taking one win. The first game ended 4-3 in favour of Brook with Tom Canham, Craig Jeakins, Lee Lashley and Marcel McDonald goals overcoming a Dimeji Shonuga hat-trick. Then in game two, FLY turned things around to win 3-2, Shonuga scoring twice more with Andre Embalo and Youssef Moumen netting in consolation for Brook.

After a difficult run of results, it was a much better weekend for Baiteze Squad who kept themselves in the race for honours in the top half, coming away 2-0 winners from FC Ballr to make it six league wins for the season. With eight games still to go, many against the title rivals around them, anything remains possible in the last six weeks of the season.

DIVISION ONE

In Division One, Gants Hill kept alive their feint hopes of the title, overcoming third placed Roose in a 7-1 scoreline to move six points off the pace with two games left. With games running out, it may be that Hill need to win both to stay in the mix for promotion with at least two sides below having games in hand still.

Fourth placed Critics are one of those sides who could still spoil the party who, with five games to go in the season, moved eight points behind the promotion places following a 5-0 win at home against ninth placed Benchviews. Afolabi Obafemi, Conor Corrigan, Dean Florence and Daniel Florence were all on target in their latest win.

Barking Riverside also remain, mathematically, in with a chance but saw their hopes dented on Sunday as Total Football produced a terrific performance to send Barking to defeat in Loughton, the hosts winning 5-1 in Loughton. Nile Painter scored his customary goals, netting twice for Total, adding to efforts from Harry Best, Carl Parsons and Ryan Johnson.

DIVISION TWO

Things remain as tight as ever in Division Two where the top three were all victorious, leaders Abridge Village taking all three points in their reversed fixture with Higham Hill. Leon Adeyemi scored two of their goals with Rodney Capemba, Jake Clarke and Joe Parrott netting in a 5-2 win for Abridge, their thirteenth win of the season.

Second placed AC Milano still retain the numerical advantage of a game in hand and remain level on points with Abridge following their narrow 3-2 win against Leytonstone Athletic in East Ham. George Burton and Kai Dobson both struck for Leytonstone ahead of their big semi-final outing next weekend but it wasn’t quite enough as Nadeem Khankhara, Tayyab Akhtar and Melanijus Butkus scored for AC.

There was just the nine goals in the game featuring the other side in the title mix as Cloud 9 and Barking & Dagenham Wanderers were involved in a thriller. Wanderers will have much to owe to Deji Akinyemi as he scored all five of their goals to edge this one 5-4, remaining just a point off the pace ahead of their final three games of the campaign.

Those results opened the door for Newbury Forest to make progress up the league standings and they duly obliged, moving up into fourth spot as they moved five points clear of their opponents, Debden Sports Reserves after a 5-1 victory. Brady Jones scored twice, along with goals from Harry Glenister, Lloyd Ross and Daniel Ross, rendering Jamie Rones’ effort as just consolation.

DIVISION THREE CUP

In the Division Three Cup, the penultimate quarter-final tie saw Ainslie in home action with the visit of Korona Redbridge to Wadham Lodge, both sides eager to make progress into the semi-finals. But the day belonged to Ainslie very much, the hosts producing a 6-1 winning performance to head through. Ryan Radley scored a hat-trick, Harrison Riley, Billy Wigg and James Williams scoring the others. Karol Szlachta grabbed the Korona goal in consolation.

DIVISION FOUR

In Division Four, Horse & Well warmed up in a positive fashion for their upcoming semi-final with a terrific win, travelling away from home to an in-form Byron Red Star to take all three points, Tom Ratican scoring the game’s only goal in a 1-0 success. That was Well’s sixth win of the season, moving closer to a possible top half finish in the league.

Down at the other end of the table, there was a literal and metaphorical six-pointer between Ace Athletics and Chingford Athletic as the first game of the double header ended in a vital 2-1 win for Chingford Athletic. With the second fixture ending level at 3-3, Ace will now be keen to win their game in hand to shift themselves back up above their opponents in the race to avoid the drop.

DIVISION FIVE

Things remain extremely tight at the bottom of Division Five where the bottom three now sit locked on thirteen points following the weekend’s only game in the division which saw Mayfield Kings earn a vital win against Titans United to move level on points. They were 4-3 winners through a brace from Younes Ferhani plus efforts from Ithihad Mushrat and Tobi Ladipo, ahead of two vital games to come.

DIVISION SIX

In Division Six, it’s all change at the top as Young Royals return to the lead with four games to go, producing a terrific performance to beat eighth placed Zone 4 Athletic. Millensebas Montfort’s four goals and Sujiven Jeyaratnam’s hat-trick proved pivotal, Amalraj Kakumanu and Saranth Veerasingam goals completing the comprehensive win to send Royals a point clear.

Valence United Reserves also returned themselves into the promotion mix, defeating the previous leaders, Epping Royals, in a 3-1 scoreline in Dagenham. Enzo Victoriano, Alfie Westland and Tanis Newill all struck for the hosts with Louie Brownlie’s effort the only one that Epping could muster in reply, leaving the top three now separated by just a single point.

Sixth placed Epping Forest Falcons maintained their hold on that position for another couple of weeks at least, racking up win number seven in the league this term following a 1-0 win against Ridgeway Rovers in north east London. Dill Caroret scored the game’s only goal to earn Falcons a terrific victory.

And it was a good morning for eleventh placed Warren United who put a third win for their season on the board to close the gap on the sides above with still five games to go, winning 2-0 away at London Legacy in Chigwell, that being Legacy’s final game of the campaign, sitting seventh with sides around them still having some games to play.