WEEK 32 REVIEW: Round-up of all the league and cup action from the weekend

DIVISION TWO CUP

A cup final triple header started on Friday night at Parkside where Total Football and St Augustines battled it out to be the side crowned as Division Two Cup winners for this season. The first half saw both sides have their chances including a couple of terrific saves from the keepers but neither could break the deadlock as half finished goalless. The breakthrough came midway through the second half as Callum Daniels struck from the left hand side of the box. The Saints pushed hard for a second and were rewarded with a goal in stoppage time from Augustine Appiah to hand them a 2-0 success and the coveted silverware!

PREMIER DIVISION CUP

The first game on Sunday afternoon saw the conclusion of the Premier Division Cup competition as Barking Riverside returned to a cup final, taking on debutants Avintul in their game at Mayesbrook Park. There was early entertainment in the game as Avintul took a lead with a nice finish after just eight minutes but it was short lived as Barking got back into the game, heading in a set piece almost immediately. But Avintul were ahead again before the break, capitalising on a defensive error to lead 2-1. Both keepers and the woodwork were well worked at the start of the second period before Barking finally got a leveller with fifteen minutes to go, another header from a set piece making it 2-2 and taking the game to a shootout. There was de ja vu in the air as keeper Akata made a couple of saves to win the shootout 4-3 for his Barking Riverside side!

ENDEAVOUR CUP

Sunday’s late afternoon cup final saw Valence United in action against Colebrook Royals for the inaugural Endeavour Cup competition. It was Valence who took an early lead in just the sixth minute with a good finish. Royals then rallied, levelling first and then getting a lead with two close range finishes. Valence then got back on terms to make it 2-2 in front of a huge crowd of over 200 before an enthralling first half saw Royals take a lead once again with a strike from the edge of the box. The second period was equally as intense, even without the goals. Valence were the side in the ascendency for most of the half but couldn’t quite apply the finishing touch to their chances as Royals held on to win 3-2 and lift the cup!

SENIOR DIVISION CUP

The last of the season’s semi finals took place on Sunday in the Senior Division Cup as the line-up for the final at Parkside was confirmed. Hatch Lane will hope to make it a double or even treble after they confirmed their place in the final with a 3-0 success against East Way Athletic. Amaree Robinson-Jones scored twice and Jermaine Francis struck the other to send them through.

Meeting Hatch in that final will be Premier Division side Flyhouse Athletic who went into their semi-final at El Valiente as the lower ranked side but more than made up for that on the day. Calvin Poku scored for the hosts but his efforts were in vain as Flyhouse won the game 4-1 to secure their place in the cup final showdown in May.

SENIOR DIVISION

In the Senior Division, Baiteze Squad’s build up to their big weekend next Sunday continued in positive fashion as they beat Repton Park to stay within two victories of securing a runners-up finish in the league. Baiteze were 11-0 victors in Chigwell as they can now look ahead to the FA Sunday Cup Final this weekend at Millwall.

DIVISION ONE

AC Milano made it ten league wins for the season in Division One on Sunday as they completed their penultimate fixture against Chingford Athletic with a 3-0 away win at Town Mead, the latter completing their season in the process. Omar Abdul-Aziz, Randu Adu and Zekariyas Hailu scored the Milano goals with just one game to go in their season.

DIVISION TWO

Roneo Colts have sealed the runners-up spot in Division Two after they came through their showdown game against Asianos, both sides going into the fixture knowing the magnitude of the game. Colts were 5-3 winners as Keenan Gravillis scored twice and further strikes from Dwayne Francis-Riley, James Smith and D’jean Holland finishing things off to take second place.

DIVISION THREE

There was a rare goalless draw in Division Three’s penultimate game of the season as Upshire Forest and Alpha both failed to find the back of the net, the latter able to all but confirm third place in the process. Upshire take on Debden in the remaining game knowing that they will need a big swing in goal difference to move up.

DIVISION FOUR

The same scoreline was recorded in the penultimate Division Four fixture of the season where Raphael Park Rovers were the hosts to an Ultimate Vision Reserves side in Romford. Defences reigned supreme in this one also with a 0-0 scoreline seeing Rovers complete their maiden season while Vision face one more challenge in their quest for a top four finish.

DIVISION FIVE

In Division Five, Byron Red Star have kept up their bid for a top three finish as they came through a tricky game against Eastern Avenue, picking up all three points in a 2-1 success at Hylands Park. James Thorne and Adrian John were both on target for the cup finalists who have one more league game and the final to come in their season.

DIVISION SIX

The penultimate league game in Division Six took place on Sunday where Colebrook Royals Reserves completed their season with a 6-2 success against Epping Royals, finishing their season with a credible second placed finish. Phorell Brooke was in fine form once again, scoring a hat-trick, with Kamran Latif, Archie Shipp and Leo Winer also on the scoresheet.