WEEK 5 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

CORINTHIAN CUP

The Corinthian Cup produced an incredible match on Sunday as Division Two’s Inside Success took top flight FLY all the way in an enthralling game which saw those sides finish at 7-7 after ninety minutes before the FLY eventually put themselves through 10-9 in the shootout. Tariq Humaid scored four, Michael Paraskevopoulos twice and Adrian Duberry one for the victors.

Another cup giant killing saw Division Two’s East London Harriers make the long trip to Benchviews with a division deficit to make up against their opponents. But Harriers done the business, winning the game 2-1 with Frankie Worboyes and Jovan Shand-Aldridge goals the difference, overcoming Fabio Pereira’s consolation for the hosts.

Cloud 9 have been in some good league form to date and carried that into the cup competition with a hard fought victory against fellow Division Two side Higham Hill over in Highams Park. A goal apiece from Ryan Costello, Jamie Randall and Alfie Kempton were crucial as they ran out 3-2 winners to head into round two.

The final Corinthian Cup action saw FIFE and Royal Lions A meet once again and another tight game between these sides went the same way as the league game with FIFE edging the contest by the odd goal in a 2-1 win. They head into the last sixteen with a tie against either Baiteze Squad or Flyhouse Athletic.

TROPHYLAND CUP

The cup shocks continued into the Trophyland Cup competition where Mansfield Rangers produced a scintillating winning performance, overcoming a side placed two divisions above them in the form of Alpha. The Division Five side’s winning form continued with Billy Happe, Chris Ttofari and Jake Magson all scoring twice each and Jay Kanber scoring the other in a 7-0 victory.

Division Six’s Royal Lions C also had good reason to be pleased with their performance as they defeated Division Four’s Prospect Protégé over in Barkingside to cause a cup shock of their own. Tommy Burke and Ethan Kieran scored the Prospect goals but those proved insufficient in the end as Lions won through with a 5-2 scoreline.

An all-Division Five clash from Dagenham saw Ultimate Vision Reserves host Dagenham Rangers for a place in the second round and the game was a tightly contested affair with the odd goal in five winning it eventually in favour of the hosts. Max Brett and Freddie Orwell both scored for Vision to set them on the way to a 3-2 victory.

The final game in the competition saw two of Division Four’s top sides go to battle with Belfry Reserves and Romford Athletic Dons well poised at 1-1 at half time in their tie before a good second half showing from Belfry won them the tie 4-2. Jamie Redington scored twice alongside goals for Nathan Casey and Ryan O’Connell, overcoming Dons goals from Jacen Worboyes and Chris Ratty.

SENIOR DIVISION

The day’s sole Senior Division action saw Brook Athletic play host to Manford Way over in Newbury Park with Brook starting the game without a point on the board just yet. But by full-time they had their first win secured as Jayden Hocking-Rising scored off the bench, overcoming a Chris Adu-Gyamfi goal for Manford in a 2-1 final score.

DIVISION ONE

It’s been a terrific start to the season for Gants Hill who are in scintillating form in front of goal, exhibit A being their comprehensive 12-2 win on Sunday as they defeated FC Galaxy in a 12-2 scoreline over in East Ham. That result made it three wins from three for the hosts with and opened a two point gap at the top over the chasing pack.

Critics sit second after three games of their season as they came through a closely fought battle against Oceana with all three points at Fairlop Oak. Dylan Florence was the difference in the end as he struck a hat-trick, William Weightman netting the Oceana consolation with the two sides now separated by four points.

Roose have made a great start to their season and are two from two after a pair of league fixtures following their latest success, a 6-3 win away at Repton Park in Loughton. David Owiredu scored a hat-trick in his first appearance, Mitchell Mason netting twice and Shaye McKenzie-La-Rose once in an excellent performance for their side.

Just a short hop over the railway, Total Football were also in home action in Loughton with the visit of St Augustines to Roding Valley in what proved to be a close game. Rowan Nijjar and Krystian Fernandez scored the Total goals which were just enough in the end to secure a win by the odd goal, the hosts 2-1 victors to add a second league win to their record.

DIVISION TWO

The Division Two league leaders have moved five points clear at the top as Barking & Dagenham Wanderers came out on top of their derby fixture against Barking to record a fourth successive league win. Wanderers were 3-1 winners with Regan Downes, Dwayne Francis-Riley and Deji Akinyemi all netting despite a Joe Blewitt goal from the visitors.

AC Milano are the side sitting closest behind the leaders with a game in hand as they came through a high scoring affair away at Newbury Forest on Sunday in a game of eight goals. Daniel Ross netted twice for the hosts but two Mohamed Kidia goals in reply along with strikes from Omar Abdul-Aziz, Uzair Patel and Bilal Hussain ensured the visitors went home with the points.

Over in Debden, a local derby game saw Debden Sports Reserves taking on Abridge Village, the hosts going into the game six points behind their rivals. But by full-time they had slashed that deficit to three points, winning 5-0 with Billy Barr netting a hat-trick and supported by goals from Harry Maslin and Jacob Payne.

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, United Amateurs have moved three points clear of the chasing pack as they made it three wins from three on Sunday with a 6-3 home success against Ultimate Vision at Hainault Rec. Jack Chawner (2), Johnny Gallagher, Melvyn Nketia, Thomas Springer and Patrick Cole-Wright were all on target to continue a positive start.

The biggest winners of the day were Upshire Forest who turned things around magnificently after two opening defeats and put eleven goals past Korona Redbridge without reply to record a first win of the season. Daniel Roult and Jimmy Brooker both scored a hat-trick, Tony Bosher and Freddie Bose netted braces and Mark Lawn’s effort rounded off the 11-0 win.

It was also a first league win of the campaign for Valence United who moved up to seventh following a good day out away at FC Mexico B who they moved above in the process. Rowan Newland scored a hat-trick while Burt Cardy, Charlie Fiander and Tommy Abrams all on the scoresheet also as the Dagenham based side won 6-1.

Making it a hat-trick of first wins were Ainslie who closed the gap on the sides above with a first three point haul of the season, coming away narrow 2-1 winners against the previous league leaders, Colebrook Royals Vets. Harrison Riley and Eric Kelly goals led the way to overcome a Ben Sitki strike for the Royals, ending their perfect start to the season.

DIVISION FOUR

In Division Four, City Site took advantage of the leading sides being out of action to move level on points at the top on nine as they won 4-1 on Sunday against Ace Athletics at Forest Row. Alex Paraskeva and Donatas Briedis both scored twice to lead the way for their side with Stuart Connor scoring the Ace goal in consolation.

Horse & Well moved up into fifth place in the table as they recorded a first win of the season, defeating Chingford Athletic in Debden in a 5-2 scoreline. Luke Brushett, Daniel French, James Marsh, Joshua French and Chris Marsh were the Well scorers on the day as they moved to five points for the campaign.

Byron Red Star were another side to put a first win on the board, moving up to sixth in the process following a 6-3 away win against Brymans Park at Fords. Two Finlay Goff goals and one each from Perry Robinson, Adrian John and Lemar Smith proved pivotal and overcame two Callum Newman goals from the hosts plus a Daniel Munroe effort.

It was also a good morning’s work for Eastern Avenue who followed up last weekend’s cup success with a league one this time around, defeating United Borough 2-0 at Wanstead Flats to move up to seventh. Gerald Longwe and Daniel Nyabowa were the Avenue men to find the onion sack and open their points tally for the new season.

DIVISION FIVE

Colebrook Royals Reserves are the new leaders at the top of Division Five as they took advantage of their rivals being in cup action to go top on goal difference following a 4-0 home success against Titans United. Phorell Brooke scored twice with Leo Winer and Maxwell Graham scoring the others to send the points home with them.

Manford Way Reserves made their move into the top half of the table as they edged plast Lonsdale at Castle Green in a 2-1 scoreline, that being their first league win of the season. Jake Li and Brandon Pointer both netted for Manford with Kalium Fletcher scoring once again for his side but those efforts proving not enough on the day.

DIVISION SIX

It’s as you were at the top of the Division Six table where Valence United Reserves great start to the season continued with a 5-3 away win on Sunday against Ping City Phoenixes. William Salter, Ezra Waterman and James Bishop all struck for the hosts but Valence goals in reply from Enzo Victoriano (2), Billy Biggs, Keenan Mitchell and Jamie Fox ensured the points went to their side.

Young Royals are sitting three points behind with a game in hand following their third league win in succession, beating London Legacy 5-2 at Oaks Park to extend their great start. A Sujiven Jeyaratnam hat-trick and goals from Ginojan Jesurajah and Raj Vijay were the difference on the day with Vince Crosdale and Yaqub Khichane strikes for Legacy proving just consolation.

Havering Palace picked up one of the results of the day as they ended Epping Forest Falcons perfect start to the season in some style, beating them 7-3 to jump up to third in the standings. Harry Hinton scored a hat-trick while James Butcher, Jermaine Coke, Ian Sawyer and Joshua Taylor goals all helped to take their side to the win. Sameer Hussain scored twice in reply along with a Ryan Lawless goal.

Epping Royals are up to fourth spot as they put a second league win of the season on the board to take their points tally to six, beating Warren United 3-1 at Stonards Hill. Matthew Creighton, Louie Brownlie and Joseph Bothwell all scored for the Royals, countering a Brandon Smith strike from the visitors.

A further side who picked up win number two were Ridgeway Rovers who came out on top in their home clash against Zone 4 Athletic by winning 2-1. Jake Wheeler scored for the visitors but goals for Rovers from Sanchez Bolessa and Ryan Vallance edged a close game and moved their side to sixth in the standings.

COUNTY CUP

There were goals galore in the county cup competitions, firstly in the Essex Sunday Premier Cup where Barking Riverside caused a cup shock as the Division One side took down top flight side Secret to end their run in the competition. Barking were 4-3 winners to book their place in round two.

Theydon Green, last season’s finalists in the Junior Cup competition, started their maiden journey in the Premier Cup this term and travelled to Risden Wood in the opening round. They were on the wrong end of a 5-4 defeat as their run ended at the first hurdle this time around.

It was a tremendous day for the league in the London Sunday Challenge Cup where almost all ties went the way of Corinthian sides, El Valiente coming through the one all league tie as they defeated East Way Athletic in a 2-1 scoreline at Leyton Sports Ground.

The holders, Hatch Lane, are safely through but almost saw their defence ended early, trailing 3-2 late on only for a late header against AFC Oakwood bringing them level. Heroics in the Hatch goal saw their opponents miss their first two spot kicks in the shootout as Hatch Lane won that 4-2 to progress on.

United Dian also made safe passage and had to do travel away to do so as they returned home with a win under their belts after a 3-1 win at Park Royals. That was the Hainault side’s first win of the season as they look to build on that return in the league.

Flyhouse Athletic have made a strong start in the league and followed that up with a narrow first round win in the London Cup with a 4-3 success against Gower All Stars over at Fords in Newbury Park, extending their decent start.

It was also a winning performance from London All Stars who opened their London Cup campaign with a strong home win as they defeated Hackney League side City East in their match over at Roding Valley. A 5-2 win ensured the unbeaten side made their way into round two.

The only side to taste defeat against outside opposition were FC Ballr who saw their run come to an end against The Wrongens in a home game at Castle Green. The visitors were 2-1 winners to end FC Ballr’s interest in the competition for the season.