WEEK 6 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

CORINTHIAN CUP

There were four ties completed in the second round of the Corinthian Cup on Sunday where East London Ballers Reserves pulled off a cupset with a 3-1 victory over higher ranked Upshire Forest, courtesy of goals from Razat Rahman, Husnain Ahmed and Junior Milla, Costi-Marian Varsoi with the Forest goal in reply.

It was a more routine passage into the last sixteen for FC Galaxy who netted eight goals in their game against Interwood to win 8-2. Mohamed Abubakar struck with a ‘Wood brace but Ilie Cojocaru (2), Mihalache Dumitru, Mihai Mareniuc, Giovani-Ionut Paladoiu, Alexandru Saru, Alexandreu Sotiris and Serghei Ghinda goals proved too much.

Also securing a place in the third round were a Daglanta side who made the journey across to Newbury Park on Sunday to take on Division Two’s Singh Sabha Barking. In a close game, it was Daglanta who made their way through, scoring both goals in a 2-0 win.

The final tie from Whitbreads pitted Woodford Town up against rivals AC Milano Reserves once again with a closely fought game seeing it edged by the odd goal, Luke Dimond’s goal not quite enough as Milano came out 2-1 winners on the day and through to the next round.

TROPHYLAND CUP

The last first round action from the Trophyland Cup was completed on Sunday with Euro Stars booking their place in the last sixteen of the competition with a strong 4-1 home victory over Condor Reserves. Mouhssin Gharmoud scored two, Abdullaziz Malin and Abshir Adem the others on target.

DIVISION ONE

There was just the one game in Division One and it was one without much action to report upon, defences firmly on top as St Augustines combined with JK Silvertown to end in a goalless 0-0 draw, sharing the points.

DIVISION TWO

In Division Two, there was much more goal action, beginning at Northbrooks where a local derby contest pitted the hosts against Endurance Athletics. It was the visitors who ended the day happier, winning 8-1 to net all three points for themselves.

There was a first win of the season for Benchviews at the third attempt as they recorded a 4-2 win over CSM London, overcoming goals from Ashley King and Steven Lambert with their own efforts from Eli Benoit, Micah Russell, Nathanael Joseph and Emerson Bargao.

That same scoreline was reflected in the day’s other game from the division where Colebrook Royals Reserves moved level on points with their opponents, Barking & Dagenham Wanderers, after a 4-2 success with Oscar Simmons scoring two, Jordan Rock and Rhys Singh-McSween the others.

DIVISION THREE

Prospect Protégé have moved top of Division Three on goal difference, aided by results around them and their own 10-1 home victory over Old Esthameians Under 23s in Hainault. Archie Kieran scored four, Emmanuel Alo, Charlie Dillon, Jack Ross, Jayden Thiongo, Alexander Brennand and Richard Akinyebo with the others.

There was a second win of the season for sixth placed Manford Way who scored three without reply at home to Byron Red Star in a 3-0 success, aided by a brace of goals from William Sandell and Jacob Richards’ strike.

Also on the move up the table are Stone Town who now sit fourth after a second win of their own, a 3-1 home victory over Debden Sports Reserves enough to take the spoils with Owen Carino scoring two, rendering George Scott’s goal as consolation.

DIVISION FOUR

East Park Rovers moved onto seven points and up to third following Sunday’s results, coming away 3-1 winners from Newbury Park against Eastern Avenue. George Burton contributed two of the goals for Rovers with Emmanuel Alaba on target with the other.

Moving up into fifth spot, Cardinals Athletic secured a first league win of the season after edging their clash winless East London Spartans at Castle Green, 3-2. Billy Davis struck twice for Spartans with Joshua Morris, Daniel Acquaye and Tom Hedaux responding with crucial efforts for the hosts.

DIVISION FIVE

Epping Town extended their strong start to the new season by netting sixteen in an away 16-2 victory over May & Baker EC Reserves. Joseph Bothwell scored seven of those, Nathan Henderson a hat-trick, Asaph Lomena two, Louie Brownlie, Ben Stone, Thomas Blower and Fraser McCarthy the others.

Sitting four points off the leaders but with a couple of games in hand, Newbury Drive continued their perfect start on Sunday with a 3-0 away win against Asianos at Low Hall. Billy Happe was the difference between  the sides, scoring all three goals for Drive.

A couple of points further back sit third placed Alpha who have seven points from their first four games, their most recent outing seeing them beat Young Royals in a 3-1 scoreline. Anthony Joseph, Tee Mashiri and Kevin Mullen struck with goals for the visitors to take the points.

A clean sweep of away wins in the division was completed by Ping City Phoenixes who made a successful trip to East Ham, securing a 5-0 win over Athletic Newham, courtesy of a couple of Phil Herman efforts alongside goals from Ezra Waterman, Dan Knight and Ryan Radley.

DIVISION SIX

It’s now five wins from six for Warren United in Division Six following their latest success, coming away 3-1 winners at home against Newbury Kings. Aidan Butler scored two with Frank Witcher contributing the other for the leaders.

A close game in Debden saw Chingford Athletic remain four points off the pace in third place, their narrow 2-1 home win over Emerson & Upminster being accrued following goals from Kyle Mavris and Vilius Dambrauskas, while Bryn Compton-Lowe’s goal accounted for the Emerson consolation.

There was an eight goal thriller in Dagenham as Gatcliffe made it three wins from five this season, sitting fourth after a 5-3 home success against Coppice Row. Tommy Huke, James Scully and Matheus de Lima all struck for Row but those were not quite enough by full-time.

DIVISION SEVEN

Barkingside are up to third place in Division Seven as they recorded a third win of the season on Sunday, coming away from Chigwell with all three points in a 5-0 scoreline against Rush Green Rangers. Alex Peters, Joe Cadden, Michael Baker, Adam Lindsay and Reagan Linday-Simpson all netted in the win.

Fifth place is held by Romford Bullsharks who moved into the top half of the table following a second league win, beating Hainault Athletic 5-1. Zac Bussell scored twice with Ricky Hall, James Edwards and Jack Newins goals proving too much, despite Alex Foster’s strike for Hainault.

Five was theme in the game a few yards away at the Rec where Barking Colts netted five in their game to beat United Amateurs Reserves 5-3. Akeem Matthews’ hat-trick led the way, Stefan Radu adding two, while Tyler Junior struck two and William Gevaux one in reply for United.

COUNTY CUP

In the London Sunday Challenge Cup, it was a clean sweep for Corinthian sides with AC Milano’s victory the biggest of the day with their 8-0 success over Division Three’s Turkmenkoy netting them a place in round two.

A close game a the Marshes saw Boundary Estate and Brook Athletic complete a six-goal thriller by finishing level at 3-3 by full-time before the visitors made safe passage from the shootout, Brook winning 5-4 to confirm their place in the hat.

Baiteze Squad made the trip along the A12 to take on Brentwood Sunday League side, Emerson Park, where the visitors ended as comfortable winners, 4-0 the final scoreline to book a mouth-watering trip to Highgate Albion next month.

Over at Parsloes Park, East London Ballers eventually prevailed from a closely fought game with Kenningwell United to send the visitors back to across the river winless, a goal late on in that one enough for Ballers to win 2-1.

In the Essex Sunday Junior Trophy, Colebrook Royals A took out higher-ranked opposition with a 1-0 home victory against Frontiers in Barkingside, scoring the game’s only goal against their East Herts Corinthian League opponents.

There was also a cupset at Parsloes Park where Division Seven’s Collier Row Under 23s took Division Five side London Legacy to extra-time before netting a winner in that period, Row coming away 4-3 winners on the day.

Mansfield Rangers avoided a possible cupset with an eventual extra-time success against Division Seven leaders, Ace Athletics. A five-goal thriller was eventually settled in the extra thirty minutes as Rangers left 5-4 victors.

May & Baker EC are a side with some pedigree in the Trophy competition and safely booked their progress into the second round after a comprehensive 9-1 win on the road, defeating fellow Corinthian side Royal Lions at Hainault Rec.

Division Six’s Valence United B almost pulled off one of the shocks of the round as they took on a side four divisions above them in Hendersons Athletic, the game needing extra-time to separate the teams, Hendersons prevailing in a 4-3 scoreline.

It was a similar story for East London Ballers Under 23s who faced Brentwood Athletic, a side two divisions above them. A closely fought game saw little between the sides but it was Brentwood who edged the tie 2-1 to progress through.

CHARITY CUP

In the West Essex Sunday Charity Trophy, the current holders, East End United, made safe passage into the last eight of the competition but had to work hard for their victory, eventually beating Lonsdale in a 2-0 scoreline in Rainham.

It was a more routine outing for Division Six high-flyers, Legacy City, who created a cupset in beating Division Five’s United Amateurs in a 5-1 scoreline in Hainault, a result which keeps their strong start to the season going.

Also through to the quarter-finals are JK Silvertown Reserves who were up against an improving Zone 4 Athletic side but had just a little too much for them on the day, the Division Six side through to face Prospect Protégé in the quarters.