WEEK 7 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

CORINTHIAN CUP

There were two Corinthian Cup ties over the weekend with top flight Secret in action against Division One’s Oceana. A close game ensued between these sides and it took a single goal to separate them which Secret’s Luke Thomas scoring that only goal of the game to earn his side a 1-0 win and a place in round three.

Over at the Marshes, Hatch Lane started their cup journey in the competition with a home game against Manford Way seeking to keep their unbeaten record going. Garjay Thompson got on the scoresheet for Manford but two Hatch goals from Ashaan Siddik, plus efforts from Domonic Wynter-Stephens, Amaree Robinson-Jones, Inarhu Martin and Daniel Couldridge took their side to a 6-1 win.

SENIOR DIVISION

With other sides in cup action, London All Stars seized the opportunity to close the gap on those above them, coming from behind to take victory against Baiteze Squad in Chigwell. Bruno Tavares was the hero with a hat-trick for All Stars, Ali Bangura netting the other in the 4-2 success which saw them move third.

It was a good morning’s work for El Valiente who put their first win on the board this season with victory in the east London derby against FLY at the Flats. Adam-Souman Sheikh and Tariq Humaid both got on the FLY scoresheet but their efforts were in vain as El Valiente ran out 5-2 winners on the day.

FC Ballr and United Dian started the day three points apart as they faced each other on Sunday and that gap was maintained by full-time, the sides finishing level at 3-3 to take home a point each. Ballr goals from Jamie Age, Dami Oyerinde and Callum Thompson all found the back of the net to earn their side a first point of the season.

DIVISION ONE

Theydon Green sit top of the table after five games as they faced another of the division’s unbeaten sides on Sunday, taking on Gants Hill over in East Ham. The two sides were well matched and couldn’t be separated with Noah Friend scoring both of the Green goals while Spencer Forte and Umair Mauthoor netted in reply for Gants Hill, the match ending 2-2.

Sitting just behind the leaders are Roose who made it four wins from four on Sunday, continuing their superb start to the season as they came away with all three points from their trip down Forest Road to face Critics. Afolabi Obademi and Montel Brown got on the scoresheet for Critics but those goals proved not quite enough as Roose won 4-2 by full-time.

The biggest victory of the day was attained by Barking Riverside who are up to sixth on the back of a comprehensive 13-3 success away at Repton Park. Solomon Asomah scored five, Ryan Gardiner netted four, Bukele Mukudi bagged a brace with Ricardo Bailey and Ayman Dahdouh striking the others.

It was also a good day for FIFE who moved onto the cusp of the top half with a strong performance at home to St Augustines in Hainault. A brace apiece from Matthew Hector and Naseer Ishanzadeh set them on their way, Abraham Osinoiki grabbing the other to render Aaron Francis’ goal for the Saints as just a consolation in a 5-1 final scoreline.

Over in Loughton, a terrific game saw FC Galaxy come from a goal down twice in their game away at Total Football through goals from Charlie Smith and Nile Painter to take all three points. Mihai Mareniuc scored a hat-trick for Galaxy as they eventually edged the game 3-2, Galaxy moving to within a point of their opponents.

The action from Division One was rounded off by an eight-goal thriller in East Ham where Benchviews and Royal Lions A had no problem locating the back of the net, the sides sharing the points in an eventual 4-4 draw. Darius Izukanne bagged a hat-trick and Tyler Keates scored the other for Benchview, that being their first point of the campaign.

DIVISION TWO

Barking & Dagenham Wanderers have maintained their lead at the top of the table in Division Two, coming through a tough battle away at Newbury Forest to make it five wins from five this season. Wanderer goals from Dwayne Francis-Riley and Joshua Renwick-Smith were just enough to edge the contest, overcoming Daniel Ross’ strike from the hosts in a 2-1 victory.

Sitting a couple of points further back, AC Milano kept their unbeaten run going with a solid performance away at Higham Hill, returning from E4 with all three points with a 4-2 win under their belts. Billy Jago and Daniel Fitzsimons both struck for Hill but AC goals from Cairo Bibbon, Bilal Hussain, Mohamed Kidia and Uzair Patel sent the points home with the visitors.

A six pointer from the other end of the table saw Inside Success make the trip to Barking with both sides seeking their first points of the season. It was the visitors who took the honours with a 4-0 win at South Park Drive, Lloyd Kumi, Jeffrey Omoregie and Sobaan Samad all on the scoresheet for Inside to make it a Success-ful morning.

Over in Collier Row, another side who were able to produce a first win of the season were Leytonstone Athletic who came away victors from their trip to Cloud 9, winning the game 3-1 to move up to ninth in the standings. Pat Ambrose, Harry Burton and Ben Jones all found the onion sack for the visitors to give them some impetus moving forward.

DIVISION THREE

Upshire Forest are the new leaders in Division Three, moving top on goal difference following the weekend’s results, taking all three points back to the Abbey with a 5-1 win at Ainslie. Sinan Mustafa scored twice off the bench, Patryk Mulik, Jimmy Brooker and Daniel Roult also on the scoresheet for Forest, rendering Eric Kelly’s goal as just consolation.

Positioned just behind the leaders by a single goal are Singh Sabha Barking, one of two sides with perfect records in the division and they extended that great start with another success, defeating Korona Redbridge 5-1 in Newbury Park to make it three from three. Indervir Virdi scored twice with Barni Lakhan, Manshaan Mahil and Jagraj Raj joining in the scoring. Dawid Smolarek grabbed the Korona goal in consolation.

Another unbeaten side so far are Alpha who now sit fourth after picking up a second win in three over the weekend with a 5-0 success away in Barkingside, defeating FC Mexico B. Stefan Willis scored two, Bradley Williams, Ryan Dodd and Jake Dallison netting the others with their side sitting just two points off the pace now.

DIVISION FOUR

Warren Senior are up to third, one of four teams now sitting on nine points in the division after recording a third successive league win on Sunday, taking all three points in a 7-2 success at Brymans Park. Anthony Cooke scored a hat-trick, joining Lewis Gardiner, Scott McGlynn, Daniel Galvin-Law and Frankie Boland on the scoresheet.

Another side on nine points are Eastern Avenue, the promoted side now having made it three wins from four since the elevation, the latest result seeing them record a win at Horse & Well over in Debden. Daryl Noble and James Marsh both scored for Well but Avenue goals from Thomas Harford, Cieran Lennon-Hunte, Gerald Longwe and Boamah Kwakye were enough to win it 4-2.

DIVISION FIVE

Royal Lions B continued a strong start to their season in Division Five, moving up to nine points following a 2-1 win against Titans United in Dagenham. That saw Lions pick up a third league win of the season to move third while their opponents sit eighth and keen to improve on that tally in the coming weeks.

Also scooping a 2-1 win were Manford Way Reserves who edged a close game against Dagenham Rangers to make it two wins from three in the league so far. Jake Li and Robert Green were both on target in Hainault to extend their side’s positive start to the season, leaping above their opponents into fifth place.

DIVISION SIX

Young Royals have closed the gap at the top of Division Six to just two points as they took full advantage of the leaders’ inactivity to record another win, defeating Epping Royals 5-0 in Barkingside. Millensebas Montfort scored a hat-trick for the hosts, Raj Vijay and Sivaruban Sathiyananthan also scoring.

There was an eleven-goal thriller in the Hainault derby which saw Royal Lions C edge a cracker against Warren United in a 6-5 scoreline with attack dominating defence. Oliver Regan scored twice for United, adding to singles from Denis Beqiraj, Rio Edwards and William Turner but those efforts proved just consolation in the end as Lions took the points.

There were just the eight goals in the division’s other game from Newbury Park where Havering Palace’s short journey to London Legacy was a fruitful one, taking all three points in a 6-2 success. Harry Hinton was the hero with a hat-trick, Ty Henry, Ernest Peka and Ian Sawyer netting the others for Palace and cancelling out two Franklyn Akinpelu goals from the hosts.

COUNTY CUP

There were some strong Essex Sunday Junior Trophy performances over the weekend where last season’s beaten finalists, Valence United, started their quest to match that performance, defeating their Valence Reserve counterparts 3-1 in the opening round of the competition in Dagenham.

Division Six’s Ridgeway Rovers produced the biggest cup shock of the day, overcoming a two division gap to their Division Four ranked opponents, Prospect Protégé, and coming away with a 7-3 win at Peter May to progress through to the second round.

Zone 4 Athletic were another Division Six side to taste victory against higher ranked opposition, beating Mayfield Kings from Division Five in a 3-1 scoreline to put their name in the hat for next month’s second round.

Another cup giant-killing came from Walthamstow where Mansfield Rangers’ excellent start to the season in Division Five continued in the cup competitions where they took out Division Four’s Romford Athletic Dons after extra time, Rangers eventually winning the tie 6-5 to go through.

It was a morning to remember for Lonsdale who put their league travails behind them to record a first win of the campaign, taking away a victory against Thames Wanderers at Castle Green in a 4-1 scoreline.

Over in Hainault, a local derby saw two in-form sides meet at Fairlop Oak where Division Three’s unbeaten United Amateurs put an end to Belfry’s unbeaten start to the season, coming through by the odd goal in seven to win 4-3.

Ace Athletics also overcame a side ranked slightly above them in the league as they met fellow Division Four side Byron Red Star in Hornchurch. Ace produced a 5-2 winning performance to ensure they made safe passage into the second round next month.

City Site were up against Thurrock League side Grays Athletic Reserves in their opening round match-up and they put their name in the hat for the second round with a strong performance at Forest Row, winning the tie 5-1 to head on through.

A high-scoring contest from Brentwood saw United Borough finish level at 3-3 against Ramden Scotia after extra time meaning a dreaded shootout was required to separate the sides. It was Ramsden who held their nerve from the spot, winning 5-4 from the spot kicks to head through.

Epping Forest Falcons saw their interest in the competition come to a close for another season, the Woodford based side losing out by a single goal against North West Essex League side White Roding Sports, the visitors netting the only goal in a 1-0 scoreline.