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

CORINTHIAN CUP

In the weekend’s Corinthian Cup action, it was an all-Division Two affair in east London as East London Ballers Under 23s went up against City Site in the opening round action. Despite an indifferent start to the campaign, City Site will be pleased with their morning’s work as Muhammed Camara, Ricky Rose and Roberto Carvalho goals overcame a Mohamed Abdi hosts goal in a 3-1 result.

TROPHYLAND CUP

The Trophyland Cup first round met a conclusion on Sunday with Young Royals making the trip to Hainault to face a higher ranked United Amateurs side for a place in round two. It was United who won 6-2 to go through, Jack Swaby and Bradley Bennett both scoring twice, Matthias Lionel and Teddy Coles with the others. Sujiven Jeyaratnam and Gavin Rajendren struck the Royal goals in consolation.

SENIOR DIVISION

There was a gargantuan clash in the Senior Division on Sunday with Baiteze Squad up against one of their big rivals, Hatch Lane, at Parsloes Park. There was little between the sides but two goals from the visitors, Hatch, courtesy of Tyler Dolan and Daniel Couldridge meant it was their side walking away 2-0 winners to maintain the perfect start.

DIVISION ONE

In Division One, things remain tight at the top as Barking Riverside took a valuable point from their home clash with leaders Repton Park at Castle Green. Both sides remain unbeaten after they couldn’t be separated in a 2-2 draw, Repton goals from Jayden Ambrose and Joe Kemp helping their side record another point.

The local derby fixture from Chigwell saw hosts Colebrook Royals in home action with the visit of Debden Sports Reserves, the sides starting the day four points apart. But that had been slashed to one by full-time as Colebrook won 2-0 courtesy of goals from Luigi Palumbo and Presley Evans, climbing up into sixth spot.

Not too far away over in Loughton, Total Football and Benchviews went into their game level on two points each so far in the standings and a closely fought game saw Total take the lead through Oliver Marshall. But two Christopher Santos goals in the second half saw the visitors turn the tables and it was Benchviews who walked away 2-1 winners for a first win of the season.

DIVISION TWO

The Division Two action saw two of the top three sides in action on Sunday as Upshire Forest made the trip down to Newbury Park to take on a Singh Sabha Barking side sitting a point behind their opponents. A close game was perhaps predicable therefore and the sides ended the day locked at 2-2 with Dylan Boparai scoring two for the hosts, Daniel Roult and Jack Pegrum goals levelling for Forest.

Barking & Dagenham Wanderers are up into sixth place in the table following their second league win of the season at home on Sunday against Stone Town. They were comfortable 5-2 winners in the end, a result which saw them move three clear of their opponents who remain down in eighth spot so far.

There was a five-goal thriller in the other game from the division where unbeaten Woodford Town made the trip to Wanstead Flats to face a winless Daglanta side. But with the sides having had the opposite starts, it was in fact Daglanta who edged the game 3-2, ending Town’s unbeaten start. Andy Morris scored two and Bradley Ismaili one with George Miller and Morgan Radley netting in reply for Town.

DIVISION THREE

There were plentiful goals in Division Three, beginning at the game involving the top two sides as Leytonstone Athletic’s great start continued, ending Woodford Town Reserves’ unbeaten start at Whitbreads. Ronan McGoldrick struck for the hosts but Athletic goals from Reece Simpson (2), George Burton and Robert Sangbey made it 4-2 to Leytonstone by the end.

There was also a first defeat of the season for third placed South Ilford Catholics who saw their run ended by a Warren Senior side earning their first win of the year. Coming from behind in the game, Warren fought back to take the victory with Jack Glenister and Scott McGlynn both netting two and Frankie Boland the other to end it 6-4.

A seven-goal thriller rounds off the action from the division as Ryan Radley produced a four-goal performance, netting all of his Ainslie side’s goals in a 4-3 home victory against Romford Town Flyers at Wadham Lodge. Thomas Makhan scored two and Kane Ledeatte once for the visitors but those Radley goals turned the tide in the hosts’ favour.

DIVISION FOUR

There was a first win of the new season for Cardinals Athletic on Sunday, coming off the bottom to take a victory away at East End United in Rainham. Mike Elsmore and Loui Grech both scored for United but two Cardinal goals on his first appearance for Mohamed Suko and a Kadeem Kazeem effort saw their side walk away 3-2 victors.

At the other end of the standings, Debden Sports A ensured they keep in touch with the leaders at the top after netting a comfortable win against Eastern Avenue in east London. A couple of goals each from Oscar Simmons and George Scott, plus a Luke Coppen effort, meant that it was Sports who took away the points in a 5-1 result.

The goals were also flying in at Hylands Park where Byron Red Star were in home action with the visit of Asianos to Hornchurch, the visitors starting the game two points behind. A five-goal thriller however went in favour of the visitors as Isa Hussain scored two and Anjum Malik struck the other in a 3-2 final scoreline, moving up into fourth place.

DIVISION FIVE

In Division Five, the big result of the day came from Town Mead as Chingford Athletic’s unbeaten start came to an end at the hands of Romford Rovers, themselves coming back from a large reverse last weekend. The experienced Michael Mignot struck for the hosts but that proved not quite enough as Mason Deegan struck two and Frankie Westland added the other in a 3-1 Rovers win.

That result was made all the more important as the leaders, Athletic Newham, also saw defeat with May & Baker EC record a memorable first win of the year, a comprehensive 7-1 home win against their rivals in Dagenham. Jordan Miller scored with Callum Poultney, Billy Biggs, Ross Riding and Alfie Chislett all finding the net and rendering James Felton’s goal as just consolation.

Epping Town were the side to benefit the most from all of the results around them, the only side in the top six to earn a win and a big one it proved, notching ten in a 10-0 home win against Legacy City at Stonards Hill. Joseph Bothwell scored four, Adam Ramsey netted two off the bench, Asaph Lomena, Matthew Robinson, Louie Brownlie and Ben Stone scoring the others for a third league win.

The theme of goals continued at Castle Green also where Lonsdale and Alpha were involved in what appears to have been a belter of a contest. Alpha goals from Jake Skeet, Kevin Mullen, Tafari Miller and Tee Mashiri would have been plenty on another day but Lonsdale found their shooting boots this week and five goals of their own meant it was them walking away 5-4 victors.

Rounding off the action from the division is yet another goal-filled contest, this time from Walthamstow where Mansfield Rangers were taking on a Valence United B side at Douglas Eyre. It was a case of attack dominating defence here too with Billy Happe’s hat-trick and Tommy Richards scoring for Rangers while Ryan Crowley, Ryan Knight and Rowan Newland goals for United meant this ended at 4-4.

DIVISION SIX

Leaders, Ping City Phoenixes, are now six points clear at the top in Division Six as they took on their closest rivals, second placed Colebrook Royals A on Sunday in Barkingside. A couple of goals from Jack Flood led the way with Dan Knight also netting for them, cancelling out Jake Austin’s goal from Royals in reply, the game ending 3-1.

That result meant that Newbury Drive had the chance to close the gap on the sides above them and they did just that with a comprehensive 12-0 away victory against bottom of the table Inter Newbury in the Hainault derby. That result was Drive’s fourth win of the season, placing them level with the promotion places but trailing by one goal.

Sitting just a few goals further back but also on twelve points, Ace Athletics also picked up a fourth win of the season on Sunday as they won their Forest Road derby against Hainault Athletic in a 7-2 scoreline. Olufunsho Olaniyan scored for Hainault but Ace braces from Thomas Mason and Harrison Jacobs, along with strikes from Charlie Land, Joshua Craske and Louie Seaman proved too much.

DIVISION SEVEN

In Division Seven, it’s Warren United at the top of the table, bouncing back well from their reverse last weekend to get back to winning ways with a 3-1 home win against Romford Bullsharks in Hainault. Patrick Kalonda, Teddy Good and Dylan West all found the back of the net with James Edwards the Romford scorer with their consolation goal.

There was a cracker of a game in the division’s other contest as Emerson & Upminster saw the visit of Barking Colts to Hall Lane on Sunday, six points between the sides at the start of the day. And that was how it remained by full-time as they traded ten goals between them in an eventual 5-5 draw, Emerson sitting second and Colts fifth as a result.

COUNTY CUP

In the London Sunday Challenge Cup, it was a pair of wins for Corinthian sides in action with AC Milano’s trip south of the river seeing them earn a place in round two, defeating London South United Lions in a  4-0 scoreline.

Also into the hat for round two were Brook Athletic who were up against Barnet Sunday League Premier Division side, The Wrongens, in their tie at home in Newbury Park. It was victory for Brook in the end, 7-1 winners to comfortable secure a place in the next round.

It was a cleansweep of victories for Corinthian sides in the Essex Sunday Junior Trophy with United Amateurs Reserves producing one of the more impressive performances, a goal-filled 7-5 home win against Thurrock Sunday League side Belhus Park Athletic.

Also through into the second round after victory against outside opposition are Valence United C who returned home victorious after a narrow 2-1 first round victory against higher ranked Nishmans from the Brentwood Sunday League.

That scoreline was repeated at Chigwell Lane where Corinthian side Debden Sports B ensured their participation in the second round next month following a hard fought 2-1 victory against Wickford & Runwell United A.

The all-Division Six clash of the round saw JK Silvertown Reserves go two up in their home game against London Legacy but two Jordan Pocock goals and efforts from Arne Pettersen and Tylar Wilson turned that tie on it’s head for Legacy to win 4-2.

Also safely through into the hat for the next round are Prospect Protégé who made the relatively short trip along Forest Road to take on FC Mexico at Old Parkonians and earned themselves a 5-1 victory on the day.