WEEK 7 REVIEW: Round-up of Sunday's league and cup action

TROPHYLAND CUP

The Trophyland Cup first round action continued on Sunday where Barking Riverside earned themselves a place in the second round with a win on the road away at United Amateurs. Jack Chawner and Kieran Jones scored for United but Stephen Osho was on fire with a four goal haul, adding to an Oussama Bennani strike to round off a 5-3 victory.

PREMIER DIVISION

With county cup football the emphasis of the weekend, there was just one Premier Division fixture but it threw up an interesting result. Romford Elite secured a massively important 2-1 win away at El Valiente to move second as Lloyd John and Tyrone Scarlett goals overcame an Aaron Marston effort for the hosts.

DIVISION ONE

There are new leaders in Division One where KLIK made their ascent to top spot with a fourth league win in five this year, returning home from their trip to Waltham Abbey against West Abbey with maximum points in a 4-1 victory. Goals from Aaron Nuet, Sean Thomas and Thomas Carter saw them move two points clear of second place, with a game in hand.

That outcome was made possible by another big game taking place down the road at Town Mead where Chingford Athletic long unbeaten start came to a halt with a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of Korona Redbridge. Dawid Smolarek made the difference between the sides, scoring the only goal of the game to give his side their first win of the season.

The morning will also be remembered well by Valentine United who, winless before Sunday’s game, took a short trip along Forest Road to take on fifth placed Oceana. A goal from each of Shaun Gibson and Jordan Mullings were pivotal in carrying United to their opening league win, rising up to eighth place in the process.

DIVISION TWO

Walthamstow Avenue has closed the gap at the top of the Division Two standings to just three points as they secured a routine victory from their trip to Abridge Village on Sunday. Grant Eagle and Sam Crispe both scored twice and David Mercer once to win 5-0, making it three wins from four games and move up to second place in the table.

The lead at the top was cut by Avenue as a direct result of the league leaders, Central Colts, slipping to a defeat as they took on their old rivals, Hornchurch Oakmont, in their meeting in Chadwell Heath. Sean Thomas, Lewis Minton, George Terry and Thomas Gibson done the damage as Oak earned a 4-2 win, maintaining their perfect start in the league.

There were some equally important results in the lower end of the standings where Barking picked up their first league points of the season with a terrific home win against fifth placed Roose. Aaron King scored twice and James Hobday once for the Mayesbrook side with Uros Vakanjac responding, Barking completing a 3-1 victory.

And it was a big morning for FC Mexico B, another winless side going into the weekend, but not anymore as they took home all three points in a 2-1 victory against Frenford in a Redbridge derby match. Adam Andrade grabbed the Frenford goal but efforts were just consolation as the Mexicans picked up the points and move up the table.

DIVISION THREE

At the top of the Division Three standings, E4 Rangers are six points ahead of the rest and maintained their unbeaten start with a difficult trip to face Theydon. In a well contested match, E4 got themselves over the line with Charlie Perry and Ryan Mallett scoring the all important goals in a 2-0 victory.

The biggest win of the day went to East Ham Inter who, following promotion to this level, are now second in the standings as they secured a 7-1 home victory against Lonsdale in Woodford Green. Alex Ceobanu scored a hat-trick, Delphin Xavier a brace and singles from Harinder Sanghera and Sam bessadi completed the scoring. Kalium Fletcher grabbed the Lonsdale goal in reply.

Moving up to fourth place in the table, West Essex made it two wins and a draw from their opening fixtures in the league, aided by a home victory on Sunday against previously unbeaten Chigwell United. Ola Ogunwamide and George Fairhead scored twice and Kameron Lord once as West picked up a 5-2 victory on the day.

It was an important morning for Roneo Colts who, after a difficult start to the new season, got their first win of the campaign with a hard fought 5-3 victory at home against promoted Newham Athletic. James Farmer scored twice and Wesley Scott once for Athletic but their efforts proved not quite enough as James Pottle’s brace and singles from Charlie Dow, Danny Marshall and Rhys Marshall secured the points.

Havering Well are another side on the rise as they climbed up to sixth place in the table with a 4-2 home victory on Sunday against Alpha in Hainault. A brace apiece from both Michael Cacchio and Billy Franklin were the difference between the sides as things went really Well for the home side, earning maximum points.

DIVISION FOUR

There remains a three point gap at the top of the Division Four standings where Roneo Colts Reserves maintained their lead with a 5-0 win against Ping City Phoenixes. Bobby Port had a morning to remember as he netted four of the goals with Jeffrey Nketia’s effort rounding off a super win for Colts.

The chasing pack is led by Inter Ladzio who came through a hard-fought clash at local rivals, Titans United, in their latest match on Sunday. Hamed Hamed grabbed the United goal but two in reply from Inter’s Skirmantas Bulauka led them to maximum points in a fourth win of the campaign.

Bretons Manor will have much to say about the promotion challenge this season and they were victorious once again with a five goal thriller at home against Upshire Forest Reserves at Castle Green. Callum Gater and George Oake were on target for Forest but their efforts proved not quite enough with Billy Bradley scoring twice and William Semain once in reply for Manor, rounding off a 3-2 win.

Monkhams have made a good start this season in the league and cup, bringing the latter’s form into their latest league game as they travelled to an improving Romford Athletic Dons side in Hainault. Robert Fox and Sam Snell goals were the difference, overcoming Rhys Davies’ effort for the hosts in a 2-1 Monkhams victory.

DIVISION FIVE

There is a nine-point gap at the top of Division Five now as Total Football extended their lead with an entertaining victory away at East Tilbury Town in Dagenham. A brace for Wilson Mendes and a Peter Kent effort accounted for Town’s goals but Christopher Atkinson’s double in reply plus further Total goals from Carl Parsons, Rowan Nijjar and Omer Cayir saw their side to a 5-3 win.

That lead was also made possible as Ridgeway Rovers Under 21s Reserves earned themselves a big three points from their home clash with promotion chasing Cobra. Aaron White scored twice for Cobra and Malachi Fajembola once but Rovers responded with Regan Marshall netting twice along with Reece Boultwood and Sehraan Hussain goals to win it 4-3.

The one remaining side with a perfect record so far this year are Epping Forest Falcons who made it three wins from three in the league when they travelled to Beckton to face Custom House Community. Kabir Singh scored twice and Alex Cachia once for Falcons to counter Custom House goals from Sultan Chaudhury and Thiago Silva in a 3-2 scoreline.

Completing the day’s league action, there was one of those rare phenomena for Sunday football as a goalless draw was played out by Keith Park Rangers and Woodford Green United with both sides accruing their maiden points in the process. Those points were enough to move the teams up to eighth and ninth places respectively.

ESSEX SUNDAY PREMIER CUP

There were three completed ties in the Essex Sunday Premier Cup over the weekend with two victories for Corinthian sides against Brentwood Sunday League teams. Repton Park put seven goals past Campion Old Boys, running out 7-4 winners in the end to book a mouth-watering clash in the third round against Global.

Also in the hat for the third round of the competition, SL Menfica made the journey to Hainault to face Royal Alexandra on Sunday and overcame their Brentwood League opponents with 2-1 victory. That result is enough to see them through where they now travel to Hullbridge Sports in the next round.

The other tie in the competition saw FC Mexico A taking on Belfry with the hosts playing up a competition against the top flight sides this season. Despite that one division deficit, the Mexicans fought hard and pushed the game all the way to extra time. Alas, Belfry scored the crucial winner in that period to earn a 3-2 win.

ESSEX SUNDAY JUNIOR CUP

There were mixed results for our sides in the rearranged Junior Cup clashes with Colebrook Royals picking up the most impressive of the results, beating Old Brentwood United 4-1 at the Grange. The reward for that win is another home tie as they take on Aveley United in the third round.

There were two disappointing results for our sides against south Essex opposition with Kulture Klub going down to Aveley United in their match in Walthamstow. A five-goal thriller ended 3-2 in favour of Aveley to end Klub’s run in the competition.

Brook Athletic’s trip to Corringham saw them up against Sceptre Sunday League based Santos as they eyed a place in the next round. But it wasn’t to be for Brook as they slipped to a 5-1 defeat and exit the competition for another year.

ESSEX SUNDAY JUNIOR TROPHY

There was just the one tie to be completed in the Junior Trophy where Ridgeway Rovers Under 21s went up against Zone 4 Under 23s in their rearranged clash. Rovers were thumping 8-2 winners over Zone 4 to make the draw for round three where they will, incredibly, face their own Rovers Reserves side.

LONDON SUNDAY CHALLENGE CUP

Completing the day’s football action, Asianos made a journey to south London to face Roca Seniors in the London Sunday Challenge Cup. In a tight game between two well match sides, it was the hosts who secured the win, beating Asianos 2-0 to go through to a tie against El Valiente in the third round.