Hello and welcome to a guest blog, going through the action in the five Essex Alliance League divisions on Saturday 31st October (the last weekend of action before the Lockdown-enforced break of all Grassroots action in England), along with the Olympian League action, it is good to have guest content on other Grassroots Leagues, thank you Rob. This updated round-up is posted with the author’s permission, with thanks. Thanks for reading.
Guest Blog written by Rob Parker for EAL [EAL Twitter: @EssexAllianceFL]
Essex Alliance League – Saturday 31st October
SENIOR DIVISION
The October action was rounded off this weekend amidst the speculation of an impending suspension of the sport. FC Baresi will go into the break as the leaders, extending their advantage to four points with a 3-1 home win against FC Petrocub. Zachery Leitch scored twice and Mark Matthews once to render Pavel Stirbu’s goal as consolation for the visitors.
After the disappointment of their first defeat last weekend, West Essex Reserves bounced back in positive fashion with a thumping 5-1 home win in Hainault against London Cranes. Callum Bloss scored twice adding to strikes from Josh Flood, Abiola Balogun and Adam Norris to keep them well in the frame in third spot. Shadrack Sibasa netted for Cranes who remain in the bottom two.
Moving up to fourth position were Lymore Gardens who picked up a fifth league win with victory at home in Loughton where they edged past Blue Marlin a 3-2 win. James Rufus and Tyreese Robinson got on the score-sheet for Marlin but two Dylan Roberts efforts plus an Andrew Rashford goal handed the points to Lymore.
Tower United will also have been pleased with their afternoon’s work as they met another of the division’s promoted outfits with a trip to Hainault to face All Prospects. Abdullah Jama scored twice and Abubakar Maxamed once to help their Tower side record a 3 – 0 win, their third victory of the campaign.
CSM London were also able to pick up a third league win of the season as they took on an in-form Rapid Chingford team in Beckton with the two sides keen to move clear of any relegation difficulties. CSM had to come from behind to edge the game 2-1 with Lewis McCarthy and debutant Joshua Izu goals seeing them to maximum points. Andrei Boga netted for Rapid who remain third-bottom.
DIVISION ONE
In Division One, Leyton Royal’s first two months of the season have been productive as they moved into a seven-point lead at the top of the standings after they came through a close game against fellow promotion contenders, Woodford East, in their clash in Debden. Leyton were 2 – 1 winners on the day to remain the only unbeaten side in the second tier. Billy Barr struck for Woodford East in this match.
Kit Out London made ground on the promotion chasing sides as they defeated third placed Eastside which helped Kit Out move fourth in the standings. Goals from Darnell Kitambo, Erik Rusnak and debutant Aourid Ismael were enough to carry their side to a 3 – 1 victory, moving within a point of their opponents, who netted thanks to Johnathan Odutolu..
There was a hugely important result for one of the struggling sides at the bottom as Frenford A record their first points of the season with a terrific 4 – 1 win away at Chadwell Heath Spartans. Ricky Reid scored for Spartans but a Gouly Djikalou hat-trick plus a Malachi Hercules effort confirmed the win for Frenford, moving off the bottom in the process.
Sixth-placed Wapping sit on the cusp of the top half of the table with three wins from six so far this season which was aided by their 5-2 home win on Saturday against Kwanzas London Sport. Abderrahmane Berri scored a hat-trick for the hosts with Charlie Ayes and Yusuf Nasir rounding things off, rendering Antonio Semedo’s brace as just consolation.
Completing the weekend’s action in Division One, London Park City were able to pick up a third league win of their season as they made the trip to Hackney to take on Francis Luke at the Marshes. Paulo Luke scored for the hosts but City goals from George Montgomery and Meelad Hamdard got their side over the line in a 2-1 win.
DIVISION TWO
There were plenty of goals in Division Two where the leaders, Belfry, made it seven wins from seven with a 6 – 2 victory at home against Chingford Athletic A in Dagenham. Eric Kelly scored twice for Athletic but goals from Sam Paterson (2), Aaron Rich, Jamie Redington, Mujib Ayoola and Patrick Macdonald were sufficient to extend their good start.
Remaining three points behind are Cowley Community who now have six wins from their opening eight matches this season and they took home all three points from their trip to Rainham Working Mens Club. Chris Wright grabbed his customary goal with Aiden Gentle’s effort rounding off a 2 – 1 victory. Cameron Shakes scored for the Workies in this one.
Third-placed Dagenham United got their season back on track with a really important win as they were paid a visit by fourth placed Newham Wanderers who were sitting just a point behind as the game began. United extended that lead to four points however with two goals from Jordan Akinpelu plus one each from Ruben Silva, Brandon Johnson and Rodeny Varela to win 5 – 2. Malam Injai and Marcelino Rodrigues grabbed the Newham goals in reply.
There was a massive result also at the other end of the table where promoted St Francis got their wins account underway for the season as they took on fellow strugglers Unitey at the Flats. Shaquille Mathurin scored twice and Jorginho Gomes once to earn the Saints a 3 – 0 win and a move off the bottom.
And there was just the nine goals in the final game in Division Two where the Forest Green hosted Old Esthameians at Leyton Sixth Form College, the E’s trailing their opponents by five points going into the game. This was slashed to just two by full time, coming out on the right side of a 5 – 4 thriller.
DIVISION THREE
In Division Three, FHN Athletic have opened up a five point gap at the top after they returned home with all three points in their clash away at Old Barkabbeyans Reserves in Barking. Faraz Khan scored for the hosts but it proved not quite enough as FHN scored twice themselves to win it 2-1.
Fairlop Rovers are up to third in the standings, level on points with just four goals separating them from Melbourne Sports as they took home the points with a 2-0 win in the Forest Road derby. Jack Kibblewhite’s brace was the difference on the day as Rovers continued a great patch of form which has seen climb into promotion contention.
There was a second league win of the season for Lymore Gardens Reserves who made it seven points from six games with a 3-1 away victory in Harlow against Epping United. Stefan Willis scored two and Eugene Goumou once to pave the way for a Garden victory which moved them seventh in the standings.
The division’s two draw specialists completed the action in Division Three where ASA, with three draws in four, met Glendale with four draws in eight this season. The outcome was expectedly… a draw. Mithurn Vijayarajah opened the scoring for ASA but Paul Oriakhi’s leveller just a minute later made it 1 – 1 and the sides shared the spoils once again.
DIVISION FOUR
Weather curtailed much of the Division Four action but in the two remaining games, there were seventeen goals with Newham Royals’ home 7-4 win against Together United getting that started. The Royals had an ensemble cast of scorers, led by Anthony Adade’s hat-trick with Ronald Asante getting a brace plus one each for Philip Norman and Richard Smith ending the goal-scoring credits. On the back of a big defeat, that saw Royals move up to third in the standings while Together United remain sixth.
There were six goals in the final game of the day in Dagenham where Brentwood United Reserves were the visitors to face Dagenham United Reserves. Giovanni Morgan (2), and Diego Sotelo grabbed the Dagenham goals but Brentwood efforts from Bradley Jackson, Connor Goom and Christian Pankui levelled it up at 3-3 to share the points.
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