Sunday Review
Premier Division
Knowing both sides closely and their mentality, I can guarantee a passionate encounter at Leyton Cricket Ground. Leytonstone really was on fire last weekend and I had the best view from the middle. I’ll be very brief and say it was an astonishing performance where nothing went wrong. I love to see teams play football and they rode the challenges and set out their stall. A terrific all-round performance, well marshalled by captain Yusuf, who led by example, but everyone put in a shift. The scoreline really encapsulated how the game eventually panned out. But JK is a different proposition. Maybe the punctuated schedule will count against them but I’ve never known them to give up. This is the acid test and keeping discipline will be essential for both sides.
Rainham have enjoyed some key moments of late and will be relishing the visit of Global and a chance to continue their recent good outings, especially against league leaders FC Leytonstone. They will face a bruised and battered Global, fresh from their worst outing in recent memory. But one thing is for certain….count against the visitors to Upminster Road at your peril for many have counted their chickens etc. A team that can regenerate when others expect failure is key to their past successes. Expect Bob to rally his troops but Dillon will know he won’t have to give much of a team talk to inspire his lads.
In Morfey Cup action, Flamengo will relish the visit of John Rice and his boys because the endeavour and passion for the game really endear the Barking Colts to the hearts of their opponents. This cup encounter really throws up the chance for one of them to make a play for a cup final berth. Nobody doubts the skill that both sides possess when they can field a team of note. But this is cup football, neither will mind if they are dominated for possession but still grab a lucky winner. That’s what it’s all about.
South Ilford Catholics entertain Cardinals in a face-off of two leading teams in the division, Calling the final result is like shooting fish with a peashooter on a dark lake. Last time out for me with the Catholics I saw two very different sides in either half. Which one turns up for this game? Sure as bears doing what they do in the woods, the weaker one will cost them against a challenging and progressive Cardinals team,
In the last match of this session (Charlie White Cup), Daglanta receive the hobbling Hainault Athletic, much of the damage caused last time out in the return fixture when the underdogs were 5 up at the break when they chose wisely after calling correctly over Hainault at the toss-up. Daglanta has earned some rave reviews with rival managers praising the talent within their ranks but maybe they will face a different Hainault on Sunday. If they manage to raise a team from the monumental injury list then it will be an interesting day, It’s my game from the middle and for one, it’s always been entertaining between them and I expect nothing less this time out either.