Tower Hamlets Annual
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Date: 29 April 2012

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League Cup & Champions Cup | Roundup Sun. 29th Jan. 2012 

 Semi-final will be played on: Sunday, 26^th February 2012 @ Mabley Green, Hackney E8

Manor FC vs. Barking Tigers
London Tigers vs. Bromley-by-Bow FC

 

 

Match of the Week – 22.01.2012

Burdett 2 vs. Bromley by Bow Juniors 0

With the untimely death of 14 year old Shahidul Hassan who sadly passed away last week still fresh in everyone’s mind and in particular players from Burdett, there was a mutual agreement from both teams to show their respects before kick-off. A minutes silence was beautifully observed by all present to mark the tragic accident and our prayers are with the young boy, his family and everyone who knew him. The local derby between Burdett FC and Bromley by Bow Juniors always promises to be a trawling spectacle; the eagerly awaited clash never disappoints and always promises to be a heated encounter.

With the last few games between the two teams ending in a draw, the tone was set! Burdett FC caught the Bromley Juniors defence napping early on by applying pressure straight from the kick off and winning the ball before opening up their account in the first minute of the game, with a beautifully waited pass from midfield to left winger, Quincy Roberts, who gracefully skipped passed two defenders slotting the ball pass the keeper in emphatic fashion.

For the much of the first half, the game seemed balanced, both teams created few chances but failed to convert, with the best opportunity falling to Kamruz Zaman of Burdett FC, forcing the keeper to make quite simply a fine save. The stage was now set for the second half, both teams started off where they left off, continuing the theme of fast pace football with no signs of either side backing down, with aggressive tackling being the order of the day and possession wars throughout the pitch, the game had the supporters on edge.

Burdett FC doubled their lead through their charismatic talisman, none other than Quincy Roberts. The goal came half way through the second half from what was a harmless Bromley by Bow throw-in, Kamruz Zaman made up for his missed opportunity with a sublime 50 yard cross field ball in the path of Quincy, a combination of pace and power saw composed Quincy dribble the ball past two experienced defenders, flicking the ball past the keeper with finesse.

Credit to Bromley by Bow Juniors who kept on battling and plugging away to the final whistle. Unfortunately they were up against Burdett FC on one their finest performances.

Quincy Roberts was awarded the man of the match, although arguably all of Burdett FC players were equally as good.

Lotus Sports 2 vs. Poplar Community FC 4

Lotus' unbeaten run comes to an end, with the championship thrown wide open again -Having gone the season without a loss, Lotus were brought back down to earth after losing to a convincing performance by Poplar Com. Poplar Comm in their new Orange "Dutch" kit, courtesy of Swan Foundation, were out to avenge the reverse fixture defeat. With the reverse fixture being decided by a narrow one goal margin, this was always going to be a gripping match.

Match of the Week - League CUP 04/12/011

Bromley by Bow Juniors 3 Vs. ACE FC 0

Bromley Juniors racquet up an ACE knockout...It was make or break for Bromley Juniors as 7 League defeats on the trot left them lingering on the bottom of the table after a 7-1 drubbing against relegation contenders Samba last week. This was a much anticipated game against Premier League Contenders ACE.

It was a new line up with the return of the old guard, Skipper Mamunur returned to the centre of Midfield as well as Kwesi who returned back after a few weeks off playing Rugby in the centre of defence. Long term Absentee Kashim Ali also returned to deputise as a makeshift Right back and Sexy Kay also made his return upfront. Juniors started the game off brightly having long term spells of possession it wasn’t long before they took the lead, skipper Meaty was the first to react in the box after a corner was taken and smashed in the unmissable.

After the break ACE applied the pressure which was dealt with firmly by the impeccable Bromley Defence. Bromley scored 2 goals later on the half which inevitably killed the game off. The match was marred by controversy during the end with both sides having a quabble.

Ukulele Player & Bromley’s Sport Science Doctor, Tuhin Miah commented “We controlled the game in both halves and the result showed justice to the tactics and football we played. ACE tried to use their premiership experience to deploy their creative skills into the game but this was greatly matched by Mukthar Ali who took no time to show off his newly trimmed tache, some say he was growing it in respect of Movember of the Month “

Newark B FC 1 Vs. St Katharine FC 1 (Newark  win on pen)

Newark B triumpth against in form St Katharine.. Newark B fought back against in form St Katharine to progress to the Quarter finals of the League Cup. The rivalry between the two teams has evolved over the past year into epic derby style games to relish. Yet the game commenced with both teams sharing great respect for each other in professional international fashion by lining up to shake hands before the game. 

St Katharine were the hungrier of the two teams from the starting whistle with some smooth interchange passes in the first 15 minutes to create some great chances only to be denied by the cross bar and valiant goal keeping from the young Newark B goalkeeper ‘Khaled’. The underdogs Newark B started settling 15 minutes into the game with some wonderful pass and move interchanges on the left side between Imran Abdur Rob and Imran Ahmed while benefiting from experienced hold up play by the hamstring injured Newark veteran striker Shanur Miah whose friend for the day was the ‘deep heat’ spray. 

This instilled belief into the young team who are mostly made up of 16-19 year olds. The young team grew in confidence and belief to create a few chances themselves only for this to be shattered by some wonderful movement by St Katharine striker Kemar Thompson to be set through on goal on the right side finishing off by neatly placing the ball into the back of the net on the inside post of the keeper.

However Newark B were not shaken by the goal, as they grew hungrier to get a goal back especially in central midfield led by senior figure and Newark Youth London Secretary Kamrul Islam followed by his young counterparts Mahbubul Anam and Abdul Halim taking control in the middle of the park by stopping the St Katharine players from settling with the ball.

This urgency paid off with a ball neatly threaded through by Shanur Miah to right winger Shiabuz Zaman who ran through to whip in a dangerous cross which was brilliantly met with a powerfully directed header into the left corner by the 5ft 2 inch left winger Imran Ahmed who stormed in front of the St Katharine right back to make it 1-1. It was all square in the fiery first half at 1-1 with the crowd looking forward to an epic second.

The second half started with Newark B on top for the first 25 minutes, pressing the St Katharine defence hungry for that second goal, an organised valiant St Katharine defence held strong in denying any breakthrough for the young Newark B team. The intensity within the game resulted in spells of ping pong football in the St Katharine half with headers from both teams hungry to take complete control of the game. However St Katharine looked more likely to score with some great counter attacking football to create chances only to be denied by some passionate defending by Newark B.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZUENQFV6bk

Approaching the last 20 minutes the tables turned with St Katharine piling on the pressure to get that all important winner. Newark B on the back foot while dealing with balls whipped in from both sides and clearances from Newark B coming straight back at them from the St Katharine defence with powerful heading from centre back Paul Mcdowell to press Newark B in their own half. The pressure from St Katharine almost paid off from a corner when a powerful header was bravely chested off the goal line by Shiabuz Zaman. With 15 minutes on the clock Newark B almost destroyed any hope of a second goal from St Katharine with a counter attack where assistant Manager Shanur Miah neatly released Shiabuz Zaman who was through on goal only to be denied by some heartless tracking back by St Katharine centre back to deny any danger from the move.

Last 15 mins St Katharine continued the pressure for that crucial goal, but counter substitutions by Manager Arif Abdurrahmaan relieved the pressure as he brought on energetic 16 year old Masnoon Hussain to play defensive midfield and big man striker, veteran and treasurer of Newark Youth London ‘Ziaur Rahman’ to add some muscle and pressure to the defence, Newark B slowed down any danger of a second goal and held with the final whistle being blown at 1-1. It was a great game played in high intensity yet both teams played with great respect for each other which was reflected by zero yellow or red cards being issued by the authorititive, respected referee ‘Neville’.

The first 2 penalties were calmly placed into the back of the net by both teams, the cool and collective Newark B left back stepped up for the third penalty and did what he does best, stay calm! He slotted his penalty into the left corner. Newark B goalkeeper Khaled was confident before the penalties commenced by saying ‘I’m definitely saving at least one penalty’ which was no understatement as he dived to his right to stop St Katharine top goal scorer Kemar Thompson from scoring their 3rd penalty. This added pressure on the iron man Mahbub who slotted his penalty into the right corner without a care in the world. 

The young Newark B team could taste the sweetness of victory knowing how good ‘Khaled’ was, however the St Katharine penalty was calmly placed into the back on the net. 19 Year old Newark B wizard Imran Ahmed AKA Jabed stepped up to take the winning penalty, pressure was not in his vocabulary as he calmly placed his penalty into the top corner sending the keeper the wrong way, only for him to turn around in celebration to have the Newark B team and supporters charging in to crush him.

Newark B Manager Arif Abdurrahmaan said ‘The behaviour, attitude and performance of the young team showed great character while the victory was a bonus as it showed the development of the young players in the team, moreover what pleased me the most was that St Katharine are a brilliant team renowned for their goal scoring ability with a goal difference of +34 in 9 games which is why they sit proudly on top of the first division.

However our team played with heart and worked so well as a unit implementing what they learnt during training that St Katharine recorded their lowest number of goals scored in a game this season, myself and Assisstant Manager Shanur Miah have been working extremely hard on this aspect of our game so it was a great achievement for the team and organisation’. Newark B, in their first season in the ILFL now look forward to taking this victory as motivation in chasing promotion in the second division which is now more competitive than ever.

 Match Of The Week - 27.11.2011

 Mohammedan SC 0 Vs. ACE FC 0

ACE AND MSC PLAY OUT A GOALLESS DRAW, In spite of a solid defensive performance ACE had to be satisfied with a point after a goalless draw against a strong Mohammedan SC side. Both teams created chances but it was Mohammedan who had the better of the chances and came close to taking the lead from an in-swinging free-kick which rattled the crossbar after 10 minutes.

Match of the Week - 20/11/2011

Bromley-by-bow FC 2 Vs. Stepney FC 1

The thrashing of E7 FC (9-1) and the stall mate against a regressive kick-and-run team Shadwell FC (2-2) played no part in the tactical setup against Stepney FC. It was more of a finely grazed line up to counter play the bubbling ground at Weavers Field.

VICTORY LIFTS ACE OFF THE BOTTOM ACE' picked up 3 crucial points against struggling Newark side to move off the bottom on goal difference. ACE dominated the match from start to finish and took the lead after 5 minutes through Nahel Miah after Pawel Olech was fouled and from 30 yards Nahel sent the free-kick into the top corner for his second successive free-kick goal.  6 minutes later ACE doubled their lead as Pawel's low shot from 18 yards found the bottom corner after some brilliant work from Nazmul Hussain.

ACEshould of scored more goals in the first half with Pawel, Nazmul and
Syed Ali all going close. Newark kicked off the second half and rarely tested Mihai Neofit in goal. Nazmul had a goal controversially ruled out for offside after he raced through on goal. Syed then wasted a great chance to make it 3-0 after being played through on goal but his effort was saved by the keeper.

With 25 minutes remaining ACE brought on Russell Ahmed as he replaced Onaldo Dos Santos and he had a great chance but was denied by the keeper. Syed saw another powerful drive narrowly go over the bar. ACE scored their third after 85 minute through Russell, after he picked up a loose ball and fired in from 20 yards for his 3rd goal off the season.

ILFL-Challenge Cup Match of the Week

Lotus Sports Club FC 5 Vs. Beaumont Athletic FC 3

Second Division leaders Lotus Sports unbeaten run continues with a win at home to Division 1 Beaumont Athletic in the Challenge Cup. A brace in the first half hour for Lotus Sports top scorer Noel Kileaen who latched on to a perfectly weighted mid air cross from Jabed Khan with a precision header into the top left corner for his second.

After the minutes silence which was well preserved by both teams and organised by the referee John on Remembrance Day at Weavers fields^. An Old Rivalry kicked off between 2^nd division team Spitafields and East One.

Spitalfields are the senior team of the SOUL football Club. East one a well organised 1^st division team with a very Anglo- French look to their side, 5 of their starters were from French, Obviously they have taken the Arsene Wenger approach to football. SOUL took the other Wenger Approach and fielded a very youthful side averaging the age of 19.

It was going to be a tough game, if previous games were to go by, than this game would be a battle o the last and it proved to be once again. SOUL got off to a better start and had a shot from their young 17 year old striker Yahya in the first 20 seconds which was well saved. 

After that the huge presence of the East one side averaging an height of 6f started taking control of the midfield and moving the ball around well, although not being able to break the defence.  SOUL clawed their way back and a stinging drive by Yahya Ali rattled the bar, the ball found its way to Norul, who danced through a couple of players and was bought down for a penalty. SOUL’s usual penalty taker Hafiz who has scored 4 goals from the spot this season was relaxing somewhere in Wales. It was another youngster who took the responsibility, unfortunately he didn’t connect properly and the Stand in East One keeper, pulled off the save.

The Second half and both teams came out fighting; East One started the brighter, and hit dangerous balls into the Box which was defended well.  East one had corners and throws almost as good as Rory delaps into the box, but were not able to find the elusive goal. Although a shot from the striker from 30 yards bought a fantastic save from SOUL keeper Andrew.

It was becoming a tense affair and both teams were battling hard in midfield to take control, East One came close again but Andrew pulled off another good save. SOUL Striker had a couple of half chances which he couldn’t connect with. With 5 minutes to go, East One bought down Antoine 30 yards from goal, And youngster Dilwar Hussain took responsibility for the kick.

Unfortunately his stunning free kick was cruelly denied by the bar with East One sighing a breath of relief, Veteran Taj Mohammed nearly won the game for SOUL in the dying minutes with a stunning drive but it just went wide and the referee John blew for full time and penalties. Well done to the ref who had a magnificent game, a lot of referees can learn from him this season, if they want to? Big question mark.

Both teams prepared for the penalties, and as usual the goalkeepers took their places and were sizing up the takers. SOUL went first and Taj who was on lunch break  from his day job stepped up to drill the ball home, and the pressure was on East One, the striker stepped up and the keeper dived the right way to give SOUL an advantage.

SOUL converted their next three penalties with a glorious one from Norul Islam and Sajid who has a tough game in midfield clawed his penalty in as the east one keeper guessed the right way but it did eventually find the net.  With the score at 4-3 it was up to Dilwar Hussain to win it for SOUL and he duly did with a well taken penalty.  The players shook hands and knew they had just played a dogged cup game. Well done to all.

Match Of The Week - 30.10.2011

Shadwell FC 4 Vs. Island FC 2

Shadwell recorded only their second game of the season after they overcame a stubborn Island side. It has been a slow start for Shadwell this season who had high expectations following their success in the summer league. They started off brightly and looked dangerous every time they went forward.

However Island weathered this early pressure and started to come into the game and create their own chances. As the game approached half-time Shadwell lost their way a bit and it was Island who finished the stronger.

The second half started off much the same with both teams cancelling each other out. But then Shadwell finally managed to get behind the Island defence in sweeping move which saw their winger Bobby get to the bar line and cross the ball into the box for Sabbir, who beat the defender to it and forced the ball into the net. The second goal followed quickly and was almost a carbon copy of the first but this time the ball was played out to Jermain on the other wing.

His dangerous cross in to the box for Sabbir resulted in a 2-0 lead for Shadwell. Island to their credit kept plugging away but it was Shadwell who grew in confidence and were beginning to create chances almost at will. Another quick break saw captain Ben Manning cross the ball into the path of Jermaine who converted to give Shadwell a 3-0 lead and clear breathing space.

Shadwell began to make changes and it was during this period when Island managed to pull 1 goal when the impressive Ryan Stowell converted from the penalty spot after a Shadwell player pulled down the Island striker.

The setback did not stop Shadwell who continued to create chances with Bobby the main culprit. On several occasions he was clean through on goal but he somehow managed to miss the target or the keeper saved his shot.

It was from one of his missed chances that Island went straight up the other end to score a controversial second goal and bring the score back to 3-2. Shadwell defenders were adamant the goal scorer Ryan Stowell was in an offside position and strongly disputed the goal with the referee. In the end it did not make any difference as Bobby Redwood finally put the game to bed with his smart finish from just inside the box to give Shadwell a deserved 4-2 victory 

ACE FC 1 Vs. Stepney FC 2

ACE STUNNED BY SECOND HALF GOALS

ACE' poor league form continued after losing their fourth consecutive ILFL game this season against a strong Stepney side. Prior to kick-off there were some strong words of wisdom from the management team to lift the spirits of the entire team, which played a key role in the first 45 minutes as ACE dominated the half with possession and played superb entertaining football.

Russell Ahmed had the first chance of the game but he failed to convert a superb low cross by Nazmul Hussain as ACE threatened. Russell was denied again moments later from close range. ACE took the lead after 20 minutes thanks to Nahel Miah who gave ACE a deserved lead with 25 yard trademark free-kick. Stepney created nothing up front to trouble Mihai Neofit.

Stepney came out much stronger in the second half and 10 minutes into the half got their equaliser after a right wing cross was scrambled in from close range. ACE responded well by creating lot of chances with Russell and Nazmul both going close.

Syed Ali thought he had opened his account for the season after a superb 30 yard shot was tipped over the bar. Stepney's talisman Jahed Khan grabbed the all important second goal from close range after 70 minutes. ACE brought on Ryan Clarke after Nazmul picked up a knee injury and he had a goal ruled out for off side which seemed very harsh. Stepney defended in numbers to see out the last 10 minutes as ACE piled on the pressure.

Abohani FC 1 Vs. Brick Lane fc 1

Poor finishing costs FC Brick Lane two points against fellow promoted club, Abohani FC. It was the battle of the Premier League new boys at Mabley Green where Abohani FC were looking to avenge their defeat by FC Brick Lane who beat them in the final game of the 2010/11 season to clinch the First Division Championship. It was billed as the six pointers heading into the game as both teams understood the value of three points against a rival. However, there was only one team that looked like winning this crunch match as Brick Lane bombarded the Abohani defence for 90 minutes.

FC Brick Lane, brimming with confidence following the defeat of Stepney in the previous week, started the game strongly and mounted numerous attacks before they were rewarded with the first goal of the game after 20 minutes. Creative full back, Ruf, whipped in a wicked cross from a free kick where it was met by midfielder Shakil, who beat his marker and powered in a header towards the top left hand corner where the keeper could merely stand and watch as the ball flew in off the post. It was a deserved 1-0 lead for FC Brick Lane who seemingly looked like they would go on to score a few more to wrap up the game.

However, what they didn’t know was that Abohani FC had signed Rory Delap who appeared to be in disguise playing at centre back. Late into the first half, Rory gathered the ball at the half way line and hit a dangerous throw into the Brick Lane box where a poor clearance led to a goal mouth scramble which allowed the Abohani left winger to knock in the equaliser. The long throw routine seemed to be Abohani's only source of attack and creativity as they continuously used the weapon to reach the Brick Lane 18 yard box throughout the entire match.

In the second half, FC Brick Lane pounded the Abohani defence continuously for 45 minutes where the Abohani defenders somehow managed to dodge the oncoming one-way traffic to hold on to a 1-1 scoreline. Brick Lane were guilty of squandering at least 8 one on one chances as it seemed like the Abohani defence were being split open by the Brick Lane midfield again and again and again and again and again. Frustrated FC Brick Lane fans roared on in hope of grabbing a deserved late winner, but the Abohani goalkeeper pulled of miraculous saves from left, right and centre to ensure there was no way through for the Brick Lane strikers.

It really could have been double figures for unlucky FC Brick Lane on another day who showed their attacking creativity for the entire match. However the dropped points will be a bitter blow as they look to steer clear of the relegation zone. Abohani FC can be encouraged by their brave defensive display and will not be easy to beat in the league.

Match of the Week - 23.10.2011

Stepney FC 2 Vs Brick Lane FC 4

Premier League new boys, FC Brick Lane, pull off the biggest upset of the season by defeating the reigning League Champions and league favourites, Stepney FC.

FC Brick Lane made a blistering start to the game by working a training ground routine from the kick off to score the first goal within the first minute of the game. The ball was intricately worked by the attacking force of Brick Lane where no less than six players were involved in quick passing and movement to unravel the Stepney FC defence.

Club captain, Munim, found himself in the 18 yard box where he drove the ball towards the far post. The sheer velocity of the strike rattled the Stepney FC defence and was knocked into his own net by the centre back. However, the dubious goals committee have announced that the goal has been credited to the skipper who deserved the goal following the brilliant build up.

FC Brick Lane continued to dominate the opening stages of the match and could have been 3-0 up within 20 minutes. Striker, Noz, burst through on goal on two occasions but managed to squander one wide and the other being smartly stopped by the Stepney keeper, Sham.

Stepney's experience and quality was slowly beginning to show as they dominated the last 15 minutes of the first half where they looked a threat from set pieces. After numerous headed chances squandered, Stepney FC's persistency through set pieces led to the controversial equaliser at the end of the first half. From a free kick on the half way line, the ball was wickedly whipped into the danger zone where a Stepney head met the ball.

The ball ricocheted of the Brick Lane centre half and bounced in the six yard box. As the centre back, Muhib, bravely dived into the head the ball away, he was struck on the head with a volley from the oncoming striker. The ball trickled in as players from both teams stood in bemusement as the ref pointed towards the half way line indicating a goal.

Stepney FC were clearly in buoyant mood at half time having grabbed the equaliser late on and were fired up for the second half. However, FC Brick Lane managed to shock the Champions again by taking an early lead in the second half through a volley from Danyaal who managed to find the corner of the net through a sea of players.

It was beginning to look like an almighty challenge for the Premier League favourites who came into the game looking to reach the top of the league with three points. The goal didn’t look like coming but mid way through the second half, a floated long ball from midfield and assisted by communication failure in the Brick Lane defence, Stepney FC striker, Forhad, managed to pounce on the error and smash the ball top corner to level the game once again.

There was a sense of déjà vu in the Brick Lane camp as they had now dropped the lead twice in the game, following from losing the lead against the likes of East Seven and Mohammedan in previous games. Character was required at this stage for the boys from Brick Lane who had an opportunity to prove their doubters wrong that they could not live with the big boys. FC Brick Lane refused to play deep and continued playing attacking football and creating chances. It was becoming an end to end game with both teams going for victory.

Working the ball into the Stepney half, the skilful winger, Altaf, found himself turning towards the goal from 35 yards. The Stepney midfielder rushed to retrieve the ball, but Altaf gave him the shoulder and twined him to leave him dead. As the holding midfielder attempted to win the ball back, Altaf shifted the ball left and hit a thunderous strike straight into the top left hand corner of the goal to give Brick Lane a 3-2 lead heading towards the last 15 minutes of the game.

Stepney FC, rattled by the venomous strike, continued their attacking onslaught searching for a third equaliser. The FC Brick Lane defence held strong, catching the Stepney strikers offside on numerous occasions with the offside trap. As Stepney brought on their club's leading goal scorer, Zola, to help find the goal they need, they pumped the ball towards the Brick Lane goal but the defence refused to give in, winning all the 50-50 challenges. Stepney FC were pushing men forward, leaving them vulnerable on the counter where Brick Lane had been dangerous throughout the match.

A dangerous through ball was played by the creative Stepney midfield but was expertly intercepted at full stretch by the centre back, Hasnath, who released the centre midfielder, Shakil, to attack a susceptible defence. Shakil split the defence into whatever was left of it with a through ball to find Altaf bursting through on goal one on one with the keeper. The young winger kept his composure, gave the keeper the eyes, held on to the L2 button and hit a curling finesse shot into the roof of the net to grab his second of the game. That sealed an unbelievable game and proved to be the nail in the coffin for the Premier League Champions.

Island Fc began the day in a struggling note as many players were injured. Island Fc had to settle with a squad of 11 players. Many played out of position but took one on the chin for the team.

The game began with Island taking the centre kick and immediately took the game in their own hands by passing and controlling the ball well. Bromley were strong in their challenges and they were also trying to play fluently but Island Fc wasn't' having any of it this week and played their hearts out and broke Bromley's play as soon as Bromley had the ball.

Island Fc pressured all over the pitch really well, fighting for each other and showing great determination to get something out of the game.Soon, Ben Hoskyns took a long range shot at the goal keeper which the keeper spilt in the box and Lee Brown pounced on it like a Fox in the Box to get Island Fc their deserved lead.

Lee has been tremendous from week one, his work rate and hunger to win is second to none.  He has a great personality and deserves a lot of credit.  He is a striker but works like a Trojan and never gives up, he also creates a lot of opportunities for team mates, and hence a win Vs Bromley was looking inevitable.

Most importantly, Island Fc has a solid back four, 2 attacking players (Ryan and Sparks, sacrificed themselves) playing out of position and did ever so well to contain the likes of Bahar, Oli, William etc. out of the game.  They looked so composed and comfortable creating strings of attacks from their own back yard which was a joy to watch.  (I think I've found myself 2 centre backs after 4 years of looking) LOL.

Bromley's striker Bahar came close with a double effort on goal but Island keeper wasn't letting anything go and made a superb double stop which kept Island in the lead.  Bromley were shocked by this and didn't know what else to do to get an equaliser.  They tried to out play Island Fc but it didn't work at all.

The score remained 1 - 0 at half time, Island were adamant in their approach to keep a clean sheet so they all sacrificed their own flair and listened to strict instructions which paid off at the end. During the second half, Island Fc hit either side of Bromley's goal post by winger Mohammed Khan who a great team performance but unlucky not to get on the score sheet.   

Full-back Carl; made a superb dribble from his own half and tore apart Bromley's midfield to create an attempt on goal with a thunderous shot which Shahin (Bromley's keeper) just about managed to get his finger tips to brush the ball off the cross bar and out for a corner.  The wood work was rattled so were Bromley and the credit goes to the Shahin for keeping it out otherwise it was heading for the top left corner.

Island Fc had several chances squandered and it was looking like Bromley would get an equaliser on the counter as they reverted to long balls which Island Fc dealt with quite well.It was a joy at the final whistle as the score line 1-0 was sufficient to dent Bromley's hope of reaching top of the table and kept Island Fc looking deadly in mid-table with 2 points from joint second along with 3 other teams.

The final result was a testament to the team spirit and togetherness which was a long time coming, however the season started off really slow with a lot of ups and downs.Hopefully back to back wins will put a lot of confidence into the team and long may Island Fc continue their hard work throughout the season.

Match Of The Week - 16/10/2011

Ace FC 3 Vs GTA London Tigers FC 1

ACE tame the TIGERS......After their recent back-to-back defeats against Bromley-by-Bow FC and E7 FC respectively, ACE eased through to the second round of the ILFL Cup with a 3-1 win against First Division side GTA London Tigers. ACE looked lively, sharp and the hungriest out of the two sides as they competed for possession. Their constant pressure and perseverance was finally paid off after Syed Ali’s pass was picked up by Nazmul Hussain, which gave ACE a well-deserved one goal lead.

Moments later club captain Shahidul Kabir took Tigers by surprise by thumping a venomous 40 yard shot, which rattled and clipped the underside of the crossbar. Seconds after the restart Pawel Olech kept up his goalscoring record as ACE headed into the half-time interval with a 3-0 lead. In the second half ACE had a number of chances to extend their lead. Syed wasted a glorious opportunity to getting a fourth after Tigers goalkeeper left his goal unattended.

Tigers scored a late consolation goal from the penalty spot after Alex Vaduva was penalised for impeding a player for some shirt tugging. It was a tremendous team performance from ACE and a big boost for next week’s league game against Abohani as they now plan on getting their season back on track.

Bromley Juniors 4 Vs E7 FC 2

Bromley Juniors bounce back to show E7 the CUP Exit......  It was all doom and gloom for out of form Bromley by Bow Juniors after the referee controversially awarded E7 an early penalty following a foul by skipper Mamunur Chowdhury that was clearly made outside the penalty box but the referee decided otherwise.

Neither team was able to settle into the game with both teams cancelling each other out. E7 were on the counter attack a few times but the Kwesi Delap's Offside trap reeled in any threat. Just before the end of the first half against the run of play a 35 Yard belter from Daishaun made it 1-1 with a powerful drive into the top corner.

Bromley Juniors came out strong in the second half as their dazzling skills earned them a penalty which was converted on the rebound by Mukthar Ali. E7 posed no threat to the Bromley tactics and footballing display as they chipped into a 3-1 lead with Wayne putting the ball over the E7 Keeper after a great through ball by Fabio. Celebrations were reminiscent of the famous Cantona goal in 1996.

Super Sub Shakil scored with his first touch to seal the deal in the final 10 minutes as he nutmegged the keeper from a few yards to make it 4-1. Shakil already in the Bromley by Bow Hall of fame and also known as "One Sock Shak" to local residents.

A last minute surge from E7 headed in a consolation goal but it was too late as Bromley Juniors celebrated their win as the Premier League Leaders faced an early cup exit.

Stand in Manager & LBTH Conker Champion, Mamunur Chowdhury Commented "The first few minutes we were hanging on a thread but the young players showed great character and worked hard for each other to keep possession of the ball after being 1-0 down. We could of caved in, as you get a lot of controversy in games like this but credit to the players and hopefully we can take this into our league games."

For more info www.bbbco.co.uk 

Match of the Week - 09/10/2011

 FC Bricklane 1 Vs Mohammedan SC 1

Sunday’s fixture with Mohammaden was always going to be a tough fought 90 minutes on the pitch; both the clubs are locally based and knew each other on a personal level for years. Whilst Mohammedan have played in the ILFL Premier division since the start and won many league tittles, FC Brick lane is an upcoming young team recently set-up and have been pushing through the ranks with a very promising future.

The game started with Mohammedan immediately making a few strong tackle to show their presence and intimidate the new arrivals, however these easy fouls were becoming costly as Abdul Rouf’s free-kick shook the cross-bar and two others came extremely close. The first half went as a fight to owning the mid-filed with FC Brick lane occasionally showing what their capable off though quick counter moves.

After the first half briefing FC Brick lane went out with a much more attacking mentality as Abdul Kapsar proved to be a handful playing upfront, and before long Kapsar’s quick movements awarded the home side with a penalty, which Shakil Rahman cleanly scored with great confidence. As FC Brick lane pushed for the 2nd goal, the experienced side Mohammedan were able to take advantage of a defensive error and punish. The game finished as a 1-1 draw with a much important point for both sides to the early start of the season.

E7 FC 1 Vs ACE FC 0

ACE SLUMPED TO BACK TO BACK DEFEATS!!

ACE suffers their 3rd defeat of the season despite dominating the game. ACE started the brighter of the two sides and should have taken the lead after two minutes. Russell Ahmed headed over from a superb Syed Ali's left wing cross. Alex Vaduva thought he opened his account for the season after a superb Nahel Miah's corner was powerfully headed on target but the goal controversially ruled out even the ball had cross the line. Moments later ACE went behind after lapse of concentration and E7's star striker had the easy task of placing the ball low into the bottom corner past Mihai Neofit.

Pawel Olech lining up for free kick.

ACE piled on the pressure in the second half and forced the veteran keeper into making several saves. Nazmul Hussain saw a low shot saved at the near post. Alex had powerful drive from edge of the box pushed out for a corner.

Nahel Miah saw couple of free kicks narrowly go wide. Late on in the game E7 had a goal disallowed after their midfielder headed in from close range but the referee disallowed it for offside. ACE also had penalty claims turned down after Alex and Adrian Dejeu went down in the box. 

Stepney Fc 7 Vs Island FC 2

Island FC started the game in a very positive manner taking control of the first 10 minutes scoring early on the game with intricate passing from they own half with Ben Haskin, Ryan Stowell linking up well distributing the ball outside to lee brown who took on two Stepney players setting up captain sparks to score a sublime header beating the goal keeper near post.

Stepney then got a lucky break due to a defending error conceding a corner from which they capitalised with a well taken set piece. Stepney then scored another shortly after with a great shot outside the box. Island FC raised their game to get an equaliser through good work by Lee and scored by Ryan.

Stepney then took charge and dominated the game with long balls scoring 7 in total. 5 of their goals came from set pieces however the scoring doesn't reflect the actual game as it was a very entertaining match from both sides. Stepney calm and togetherness rewarded them with a victory.

Match Of The Week - 25.09.2011

Poplar Community 6 Vs BOW FC 1

Poplar Community get off the mark against Bow....Having started the day bottom of the table, worst goal difference in the league and morale very low, Poplar Com FC were up against Bow FC, the team that had beaten them 4 - 1 in the summer. However, they couldn't have asked for a better start, scoring within the first 10 minutes. A typical one two between the front men to tuck away a well deserved goal.

Bow reacted immediately and almost getting the equaliser, had it not been for the brilliance of goal keeper William Frost, who had a last minute fitness check, having recovered from fever. Poplar Com FC's patience paid off as they manage to get their second goal through a counter attack move having absorbed a lot of pressure from Bow. As both teams were looking to run the clock down until half time, Poplar Com FC capitalised on the slow pace of the game and managed to break through the Bow defence and score a third just before the final whistle.

 The second half started as frantically as the first as Poplar Com FC again showed the fighting spirit to pounce immedately and score a 4th goal. Top scorer from the summer, Raju Hussain, again showing why his blistering pace makes him so dangerous in a counter attack. Poplar Com FC were now really enjoying themselves as they went on to produce some brilliant passing football and scored a fifth mid way through the second half. Poplar Com having played so brilliantly were in no mood to stop the goals and managed to score a sixth goal.

Thael Uddin, back from two weeks out due to an injured shoulder scored a wonderful long range. This was truly a confidence boosting result for Poplar but their defensive frailties showed in the dying seconds due to some shambolic defending that led to a consolation goal for Bow.

 With a huge regeneration happening on the estate of Robin Hood Gardens, this was the perfect start to a brighter future and a great 6 - 1 victory. Manager Aktar Hussain commented "The team picked themselves up so well and I couldn't have asked for a better performance. We will continue to work on our defensive tactics but we really showed how much of an attacking team we are."

Match of the Week - 18/09/2011

Abohani Fc 0 Vs Bromley-by-Bow FC 3

Bromley-by -Bow FC kicked of the ILFL 11/12 Season with a sluggish start to the first half with no quarter given in the first 15 minutes for both teams, it wasn’t long until Bahar Ali trundled forward and beat his marker but only to flash the chance wide of the post. The momentum was now slowly building and Bromley were sought to establish more control of the game by keeping possession and making Abohani FC work hard to win the ball back. Abohani lacked any attacking strength and were unable to retain any quality possession; they fell deeper and deeper towards their own goal. The first half ended 0-0.  

The second half showed some intense pace from the beginning and was long until Bahar tapped in the first goal from a low driven cross by Fabio who beat Abohani’s left back with his trickery. The referee had a poor game and had lost his bearings as he was unable to make the right decision whether the ball was on or off the pitch several times but it was true to say that the controversy from Maywether’s fight must of rubbed onto him from the night before.

Bromley started to play with expression and confidence, switching the play at will and making Abohani work very hard to get the ball back. It wasn’t long before the second goal was slotted in by Hamid from the edge of the box which rolled in to the bottom corner. The third followed in similar suit as it had an air of inevitability about it as Hamid, was having a superb game coolly finished to get his second while the keeper got a whiff of the freshly cut grass. Bromley’s pressure and possession meant that Abohani rarely troubled the keeper, while Bromley struck the woodwork a few times. 

 Ex-UCMMA Cage fighter & Park Ranger, Akbor Islam commented “We should of won the game in the first half, players were half asleep and the shouldn’t bring that attitude to the game. As Mick from Rocky would have said... stay in school and use your brain. Be a doctor, be a lawyer, carry a leather briefcase. Forget about sports as a profession....is a thinker, not a stinker! “

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Awards Ceremony, 19 May 2011

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Top Gear Claims & STIG Motors Cup Final, 4 Apr 2011

Poplar celebrate cup win in style

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Suspended Players

The league gets regular reports for any players suspended by the LFA. You should always abide by any suspensions and other bans imposed by the League. There are serious consequences for failure to do so. Check the player suspensions page on a regular basis.

Outstanding Fines

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Referees

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Pitch Update

All venues come with changing facilities and shower apart from Victoria Park pitch No. 8 (the one immediately next to the Bowling Green) and Pitch No 7 (the one nearest to the car park). Changing facilities are only available on pitches 1-6 for AM bookings ONLY. Please do not harass the park staff for changing rooms if your fixture is on a venue that does not normally come with one. Clubs will face disciplinary action if complaints are received from the park staff for such harassment. Refer to the pitch locations page for more details and maps of all the pitches used by the League in Tower Hamlets.

For Hackney Marsh fixtures, arrive at the office in the South Marsh (on Homerton Road) and report to the reception in the changing rooms for pitch and changing room allocation. It is the home side's responsibility to put the goal nets up so ensure that you arrive well in advance to give yourself enough time to put the nets up before the kick off time.

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