Eastside Athletic v Ridgeway Rovers Under 21s: Preview

After last weekend’s defeat at league leaders Lonsdale, Eastside Athletic switch their focus to the cup on Sunday, hosting Ridgeway Rovers Under 21s at Redbridge Sports & Leisure Centre in the 2nd Round of the Essex Sunday Junior Trophy.

Kick-off: Sunday 15 November 2026, 10:30

Venue: Redbridge Sports & Leisure Centre, Forest Rd, Ilford IG6 3HD (home)

Competition: Essex Sunday Junior Trophy, 2nd Round

Referee: R. Hossain

The opposition

Ridgeway Rovers, established in 1979 and playing in royal blue, are one of the best-known youth clubs in the country: David Beckham and Harry Kane both came through their ranks. Their Under 21s play in Division Six, where they sit 3rd on 15 points from 6 games (5 wins, 1 loss), with 25 goals scored.

Their results so far:

Ridgeway Rovers U21s 5-4 Highams Park Rangers (Division Six, 13 September)
Ridgeway Rovers U21s 3-0 Rush Green Rangers (Division Six, 20 September)
Ridgeway Rovers U21s 5-4 Barkingside (Division Six, 27 September)
Zone 4 Athletic 3-6 Ridgeway Rovers U21s (Division Six, 4 October)
Ridgeway Rovers U21s v Valence United Reserves: walkover to Ridgeway (Essex Sunday Junior Trophy 1st Round, 11 October)
Ridgeway Rovers U21s 4-1 Forest Albion (Division Six, 18 October)
Ridgeway Rovers U21s 2-3 United Amateurs Reserves (Division Six, 1 November)

They’re a young, attacking side who have scored at least two in every game, but they’ve also conceded four twice. Last time out, United Amateurs Reserves ended their winning run.

How the two sides compare

Barkingside: Eastside won 2-1 away in the 1st Round of this competition. Ridgeway won 5-4 at home in the league. Barkingside currently top Division Six.
Valence United Reserves: Eastside lost 0-1 at home in the league. Ridgeway were given a walkover against them in the cup.
Forest Albion: Eastside won 4-3 away in a pre-season friendly. Ridgeway won 4-1 at home in the league.

Eastside’s form

The Eastenders come into the tie 4th in Division Five on 10 points, after a 5-1 defeat at leaders Lonsdale, where they matched the league’s best side for 55 minutes before falling away. Before that, they had gone four competitive games unbeaten on the road.

Home form is the area to put right. Eastside have won only one of their five competitive games at Redbridge this season, the 2-1 win over Barking Colts in September. A cup run is the perfect chance to change that.

Players to watch

Kai O’Hare: the club’s top scorer with four goals, including last week’s equaliser at Lonsdale and a strike in the 1st Round win at Barkingside.
Mason Active: two goals and two assists, including both assists in the Barkingside cup win.
Danny Fenn: three goals, two assists and two man of the match awards.
Bobby Goodall: man of the match at United Amateurs, and part of a defence that will need to be at its best against a side that always scores.

Come and support

Home games are free to watch at Redbridge Sports & Leisure Centre. Come down, back the black and gold, and help the Eastenders into the next round.

PRIDE OF THE EAST.