Final Round up of the Everards Premier for 2023 by Mason Norton

The only fixtures this weekend in the Everards Brewery Leicestershire Senior League were in the Premier Division. Only five of the eight games pencilled in went ahead, with waterlogging claiming Ellistown-Thurnby and Ashby Knights against Hathern, whilst storm damage after Storm Gerrit caused the postponement of the Soar Derby between Barrow Town and Sileby Town. 


The five games that beat the weather however threw up some shocks, and caused some already-existing gaps in the division to widen further. Leaders Allexton and New Parks cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win at Cottesmore, Liam Bloxham, Ryan Charles and Kieran Gethins the scorers. They widened their lead, as both of the chasing teams dropped points. Desford and Caterpillar went 2-0 up at home to Magna 73, Connor McGahan scoring both goals, but Harry Smith pulled one back for the visitors, who then knocked in a last minute equaliser through Spencer Beck to rescue a point in a 2-2 draw. 


Meanwhile, Aylestone Park Reserves found themselves going to the 3G at Beauchamp College on Saturday, as FC Khalsa's regular pitch at Judgemeadow was once again waterlogged. Khalsa were able to draw upon a strong side, setting the stage for a humdinger of a game, with Khalsa eventually coming out on top 4-3, Tayo-Sharn Alexander-Tucker, Sory Kaba Sherif, Shaun Ruzvidzo, and sub Fezan Shah scoring for Khalsa, Archie O'Donell, Leo Hicking and Cory Pinchbeck for Park in a highly entertaining game. 


All that leaves Allexton in an even more commanding position, now five points clear of Park, having also played four games less than them, and nine points clear of Desford, and having a game in hand on Desford. Going in 2024, the only things that seem able to stop ANP from lifting the LSL crown are a second-half collapse, the emergence of a new global pandemic, or Vladimir Putin pressing the nuclear button in the Kremlin. 


Aylestone Park and Desford look likely to be doing battle for second, whilst Ellistown, seven points behind Desford, round off the top four at the end of 2023, after Burbage and Huncote, who could have gone fourth with a win on Saturday, fell to a surprise defeat away to AFC North Kilworth, Josh Wright (2) and Joseph Williams scoring for North Kilworth in a 3-2 win, Cameron Atkinson and Jordan Pickering for B&H, who instead slipped to eighth. Finally, the last game to bring you was a mid-table clash at Friar Lane, who slipped to a 2-0 defeat at home to Highfield Rangers, Quinn Johnson and O'neill Rawle scoring in the first half for Rangers. 


With all teams in the Premier now at or beyond the halfway point of their campaigns, Allexton look well-clear at the top, whilst at the bottom, Khalsa's win now puts them eight points clear of the bottom two, and Magna are now a point further ahead. Barrow and Knights continue to occupy the drop zone, and are now beginning to lose touch with the others in the relegation dogfight, being eight and eleven points respectively adrift of safety. 


The bottom two are due to face each other at the NFU Ground next Saturday, and the loser of that game will find themselves deep in the mire indeed. Thurnby Rangers against Khalsa looks like another tussle in the dogfight, even if both of those sides have nudged away in recent weeks, whilst the battle for second will come into focus next Saturday as well, with Aylestone Park Reserves welcoming Desford and Caterpillar to the Linwood. 


Those are the pick of the games next week in the Premier, and elsewhere, attention turns to the cups, as the Chairman's Trophy for Div1 and Div2 clubs gets underway, with LSL teams also in action in the quarter-finals of the Saturday Intermediate Cup and Saturday Trophy. 


All that lies next weekend and next year. Dave Lumley will be sitting in next weekend, so join him then for the round-up. Meanwhile, from all of us, may we wish you all a Happy New Year for 2024.