Week ending 18th November by Mason Norton

The main event of the weekend fell victim to the weather, with Dunton & Broughton United at home to Div1 leaders Anstey Town being called off due to a waterlogged pitch, as was Sporting Markfield against Leicester Atletico.

That left three games in Everards Brewery Division One this weekend. Hinckley LR Reserves stay second after a 3-0 win at home to Ingles Development, Brogan Greenwood, Chris Jones and Harry Smith the scorers. At Kirby Muxloe, there was a 10-goal thriller, as Kirby Muxloe Reserves played out a 5-5 draw at home to Holwell Sports Reserves, with Joe Kerins scoring a hat-trick for Kirby, along with Dan Turner and an OG. Holwell's scorers were Tallen Burt (2), Tom Concar, Charlie Green and Bailey Purkis.

That point moves Holwell four points in front of Sporting Markfield in the bottom two. The table continues to be propped up by Barrow Town Reserves, who fell to a 10-0 defeat at home to Birstall United Reserves, for whom Alfie Shipley managed the rare feat of a double hat-trick, scoring six goals, Geraint Price scoring a brace, Blake Boulter and Kai Taylor rounding off the scoring that featured five goals in each half, Barrow still pointless.

In Everards Brewery Division Two, leaders Loughborough Students Development strengthened their position at the top of the table without even kicking a ball, as nearest challengers St Patricks fell to their first League defeat of the season, as they lost 6-4 at home to Melton Town Academy, for whom Kairo Edwards-John led the way with a hat-trick, Kareem Abouraia, Oliver Borland and Cameron Roberts bagging the other goals, Daniel Higgins (2), Jamie Bottomley and Jack Hickey for Patricks, Melton kicking away in the second half after the scores had been tied at 2-2 at half-time.

That creates a potential opportunity for third-placed side Mountsorrel Amateurs, who drew level on points with St Patricks after a 3-2 win at Sileby Town Reserves, with Jake Folwell, Anderson Tomas and sub Owen Wardle scoring, Callum Glover and Callum Heagney scoring for Sileby. Mountsorrel have played a game more than Patricks, and do have an inferior goal difference, but the promotion race no longer looks to be quite such a procession, and the two sides meet each other at the Memorial Playing Fields in Mountsorrel next Saturday in a game that looks likely to set the tenor for the promotion race for the rest of the Div2 campaign. The Students are meanwhile three points clear, having played the same number of games as St Patricks.

The other Div2 game saw Desford and Caterpillar Reserves swap places with Rothley Imperial in the morning table after Desford came from behind to win 2-1. Dthanial Weston scored in the first half for Rothley, but Arlie Greet scored a brace in the second half for Desford at Peckleton Lane, sending Rothley to their sixth straight defeat in all competitions.

That's it for this weekend here on Ramble Round. The Tiger Cup next Saturday means that it's a reduced programme in the Prem, but there's a relegation six-pointer in next week's Ramble Round the Premier, as FC Khalsa take on Barrow Town, whilst Mountsorrel at home to St Patricks catches the eye in Ramble Round the Divisions, and holders Burbage & Huncote hosting LSL leaders Allexton and New Parks headlines Ramble Round the Cups. Presuming, of course, that it all stays dry next week. I'm off to sample the recently-arrived Beaujolais, but I'll see you all next week...