Week ending 16th December by Mason Norton

Everards Brewery Division One also saw its fair share of strange and unexpected results this weekend. Leaders Anstey Town dropped points for only the second time this season, being held to a 0-0 draw at home to Leicester Atletico, the Beaumont Park derby failing to trouble the scoresheet. That left the door open for chasing side Dunton & Broughton United to pounce and put Anstey under real pressure. Instead, it was they who imploded at home to Holwell Sports Reserves in the shock result of the day, Holwell winning 7-1, a Harry Worby hat-trick, Tom Concar brace, and individual strikes from Tallen Burt and sub Patrick Piechowicz the goals, Tom Bennett providing DBU with a second half consolation. 


There was also a shock at Thringstone, as Ingles Development thrashed Kirby Muxloe Reserves 8-1, Liam Golding scoring a hat-trick, Harrison Griffiths and Louis Clarke both bagging doubles, Michael Okochi with the other Ingles goal, Jack Clarke scoring for Kirby. The one game that did go the way of the form book was at Birstall United, as Birstall Reserves lost 5-0 at home to Hinckley LR Reserves, David Mensa-Bonsu showing his nous with a brace, a double from Josh King, and Harry Smith rounding off the scoring. Road move into second, eight points behind Anstey Town with a game in hand, and now five points ahead of Dunton having played two games more, with the race for the second automatic promotion spot getting more interesting. Neither of the bottom two sides were in action, but Holwell's win leaves Sporting Markfield seven points adrift of safety, though Markfield do have three games in hand on Holwell. 


In Everards Brewery Division Two, the promotion party at Loughborough University's Development side will have to wait. That's partly because the Student Union bar is shut for the Christmas vacation, and partly because their game at Mountsorrel Amateurs, which would have seen them clinch promotion with a win, was the weekend's only weather-related postponement, the landlords at the Pavillion calling the game off as waterlogging continues to affect the low-lying Soar Valley. 


None of the top half of the table were in action, but in the bottom half, one unwanted prize was sorted out, as Loughborough FC were condemned to the LSL's wooden spoon for the second straight season. They lost 4-2 at home to Sileby Town Reserves, for whom Callum Heagney (2), Charlie Patel and Reuben Sherratt were the scorers, Pranay Anbhaune for Luffs, and their fate was sealed as Rothley Imperial won 2-1 at home to Desford & Caterpillar Reserves, Stephen Allen and Ben Hetterley scoring for Rothley, Tom Lennon for Desford. Luffs are seven points adrift with two League games remaining, but the earlier resignations of Bottesford & Kibworth Town mean that there will be no relegation again from the LSL into the Leicestershire County League.  


This weekend also saw the last 16 of the County Cups put to bed. Sutton Bonington got their Saturday Intermediate Cup game on at Loughborough United at the third time of asking and smashed their way to a 10-0 win, booking their quarter-final spot with a trip to Community Football Academy. There was no on-the-pitch action involving the LSL in the Saturday Trophy, but off the pitch saw the County Competitions Committee chuck Melton Town Academy out of the Saturday Trophy for a breach of the competition rules in their last 16 tie at County League outfit Mountstorrel Amateurs Reserves, who have now been reinstated. Mountsorrel's first team learned their quarter-final opponents as well this weekend- they have a local derby with a trip to Woodhouse Imperial and the famous (or infamous) double-sloping pitch at Main Street.


Next weekend sees a much-reduced programme in Divisions One & Two, the pick of the games being in the Div1 promotion race, as Hinckley LR Reserves welcome Leicester Atletico for an intriguing fixture, whilst there's a full programme in the Premier spanning across next week. Join us on Christmas Eve for a festive ramble. See you then.