Week ending 28th September by Mason Norton

Before we get started, Ramble Round wants to say a get well soon to reader and match official Kev French, who is currently recovering at home after a nasty accident doing some DIY. Good to see you on the mend, and look forward to seeing you on the pitch again soon.

The main game of the day in the Everards Brewery Premier Division this weekend came at the Linwood, where Aylestone Park Reserves hosted Anstey Town. In a tight game, it was a first-half own goal which settled it in Anstey's favour, coming away with all three points in a 1-0 win to stay second, two points behind leaders Desford. Desford, meanwhile, travelled to Thurnby Rangers and put them to the sword, winning 5-1 thanks to a Tom Vyce hat-trick, and goals from Ross McGarry and Louis Rood, with Alfie Mansell adding a late consolation for the hosts when the game was all over bar the shouting.

The biggest change at the top saw Park drop to fourth, swapping places with Hathern, who actually came from behind away at Leicester Atletico, going 1-0 down after a set-piece at a corner resulted in an unfortunate ricochet and an own goal. Atletico then hit the bar from a free-kick, and had a 1-on-1 denied by the Hathern keeper. That was as good as it got for Atletico. Though they had a let off when Hathern striker Dolton Taylor missed a penalty, player-manager Jake Davies put the visitors on level terms after being put in by Lewis Edwards, and then Hathern took the lead when the home keeper could only parry Taylor's free-kick and Liam Bailey followed in. 2-1 at the break, but no-one could have forecast the one-way traffic that followed. Hathern doubled their advantage when Bailey headed home a free-kick, and though Atletico spurned a golden chance that could have got them back in it, Jack McLachlan's classy finish was the cue for the floodgates to come flying off the hinges, and five more goals followed, three of them for McLachlan, Harvey Greenman scoring after taking on 3 defenders single-handed, and Taylor eventually got in on the act. The final score was 9-1, Hathern having scored seven goals without reply in the second period, the home side stunned.

At the bottom of the table, it was a scrappy game at Knighton Lane between Friar Lane & Epworth and Cottesmore, which was goalless in the first half, before Lane conceded a penalty with a foul in the box, and new signing Leon Kavanagh converted from the spot. Kavanagh then scored again 10 minutes later, Cotts winning 2-0 and putting a bit of distance between them and the basement battle. Lane only avoid bottom spot after Burbage & Huncote failed to cling on at Magna 73. Mitch Fairhurst scored in the first half to give B&H the lead, but two goals in eight minutes from sub Luis Corcoran and Reegan Lawrence with the winner 10 minutes from time gave Magna a 2-1 win. Magna now up to fifth, B&H bottom behind FLAE only by dint of Lane having scored more goals.

Ellistown also managed to pull away a little bit in their game at Highfield Rangers. Elie Oliver scored for Rangers after just 44 seconds, as the home side front line threatened to tear the visitors apart, but Ellistown hung in, and goals midway through the second half from Liam Watts and Charlie Watts looked to have given them the win, only for Highfield to snatch a point at the death through Chris Galley, 2-2 the final score at Gleneagles Avenue. Finally for this week, there was also a score draw at Sileby, where Sileby Town and FC Khalsa played out a 1-1 draw, Conner Packwood for Sileby, Sam Murphy for Khalsa, both goals coming after the break.