Week ending 24th August by Mason Norton

To begin, Ramble Round reports the death of Martin Dexter, formerly a referee in the Leicestershire Senior League, who died last week at the age of 64, after a short battle with cancer. Mr Dexter was officiating until the end of last season, and a fundraising game was held at Aylestone Park on 16 August. He officiated in the Football League between 2008 and 2012, and was a mentor for many younger referees, as well as organising referee appointments for Leicester City youth teams, and earlier this year, was recognised by the FA for his services to the England Veterans team. A minute's applause was held before all LSL games on Saturday.

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We're now four games in for most of the teams in the Everards Leicestershire Senior League, so let's take a look at the tables to see what shape they're taking...

... or at least, we would for the Everards Brewery Premier Division, but we might have to wait another week or two. Desford are officially the leaders, but they lost their unbeaten record on Saturday as they lost 3-2 at AFC North Kilworth, for whom Taylor Sharpe scored a hat-trick. William Dunlop and Tom Vyce both scored for Desford. Neither Hathern nor Magna 73 were able to capitalise, as they also lost their unbeaten records on Saturday. Hathern led twice at Ellistown thanks to goals from Dolton Taylor, who curled in a 25-yard free-kick, and Jake Davies, but Sonny Sheasby equalised almost immediately after Taylor's goal, whilst Liam Watts equalised ten minutes after Davies's, before Taylor Baldwin's 38th minute shot squirmed in at the near post underneath the Hathern keeper's hands for what turned out to be the winner. There were no goals in the second half, as Hathern finished with 10 men, Ellistown winning 3-2.

Meanwhile, Magna 73 managed an even greater Devon Loch, going in 3-1 up at half-time, and with a one-man advantage after visitors Leicester Atletico were reduced to 10 men, only for Atletico to pull off a stunning second half comeback to win 5-4. Archie Allen gave Magna the lead, which Fin Thomas followed up with a hat-trick, but Ali Ashkir had a hat-trick of his own, and Kosisochukwu Ezeja bagged a brace for visitors Atletico. So Desford are top, ahead on goal difference of both North Kilworth and FC Khalsa, who beat Highfield Rangers 3-1, Devonte Khan (2), and Tamar Clayton for Khalsa, Shawn Richards pulling back a consolation for Rangers in the second half. It says much about how open the start of the season has been that none of the 15 teams have been able to get to the end of August unbeaten.

No-one unbeaten, but three teams are still searching for not just their first win, but also their first point. Bottom on goal difference are Burbage & Huncote, who lost 5-0 away at Aylestone Park Reserves on Saturday, Bayem Onelum scoring a hat-trick, with Leo Hicking and Evan Kane scoring for Park as well. Then, it's Friar Lane & Epworth, who led 2-1 at half-time away at Thurnby Rangers on Saturday thanks to goals from David Aluko and Solomon Agyeman, but ended up losing 4-2, as Colby White, Farran Pope and Tolu Joshua adding in the second period to the first half strike from Devon Jackman. The other side searching for points is Cottesmore, who lost another multi-goal thriller this week, going down 7-5 at Anstey Town. Joe Hartopp scored a hat-trick for Anstey, with Joshua Burniston, Joe Harris, Zak Harris and sub Jordan Small scoring for the hosts as well, Kadeem Price, Charlie Richards, Aaron Ridout, Jordan Smith and Oliver Troth scoring for Cotts.