Week ending 21st December by Mason Norton

Before we get going, apologies for the slight slippage in the timings for this ramble coming out, but I spent the weekend on the sidelines with a nasty virus which knocked me sideways for a few days. Thanks to those who have helped me out this week with reports, particularly the Friar Lane-Hathern game where I had to drop out a few hours before kick-off, and to the Loughborough Dynamo fan who treated me at the walk-in centre on Saturday morning.

The main action in the Everards Brewery Premier Division, both on and off the pitch, came at the bottom of the table. We start on Monday night, where the December meeting of the League Management Committee handed out a three-point deduction to FC Khalsa for having fielded an ineligible player in their 6-1 defeat at Aylestone Park Reserves on 30 November. That tumble put Khalsa right in the thick of the basement battle.

To Saturday, where despite some heavy rain late last week, all of the fixtures went ahead. Khalsa made the trip to high-flying Anstey Town, and found themselves heavily thumped at Beaumont Park, as Anstey won 8-0. Szymon Donnerstag hit a hat-trick, Zak Harris a brace, as did sub Harry Burton, whilst Josh Burniston rounded off the scoring in the rout.

The relegation six-pointer came at Terrace Road, where Ellistown hosted Burbage & Huncote, with the losers risking finding themselves bottom at Christmas. From North-West Leicestershire, Andy Grout reports:

"In a typical relegation-defining six-pointer, it was Burbage & Huncote who wanted it more and took advantage of a poor Ellistown performance to take the game 3-2 and push Ellistown into a nervous position at the bottom of the league. The hosts were out-worked, out-smarted and looking for excuses for a poor 90 minutes that resulted in the bench and players getting involved in tit-for-tat arguments when they should have been focusing on the game. The game itself was dominated by Burbage who proved they wanted it more by taking the lead on 17 minute from a 25-yarder from James Graham. Ellistown never took advantage of having the wind in their favour in the first half but did equalise on 25 minutes through a neat finish by Conor Page. After that, the game entered a tug-of-war phase for remainder of the half and the half-time whistle went with the game in the balance.

To the second half, and on 50 minutes, a game and potentially season-defining five-minute period took place. Ruben Wilson burst through onto the B&H goal and became the meat in the sandwich of three defenders in the penalty box. The referee pointed to the spot, but after talking to his assistant, cancelled the penalty. When play restarted, B&H broke and won a free-kick 30 yards out. Maverick Martin played the wind to perfection and his free-kick sailed over keeper Kyle Warren's head for 2-1. Ellistown countered from the restart, and Wilson was fouled by the keeper, who was booked, Ellistown awarded a free-kick. The following free-kick wasn't cleared, Ellistown then won a corner, which was swung in and headed in by Page, the goal not given by the referee, but by the assistant who immediately signalled, much to the protests of the opposition.

The game was in the balance, but on 68 minutes, Cameron Atkinson let rip with a 30-yard thunderbolt for the visitors which made it 3-2. Burbage then saw out the game, and could- maybe should- have added to their tally, but they came away with the points."

That left a nervous wait for Ellistown, but as it happened, the Khalsa result kept them off the bottom, as did the final score from Knighton Lane, where Friar Lane & Epworth welcomed Hathern. Lane seemed slightly rejuvenated, Hathern went into the game out of sorts, but despite the stakes, a pretty even game played in the right spirit was the verdict of one of the match officials. Hathern took the lead after a goalmouth scramble finished with the ball being bundled home by Jack Insley, the goal standing despite protests from the home side of a handball. Hathern looked set to go in the changing rooms with the lead, but just before half-time, the Hathern stand-in keeper made a monumental blunder, slicing his clearance like a cocked-up Christmas cake, so instead of pumping it down field, he instead gave the home side one of their easier goals.

1-1 at half-time, and the game evenly-balanced. But as the second half wore on, Lane took the lead with a well-worked move down the wing, which drew out the defender who bought the dummy, ball squared across the box and a cool finish, Friar Lane looking set for their first home win since 14 September. But late on as the light faded, Hathern fought back, won a corner, which Jack McLachlan swung in, FLAE didn't deal with it, and Liam Bailey got on the end of it and scored the equaliser. 2-2 the final score, Friar Lane staying in bottom spot, Solomon Agyeman and Harry Hawkins with their goals.

Elsewhere in the relegation battle, Cottesmore were comfortably beaten away at AFC North Kilworth, who were 3-0 up after 45 minutes thanks to goals from Sam Blockley, Reece Hookway and Jake Smith. NK had plenty of the ball and chances in the second half, and had a goal disallowed for offside and missed a penalty but sub Taylor Sharpe headed home an in-swinging free-kick, 4-0 the final score in south Leicestershire. Thurnby Rangers are just about doing enough to keep themselves out of the fray for the time being, and did their campaign no harm as they snatched a 1-1 draw at Magna 73, Carlton Beardmore for Magna, but Connor King equalising almost immediately afterwards for Thurnby.

So at Christmas, just four points cover the bottom five in the Premier. After Asfordby's resignation before the playing season started, only one team will go down. Friar Lane & Epworth now occupy the trap-door spot, but only on goal difference, with Khalsa immediately above them. Ellistown sit just one point ahead of both of them, and have the same goal difference as Khalsa. Burbage & Huncote climbed up the table, and are now two points ahead of Ellistown and three points clear of the drop, whilst Cottesmore are a point ahead of B&H, and have the same goal difference. Thurnby are three points ahead of Cottesmore, and seven points clear of the bottom.