Week Ending 21st December by Mason Norton

In Everards Brewery Division One, Lutterworth Athletic Reserves won the top-of-the-table clash on Saturday at Hinckley LRFC Development, Dominic Ivens and Oliver Whiting for Lutterworth, Casmir Umeh for Hinckley, with all the goals in the first half. Lutterworth are six points ahead of Loughborough Students Development, who moved into second after the comeback of the day in their game at Holwell Sports Reserves. Brook Isherwood gave Holwell an early lead, and Max Fisher doubled their advantage on the stroke of the interval. But the Students came roaring back in the second period, as goals from James Thew and sub Ashden Shortland (2) gave them a 3-2 win, to put them six points behind Lutterworth with two games in hand and a superior goal difference, Hinckley two points further behind in third having played the same number of games as Lutterworth, Hinckley now very much outsiders in the promotion race.

At the bottom of the table, the situation is unchanged. Dunton & Broughton United continue to prop up the table after they lost 4-2 at home to Barrow Town, Josh Allen scoring a hat-trick for Barrow, sub Shakour Benjamin also scoring for them, Ben Jackson and Luke Norton scoring for Dunton, that result being Barrow's first win since mid-October, seeing them sucking diesel again just in time to celebrate the coming of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey. Dunton are a point behind Birstall United Reserves, who were edged out 2-1 by Loughborough Dynamo, Ben Fox (2) for Dynamo, Aidan Neal for Birstall, Dynamo stay fourth, Birstall still in the drop zone.

Two points ahead of Birstall are Sutton Bonington, who lost 2-1 at home to Ingles Development, Liam Fitzpatrick (2) for Ingles, Jack Tormey for SB. That came after Ingles had three points deducted in the week and their 2-2 draw at Heather St John Reserves transformed into a walkover for fielding an ineligible player. Saffron Dynamo Development are five points above of Sutton, after losing 2-1 at Mountsorrel Amateurs, Arron Rowley and Liam Turner for Mountsorrel, Josh Wright for Saffron. Elsewhere in Div1, Heather St John's Reserves won 3-0 at home to Kirby Muxloe Reserves thanks to goals from Kye Wooldridge, Will Pickering and sub Jimmy Chandler, whilst Kyle Nicholls (2), Jamie Bottomley, Craig Brennan and Sam Higgins gave St Patricks a 5-0 win at home to Sileby Town Reserves.

In Everards Brewery Division Two, Community Football Academy laid their unbeaten League record on the line on Saturday and preserved it, winning 3-0 at home to Whetstone Athletic in the Div2 top-of-the-table clash at Beauchamp College, Zak Yusuf (2) and Jaseem Khamkar for Community. Whetstone had jumped into the top two after back-to-back walkover wins against Friar Lane & Epworth Reserves and Barrow Town Reserves, but they fell back to third on goal difference this weekend after Brookside Athletic thumped Hinckley Borough 5-0, Karl Duncan (4) and Jonathan Powell-Hayles scoring for Brookside, who are back in second, six points behind Community. Glen Villa stay in the mix, four points behind Brookside with a game in hand on them, winning 4-0 on Saturday at home to Highfield Rangers Reserves, a double of doubles from James Parker and Charlie North their scorers.

Bottom side Leicester United looked like they might finally get off the mark on Saturday, as they went in on level terms at half-time in their game away at Rothley Imperial, but Rothley found a way in the second half to eventually win 4-2. Luke Denham, Jake Inskip, Harry Toon and sub Stephen Allen scored for Rothley, Jayden Haines with a brace in the first half for Leicester United, who are still searching for their first LSL points. Kyle Adams (2) and Ashton Whiley scored for Loughborough FC in their 3-0 win at home to Friar Lane & Epworth Reserves, whilst the only away win of the weekend in Div2 was at Riverside Park, as Magna 73 Reserves won 3-0 at Barrow Town Reserves, Jordan Creed being amongst the assassins, David Rakosza and Mason Brown also scoring, Magna nudging into the top half of the table with that win.

That's it for this weekend. There's full coupons in Div1 and Div2 as well on Saturday, with notable games including a relegation six-pointer at Main Street, as Sutton Bonington take on Birstall United Reserves, top against bottom in Div1 as Lutterworth Athletic Reserves welcome Dunton & Broughton United, a Soar Valley derby sees Mountsorrel Amateurs host Sileby Town Reserves, a short boat crossing down Slash Lane for the visitors, and the battle of the chasers in Div2, as Glen Villa are at home to Whetstone Athletic.

In addition to the above, some clubs will be hosting friendly games on Boxing Day, with details available on the various social media channels, players past and present getting together for a bit of fun and raise a bit of money for good causes.

We'll be back next week. Meanwhile, on behalf of everyone here at Ramble Round, and the Everards Leicestershire Senior League, may we wish you all a very merry and peaceful Christmas.