Week ending 23rd December by Mason Norton

The leaders of the Everards Brewery Premier Division at Christmas this year are Allexton & New Parks, who stayed top after defeating relegation zone side Barrow Town 3-1. The scoreline was closer than many had thought, in part because ANP played much of the game with 10 men, but goals from debutant Liam Bloxham, Ryan Charles and Brandon Jarratt saw ANP through. Second-placed Aylestone Park Reserves remain just two points behind, but were given a scare away at Hathern in a tough and tight game. A well-worked series of moves up field eventually put in Jack McLachlan, who scored after 25 minutes. The game could have gone either way, and Hathern had chances to put the game to bed, including having a strong penalty shout turned down by referee Mr Goddard. But a lucky break allowed Marley Spencer to lob the Hathern keeper for the equaliser eight minutes from the end, before sub Archie O'Donnell turned the ball in on the 87th minute for what turned out to be the winner. Had it not been for inadvertently fielding an ineligible player at Thurnby Rangers in October, Park would have been sitting on top of the table at Christmas. As it is, they are second, and though on a good run of form, are running out of games to make a title challenge, ANP having played four games less than Park.


Instead, Park are more likely to be battling with Desford & Caterpillar for second during the remainder of the season. Desford returned to winning ways on Saturday with a 2-0 win away at Highfield Rangers, Connor McGahan scoring a goal in either half. Desford sit third, five points behind Aylestone Park, but with three games in hand. Ellistown's title challenge, which has faded of late, now see their podium hopes going the same way, after drawing 2-2 at Magna 73. Ellistown failed to take advantage of the wind in their favour in the first half, with the scores 0-0 at the break. Aidy Kilby and Archie Allen then scored two goals in the space of five minutes around the hour mark to leave Magna well-set for the points, but Ellistown came back in the final quarter, with sub Jake Robertson scoring to set up a grandstand finish, which came in the 90th minute when Tom Vyce's header smashed against the Magna bar, Vyce collided with the Magna keeper, and Luke Higgins smashed in the equaliser through the bodies to give Ellistown a share of the points. 


That moved Ellistown back into the top four, changing places with Sileby Town, who were sidelined when their game at Ashby Ivanhoe Knights was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, whilst Burbage & Huncote missed out on the chance to nip into the top four when they fell to a surprise 2-1 defeat at home to Thurnby Rangers. Carlton Beardmore scored in the first half for B&H, but on an afternoon where the hosts weren't at the races by their own admission, Thurnby hung in, and turned the game round in the second period, with goals from Caleb Okoro and Farran Pope giving Thurnby their first on-the-pitch win in the League since September at Hathern... which coincidentally, was also the last time Hathern had lost at home until today, to give the day's proceedings a little symmetry. Hathern will be sixth at Christmas, and Burbage & Huncote seventh. 


Thurnby's win now moves them 10 points clear of the drop zone and eases any relegation worries that they might have had. The situation at the bottom remains unchanged, with bottom side Knights sidelined, bottom-but-one Barrow losing, and the nearest side to Barrow, FC Khalsa, losing 2-1 away at Friar Lane & Epworth despite Balveer Herr being on target. A Curtis Wheat brace giving FLAE the points. Khalsa sit five points clear of Barrow, with Magna three points ahead of them, and Magna also having two games in hand on the teams behind them.


There's one other game to bring you, which was played in midweek on Wednesday night. That saw Cottesmore return to winning ways after a 3-1 victory at AFC North Kilworth. Will Rawdon's early free-kick flew into the top corner past a stranded keeper, before Brendan Parker ran in on goal to make it 2-0. North Kilworth threw everything forward, and then were caught cold, when Liam Prenderville countered, his cross was slightly overhit, turned into a shot, which a NK defender then deflected into his own net to make it 3-0. NK did get on the scoreboard after a fierce cross smashed into Cottesmore defender Aaron Ridout who could do no more than turn it in to his own net. The second half was a scoreless one, as Cotts broke their recent drought. 


The Premier returns next Saturday, including a local derby at Riverside Park, as Barrow Town host neighbours Sileby Town, whilst leaders Allexton travel to Cottesmore, Aylestone Park go up the road to Khalsa, and Desford host Magna, whilst Ashby Knights will try to avoid finishing 2023 at the bottom of the table when they host Hathern. We'll call back in on New Year's Eve to catch up.