Week ending 2nd December by Mason Norton

Hathern headline the County Cup ramble this weekend, after they booked their place in the semi-finals of the Senior Cup with a stunning 6-0 win at home to Desford & Caterpillar. The quarter-final tie passed a late pitch inspection at Pasture Lane, and though Desford started the brighter in the first couple of minutes, a brace from Ant Berridge, including a 20-yard curler, followed by a Liam Walton strike as Hathern countered, and a Josh Cross deflected shot, all served to put Hathern 4-0 up after just 18 minutes to leave the visitors reeling. Jake Davies then made it 5-0 just before the break. The second half saw Hathern have two goals disallowed, before Walton's second goal 20 minutes from the end wrapped things up to make it 6-0, as Hathern reached the last four of the Senior Cup for the first time in their history, and their first County Cup semi since 2017 when they played in LSL Div1 and competed in the Saturday Intermediate Cup.

The last 16 of the other County Cups this weekend saw several sides from the LSL progress to the quarter-finals next month. In the Saturday Intermediate Cup, Leicester Atletico were given a scare, falling behind twice at County League outfit Ambleside Athletic before a late goal eventually gave Atletico a 3-2 win. Hinckley LRFC Reserves had a more comfortable experience away to FC Coalville 2015, Harry Smith and Sam Carroll giving them a two-goal lead at the break, before Stan Rossell rounded off the scoring in a 3-1 win. Ingles Development, however, saw their County Cup tilt end with a 1-0 defeat at Community Football Academy. Two games, meanwhile, were postponed because of frozen pitches- Div1 leaders Anstey Town at reigning County League champions Houghton Rangers, and Sutton Bonington's trip to County League Championship side Loughborough United. Both of those games will try again next Saturday, with Anstey's game reversed to their ground.

In the Saturday Trophy, LSL Division Two sides also fared well against County League opposition. Jacob Collinson scored four goals, with Anderson Tomas getting the other as Mountsorrel Amateurs downed Leicester Lions 5-0 at the Sir Jonathan North pitches, whilst Owen James (2), Dylan Hacon, Henry Hazell, sub Idir Kermoud (2) and an OG gave Div2 leaders Loughborough Students Development a 7-1 victory at home to Old Aylestone, and Melton Town Academy defeated County League 3 side Mountsorrel Amateurs Development 5-2. The only LSL side to exit the Saturday Trophy this weekend was Desford & Caterpillar Reserves, who lost 6-1 at home to fellow LSL team Sileby Town Reserves. That means that four of the eight teams in the Saturday Trophy quarter-final hat will be teams from the LSL when the draw is made in the next few days.

Ramble Round the County Cups returns next week, with the outstanding all-LSL Senior Cup quarter-final between AFC North Kilworth and Barrow Town in midweek, plus the two re-arranged Intermediate Cup ties.