Week ending 16th September by Mason Norton

Now that almost everyone has played at least four games each, and as we move towards the autumn equinox, the league tables in Everards Brewery Divisions One and Two are beginning to take shape. Anstey Town went top on Saturday, and are the last side in Div1 to have a 100% record, after going to Barrow Town Reserves and recording a 10-0 win. From the starting line-up, there were three braces- Joe Harris, Jordan Small and Darren Taylor- but it was one of the subs, Harry Burton, who took home the match ball with a hat-trick, with another sub, Joe Hartopp, rounding off the scoring.

They lead Leicester Atletico on goal difference, and have a game in hand on Atletico, who fell to their first defeat of the campaign, losing 3-1 at Kirby Muxloe Reserves. Callum Key (2) and Kian Colclough-Wright scored for Kirby, Kadir Fahie for Atletico. Kirby sit in fourth, behind third-placed Dunton & Broughton United on goal difference, after DBU won 3-1 at home to Sporting Markfield, Tom Bennett scoring twice for the hosts, alongside Corey Nelson, Josh Seaton scoring for Markfield in the first half. DBU and Kirby are three points behind Anstey & Atletico, with a game in hand on Atletico.

Barrow Reserves sit bottom, still searching for their first points, and winless Markfield tumble into the drop zone after Sutton Bonington got their first win of the campaign with an installment of the Late Late Show at home to Holwell Sports Reserves. Louis Marriott gave Holwell the lead twenty minutes from time and Holwell looked set to win, until four minutes from the end, when Jordan Crosland equalised, before two minutes from time, when sub Jack Tormey popped up and scored the winner, SB winning 2-1. Rounding off Division One this week, Hinckley LRFC Reserves won 2-0 at Ingles Development, Malik Boyce and Harry Smith the second half scorers for Hinckley.

Before the reports for Div2, Ramble Round would like to take this chance to wish a very warm welcome back to Terry Simmons, who returned to refereeing duties this Saturday after a long spell on the sidelines. It's good to see you back.

Mr Simmons was in the middle at the Holywell Park Sports Complex at Loughborough University, and he might have been eager for more lead in his pencil as Div2 leaders Loughborough Students Development found that 13 was anything but unlucky for them, as they thrashed Desford & Caterpillar Reserves 13-0. Connor Keene scored five goals, Owen James had a brace, and there were goals too for Jack Baker, Joe Barnes, Dominic Forbes, Oliver Punt, and the magnificently-named Felipe Sebastian Morales Moya, testing the Spanish-language skills of our results service and this column to the limit. September, the month of the start of the new university term, is when thousands of students see Loughborough for the first time. After Desford's two visits to the town in September on consecutive weekends saw them score just once and concede 19, they will probably be glad to not see the town again for another twelve months... much like the relationship between certain students and the lecture theatre...

The Students are unbeaten, along with St Patricks, who did not play this weekend, and have played a game less than the Students. In third place are Loughborough FC, who find themselves on a four-match unbeaten run after a 3-1 win at the Drome against GNG Oadby Development. Wikto Ako gave GNG an early lead, but sub Dylan Henderson scored twice in five minutes to put the hosts in the lead, before Jordan Taylor added a third. The Luffs swapped places with Rothley Imperial, who lost 3-1 at home in their local derby against Mountsorrel Amateurs, with Louis Abel, Jake Folwell and Ollie Kershaw scoring for Mountsorrel, Dthanial Weston for Rothley.

At the other end of the table, Sileby Town Reserves find themselves bottom, and now the only side in Div2 without a win, after they lost 5-0 at Melton Town Academy, who continue to play in exile at Judgemeadow College in Evington, but opened their account on Saturday with their first LSL win and first points of the campaign. Oliver Borland scored a hat-trick, with Ajay Aplin and Reuben Nelson scoring the other goals. Melton moved up two places with that win, with Desford sitting bottom but one, though two resignations before a ball was kicked means that there will be no relegation to the County League at the end of this term.

That's it for this week. Apologies for the slight delay this week in publication, but some unforeseen circumstances derailed us a bit. Looking ahead, there's one midweek game, in the Premier Division, where Ellistown welcome AFC North Kilworth on Wednesday night, before there's action across the three divisions next Saturday, including the Premier Division basement battle between Barrow and Ashby Ivanhoe Knights, and another local derby in Div2 at the Drome sees Loughborough FC host Loughborough Students Development- a Town versus Gown clash on the eve of Freshers Week, plus the return of some cup action, as Sileby Town Reserves of Div2 welcome Div1 side Ingles Development to kick off this season's renewal of the City Goldsmiths President's Trophy.

Some of the unforeseen circumstances involved the big Radio 2 Party in Victoria Park last weekend, where some old legends and favourites entertained the crowds and listeners... which seems an appropriate link to explain that another old legend and favourite, Dave Lumley, will be sitting in next weekend to bring you the best of the action, whilst I find myself footing the bill for a significant wedding anniversary. So I'd better crack on with the overtime then... Join Dave next weekend for the best of the action around the 3 Divisions, and Ramble Round will be back for a County Cup special the weekend after.