Everards teams in the County Cup for week ending 11th November by Mason Norton

The weather in the past week was much better, and some cold sunshine on Saturday ensured that the County Cup programme was largely caught up, albeit with the ties reversed, as County Cup rules now state that the fixture is reversed after one postponement rather than two.

Starting with the Senior Cup, and there was an all-LSL clash matching two teams who defeated UCL opposition in the first round, Burbage & Huncote welcoming Hathern to the Huncote Sports & Social. Hathern started the brighter team, but were unable to quite find a way through as they attacked in the first half uphill and into the low sun. They were then caught on the break playing a high line, the hosts attacked down the right wing, and the ball was floated across into the box where Liam Pescott gave Burbage the lead on 27 minutes. Hathern though equalised four minutes later when Jake Davies went on a run through the middle of the park, stayed upright after being fouled, the referee Mr Hollidge played the advantage, and Davies' shot ricocheted off the trailing leg of a defender on the edge of the box to beat the keeper who was already going one well as the ball went another.

The scores were finely poised at half-time at 1-1, but the home side's indiscipline, which had been bubbling throughout, boiled over, as a Burbage defender flipped over Davies in the box during a set-piece, causing Mr Hollidge to point to the spot. Lee Ward smashed home the penalty, and Hathern then had their noses in front, with Tom Insley being put in 20 minutes from time and holding his nerve to shoot past the keeper to make it 3-1, Hathern seeing out the game despite some late pressure from the hosts, for whom it was too little, too late, as Hathern booked their spot in the last eight.

There were three ties in the Saturday Intermediate Cup involving LSL sides, two of them all LSL Div1 affairs. Anstey Town, who were runners-up in last season's competition, ground out a 2-1 win at home to Birstall United Reserves. Joe Harris and Josh O'Brien scored for the hosts in the first half to leave them well-set, but Blake Boulter pulled one back for Birstall to set up a nervy finish, Town just holding on. Sutton Bonington trotted to a comfortable 4-0 win at Sporting Markfield, Jack Crosland scoring a hat-trick and Jacob Lawrence scoring for SB, with Crosland's scissor-kick apparently a goal of the season contender, putting the tie to bed. Barrow Town Reserves' awful season continued meanwhile as they lost 3-2 away to former LSL side Friar Lane & Epworth Reserves, who are bottom of the County League Premiership. Lane Reserves secured their first win of the season in all competitions- Barrow Reserves are still searching for theirs.

Things were straightforward for the two LSL teams in action in the Saturday Trophy. Sileby Town Reserves defeated County League One team CK Dons 5-1, with goals from Glover and braces each for Bowley and Malwald, whilst Melton Town Academy thumped Peterborough League Division 3 lineup Uppingham Town Reserves 11-3- the scorers for this game not yet in. Three County Cup games remain outstanding from the second round- in the Saturday Intermediate Cup, Ingles Development's game at against Leicester AFC has not yet been rescheduled, and appears as though it will be referred to the County FA's Cup Competitions Committee, whilst in the Saturday Trophy, Loughborough will take on Leicester Lions next weekend at the Drome, that tie having been postponed and now reversed to the Luffs, and on Tuesday night, Ellistown travel to UCL side Kirby Muxloe for their re-arranged tie in the Senior Cup, with the 3G pitch hopefully enough to ensure the tie goes ahead at the second time of asking after being reversed.

The two County Cup games in the next week make up two of the four ties in next weekend's Ramble Round the Cups, along with two games from the first round of the Everards Tiger League Cup, Aylestone Park Reserves at home to Cottesmore and Sutton Bonington against Ashby Ivanhoe Knights. Meanwhile, the League programme throws up two intriguing games- in the Premier, Ellistown take on Desford & Caterpillar in the battle over the runners-up spot, whilst there's a top-of-the-table clash in Division One, where Dunton & Broughton United welcome the unbeaten leaders Anstey Town.

A final thanks this weekend goes to all the clubs for observing the two minutes silence before kick-off, with this round of games played on Armistice Day.

Ramble Round returns with the best of the action next weekend. See you then.