Week ending 24th February by Mason Norton

The Cup programme was reduced this week with some wet weather on Thursday, but an overnight frost on Friday night, combined with some sunshine on Friday & Saturday, meant that the majority of games on the coupon got the go-ahead. The Everards Tiger League Cup quarter-finals threw up two upsets. Firstly, Div1 side Leicester Atletico managed to battle both availability issues and a FC Khalsa from the Prem to win 2-1 at Beaumont Park. Kadir Fahie and Jowa Mbome both scored early on to fire Atletico into a 2-0 lead, and though Shaun Ruzvidzo pulled one back for Khalsa, Atletico held on to book a semi-final berth.


Also at Beaumont Park, Div1 leaders Anstey Town bounced back from the double disappointment of the County Cup and Chairman's Trophy exits earlier this month to beat Premier outfit Sileby Town 3-2. Darren Taylor gave Anstey the lead, and despite second half-goals for Sileby from Grant Ryder and sub Shaun Smith, a brace from sub Joe Hartopp was enough for Anstey to progress. The form book was more reliable in the only all-Premier tie, as Aylestone Park Reserves defeated Friar Lane & Epworth 4-2 at Knighton Lane East, Aaron Preston (2), Edwyn Worley and Jake Wormleighton the scorers for Park, Rikki Bates and Nelson Matope for Friar Lane. The other quarter-final, between the last Div2 team in the competition St Patricks and Premier Division leaders Allexton & New Parks was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Gypsy Lane, with that tie being rescheduled for next Saturday. 


In the Chairman's Trophy, the quarter-final spots were wrapped up in Group C as Desford & Caterpillar Reserves fell out of the competition losing 3-1 at home to the already-eliminated Sutton Bonington. Jack Spence had scored for the hosts in the first half, with Sam Gee scoring for SB before the break, but Cain Collins gave Sutton the lead 20 minutes from time, and Jordan Crosland's strike five minutes from the end wrapped the game up. That means that both Rothley Imperial and Ingles Development go through to the quarter-finals, despite Ingles' game at home to Melton Town Academy being postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Thringstone- that game has also been rescheduled for next Saturday and the tie reversed to Melton, who will be playing back at Judgemeadow College in Evington whilst they await to return to Melton.


Group D saw the battle of the basement boys, as bottom of Div1 Barrow Town Reserves welcomed the bottom of Div2 Loughborough. It was the Luffs who came out on top, winning 3-0 thanks to goals from Karan Anbhavne, Ryan Hardy and sub Vaibhav Dalpat- Luffs cannot progress, and Barrow are virtually out, barring a sudden turnround in goal difference and results elsewhere. Sporting Markfield against Holwell Reserves was postponed- that game has also been rescheduled for next Saturday, with the winners guaranteed a quarter-final spot. 


The final pieces of the County Cup jigsaw have also fallen into places, with Mountsorrel Amateurs Reserves being the opponents for Loughborough Students Development at Holmes Park on 7 May in the final of the Saturday Trophy, after Mountsorrel defeated Stoneygate 4-3 on Saturday in an end-to-end encounter in the semis. Mountsorrel Reserves will see if they can do any better than their first team, who lost to the Students in the other semi-final. Meanwhile, Hathern will face UCL Div1 side Kirby Muxloe from Step 6 in the final of the Senior Cup after Kirby came from behind to beat Ingles 3-2- that game will take place at Holmes Park on 14 May, whilst the Saturday Intermediate Cup Final will see Div1 side Hinckley LR Reserves take on County League team Community Football Academy on 11 April, that game being on a Thursday night whilst the other two are on a Tuesday, all finals taking place at Holmes Park.