Week ending 14th December by Mason Norton

In Everards Brewery Division One, the action was at the bottom of the table, where there was a six-pointer at Meadow Lane, as Birstall United Reserves hosted Sutton Bonington. A game that was high on quantity, and a little less on quality, ensued. Birstall should have really had it sewn up by half-time, but Sutton somehow found themselves in it at only 2-1 down. SB raised it in the second half, but Birstall were able to hit back, and looked like they were on course to win and get out of the relegation zone, only for Joe Shaw to score an equaliser in the last minute, with the game finishing as a 4-4 draw. Sutton's scorers were Shaw, Jordan Crosland, Jack Tormey and Sam Martindale, whilst Alistair Tierney (2), Louis Biggs-Neal and Kai Taylor scored for Birstall. The result keeps Birstall in the bottom two, two points behind Sutton. 


Dunton & Broughton United drop to bottom place after losing 6-0 at Hinckley LRFC Development, Charlie Galley (2), Scott Hardy (2), Tom Bennett and Casmir Umeh for the hosts, Dunton now three points behind Sutton. Meanwhile, Holwell Sports Reserves took a big step towards safety after a 2-1 win at home to Ingles Development, Tallen Burt scoring for Holwell in the first half, as did Micah Onyekwelu-Udoka for Ingles, before Max Fisher bagged an 89th minute winner for Holwell, who are now seven points clear of the drop. 


At the top of the table, Lutterworth Athletic Reserves stay in the lead, but it was a close-run thing at home to Kirby Muxloe Reserves, after a frantic first half saw the teams go in 3-3 at half-time, Dominic Ivens scoring twice and Barnes Gladman once for Lutterworth, Callum Francis (2) and Matty Longdon for Kirby. The second half was more of a stalemate, but sub Jon Gutteridge broke the deadlock five minutes from time for the hosts, before Gladman put a smile on the home team's faces with his second deep into injury time, Lutterworth winning 5-3. Loughborough Students Development keep pace, cruising to a 6-0 win at Sileby Town Reserves, Ashden Shortland (2), Jake Folwell, Jacob Horne, and Tobenna Ikegwuonu & Adam Wallis both scoring from the bench. 


Elsewhere in Div1, Loughborough Dynamo won 5-1 at Mountsorrel Amateurs, Kian Armson, James Allen, Jasper Clarke, Dean Copson and Max Glover for Dynamo, Jake Beaumount for Mountsorrel, whilst Kye Wooldridge, Hayden Armstrong and David Roberts scored for Heather St John Reserves in a 3-0 win at Barrow Town. Comeback of the day came at Cambridge Road, where Saffron Dynamo Development looked to be in cruise control at home to St Patricks, being 3-1 up at half-time, before Pats came storming back in the second period to win 6-4. It was a trio of braces for Jamie Bottomley, Jack Hickey and Elijah Morton, whilst Mason Williams turned on the classical gas with a hat-trick, earning him the match ball, but alas no points. Josh MacCameron also scored for Saffron. 


To Everards Brewery Division Two, where there were some surprises in store. Leaders Community Football Academy looked in danger of losing their unbeaten record in the League when they found themselves 1-0 down away at Rothley Imperial at half-time, but Community hit back in the second period to eventually come out 4-2 winners, Mohamed Mahir, Ricardo Mills, Aadam Hajat and Kashar Raja, Brad Cogar and Brad French for Rothley. Community are now six points clear at the top after nearest challengers Brookside Athletic lost 3-2 at home to Leicester Nirvana Reserves. Wesley Emmanuel, Gambo Nsangou Alassa and Haleem Bello all scored in the first half for the visitors and despite a double from Karl Duncan for Brookside, Nirvana held on for three points. Whetstone Athletic are now three points behind Brookside with a game in hand- they were sidelined on Saturday when their game at bottom side Leicester United failed a morning pitch inspection, Whetstone's third postponement in a row after two no-shows from opponents. 


Leicester United now find themselves 10 points adrift at the bottom after the surprises kept on coming, Barrow Town Reserves winning 3-1 at Hinckley Borough. Harry Jarvis scored for Hinckley Borough, MIchaeI Ohazurike 2 and Joe Butcher Smith for Barrow. Loughborough FC continued their good form of late as Kyle Adams scored a hat-trick, Tavis Johnston, Lewis Wall and Ashton Whiley also scoring as they won 6-1 at Highfield Rangers Reserves, Seon Shippley scoring for Highfield. Lastly, Glen Villa were the day's biggest winners in the LSL, smashing seven past Friar Lane & Epworth Reserves in a 7-1 win, George Parker with a hat-trick, Ashley Parker with a brace, Ira Castor and sub Tom Mathews for Glen Villa, Jaakeem Martin with a late consolation for Lane. Villa are now fourth, a point behind Whetstone, and now in the hunt for promotion. 


Next weekend sees some mouth-watering Christmas crackers in our Ramble Round stocking. There's the Premier Division relegation battle, as Ellistown host Burbage & Huncote. We have the Div1 title and promotion clash, as leaders Lutterworth Athletic Reserves go to in-running second-placed Hinckley LRFC Development. And the two in-form teams meet in Division Two, as Community Football Academy put their unbeaten record on the line at home to Whetstone Athletic. All to come in next week's rambles, out next Sunday. See you then.