Week ending 17th February by Mason Norton part 2

At the bottom, Barrow continue to remain adrift. They thought that their luck had turned at home to Cottesmore, as Tramaine Byron gave them an early lead after the Cottesmore keeper slipped and was unable to deal with the shot. Cottesmore though soon got on level terms after Shaun Ridout got on the end of a free-kick, hit the post and Shaun Dennigan rifled in the equaliser. Cottesmore then had a strong penalty appeal waved away, before Barrow went and attacked and forced the visiting keeper into a save from close range. On 20 minutes though, Cottesmore took the lead when Brenden Parker picked up the ball on the halfway line and went the long way round the defence before smashing the ball in off the post. 


Ridout then had a goal disallowed for offside before half-time, and Parker had one chalked off for the same offence in the second, the game turning scrappy in the mud after the break, Cottesmore unable to kill off the hosts, who continued to harbour hopes of snatching at least a point until the final stages, when a hopeful pass was intercepted by Mark Tinsley, who held his nerve in the one-on-one, slotting home to make it 3-1 and send Cotts back to Rutland with three points in the bag.  


Barrow remain ten points adrift after the next-placed team, FC Khalsa, fell to a 3-0 defeat in the basement six-pointer at Thurnby Rangers, Austin Enekwe, Alfie Mansell and Farouk Unwar the scorers. That leaves Thurnby pretty safe, 16 points away from the trap-door, and they will guarantee their Premier spot for next season if they beat Barrow at the Pat Darby Pitch in two weeks time. Friar Lane & Epworth are level on points with Khalsa, and could find themselves be sucked in if Barrow put together some form, but the Riversiders' task is looking more and more like a steep on, realistically needing at least four wins from their last seven games to stand a chance of beating the drop. 


Despite the dramatic results, there were no movers and shakers in the top or the bottom of the table this week, with the changes coming in mid-table. Sileby Town moved up two places to sixth after a 2-1 win at home to Burbage & Huncote, Mark Etherington and Conner Packwood scoring the goals in the first half, Liam Pescott pulling one back in the second, but B&H unable to get the equaliser, seeing their top four hopes take a hit as a consequence. Burbage drop a place, as do Highfield Rangers, who lost 3-2 at Magna 73. Magna looked to be cruising, as goals from Arjunia Govia (2) and Matt Richmond put them 3-0 up, which was what the scores were with 5 minutes remaining, only for Rangers to pull two goals back in short succession to set up a grandstand finish, Magna clinging on in injury time.


There were no games scheduled in either Divisions One or Two. There's a reduced programme across all three divisions next weekend owing to various Cup commitments, so the League action next weekend will be a Ramble Round the Divisions.