Week Ending 10th February by Mason Norton

If heavy rain caused a little bit of disruption to the midweek programme, then that was nothing next to this weekend. Thursday and Friday's heavy rain resulted in the entire programme for the Everards Brewery Premier Division being wiped out on Saturday morning, and left just one game in Everards Brewery Division One, with Everards Division Two still on hiatus because of cup commitments.

The only game in Everards Division One was pretty one-sided, Leicester Atletico staying second after a 9-0 demolition of Barrow Town Reserves at the Riverside, which ironically given its name, remained dry on Saturday. There were braces for Kadir Fahie, Sufyaan Pathan and sub Ouakari Diawara, whilst Ahmed Ahmed, Labib Bashir and Jowa Mbome scored the other goals.

The last 16 of the Everards Tiger League Cup was concluded on Saturday, as Div2 high-fliers St Patricks swept away Div1 side Sutton Bonington 5-0 at Gypsy Lane, Jamie Bottomley scoring a hat-trick and Daniel Higgins a double, Pats booking a quarter-final spot, where they will be at home to LSL Premier Division leaders Allexton & New Parks on 24 February, which is when all four of the quarter-finals are scheduled for. The other ties see Div1 leaders Anstey Town host Sileby Town, Atletico welcome FC Khalsa, with both of those games to be played on neighbouring pitches at Beaumont Park, and an all-Premier clash at Knighton Lane East, with Friar Lane & Epworth welcoming Aylestone Park Reserves.

All other games this Saturday were in the Chairman's Trophy group stages, with the only game there being called off being Birstall Utd Reserves at home to Mountsorrel Amateurs. In Group A, Loughborough Students Development won the group and booked a home quarter-final tie after a 3-0 win against Dunton & Broughton United, Joe Aston, plus subs Joseph Barnes and Owen James scoring the goals in the second half. Group B saw Hinckley LR Reserves maintain their 100% record with a 3-0 win against Kirby Muxloe Reserves, Brogan Greenwood, Stan Rossell and Harry Smith scoring. A point in their final group game at Leicester Atletico will see them win the group and book their own home quarter-final spot.

In Group C, Rothley Imperial missed out on the chance to book their spot in the last eight after sub Luke Allard scored later on for visitors Ingles Development on Saturday, Ingles winning 1-0. Rothley have now completed their group stage fixtures, and will have to wait a couple of weeks to see whether they go through to the quarters as one of the top two. In Group D, Loughborough's chances of progressing evaporated as they lost 7-0 at Holwell Sports Reserves, Brook Isherwood (2), Tallen Burt, Patrick Piechowicz, Harrison Stuart plus subs Freddie Young and Harry Worby the scorers. That leaves Loughborough to play for pride alone in two weeks time away at Barrow Town Reserves in the battle of the wooden spooners. Finally, a bolstered Sileby Town Reserves defeated Sporting Markfield 3-1, Morgan Newby and Shaun Smith for Sileby, Josh Scott for Markfield. That leaves Group D as the most wide-open of the groups so far, with Holwell, Markfield and Sileby on six points each, Holwell having played a game less.

And that's it for this week. There's no midweek fixtures next week, so weather pending, the standout fixtures next Saturday in the Prem see four of the top five play each other, as leaders Allexton & New Parks travel to County Cup finalists Hathern in a game re-arranged from this Saturday, and Desford & Caterpillar play host to Ellistown in a battle for the runners-up spot, whilst towards the bottom, Thurnby Rangers are at home to FC Khalsa, the winners likely to take a huge step towards securing their Premier status for next term. The Chairman's Trophy sees a game of death in the pool of death, St Patricks at home to Anstey Town, with the winners going into the quarter-finals. And the three outstanding ties in the quarter-finals of the City Goldsmiths President's Trophy are played, Birstall United Reserves at home to Melton Town Academy, Holwell Sports Reserves against Loughborough Students Development and Kirby Muxloe Reserves hosting Hinckley LR Reserves. See you then.