Week ending 9th March by Mason Norton

It's the last installment of Ramble Round the Cups for a bit, as the group stages of the Chairman's Trophy concluded this week, coupled with the semi-finals of the City Goldsmiths President's Trophy. In Group B, Kirby Muxloe Reserves came very close to snatching a quarter-final spot as they thrashed Mountsorrel Amateurs on Tuesday night, putting eight goals past Mountsorrel, with Ethan Fox, Dante Naute-Brown and Oscar Pearce all scoring braces, along with solo strikes from Jack Gunn and sub Drew Lilleyman after Kris Atkinson-Hines had scored early on for Mountsorrel. However, two late strikes for Mountsorrel from sub Liam Turner made it 8-3 on the night- no more than consolations for Mountsorrel, but enough for Kirby to miss out on a quarter-final spot by one goal behind Leicester Atletico. Atletico ensured their last eight berth on Saturday after the only team who could catch them, Birstall United Reserves, lost 3-0 at home to Mountsorrel, Jake Beaumont, Ollie Freckingham and Liam Kinch the scorers. 


In Group D, Holwell Sports Reserves won the group with a 7-0 defeat of Barrow Town Reserves, Rares Demeter scoring a double, Ross Cragg, Brook Isherwood, Brook Purkis, Harry Worby and sub Charlie Green providing the rest. The quarter-final line-up consists of Loughborough Students Development at home to Leicester Atletico, Hinckley LR Reserves at home to St Patricks, Rothley Imperial welcoming Sileby Town Reserves in a local derby and Holwell Sports Reserves hosting Ingles Development, with those ties being played in the coming weeks. 


The City Goldsmiths President's Trophy semi-finals took place on Saturday, and congratulations go to Loughborough Students Development and Hinckley LR Reserves, who are this season's finalists. The Students ran out 4-1 winners at home to Melton Town Academy, Alfie Heaton, Idir Kermoud, Dillon Laubscher and Tom Speake scoring for the hosts, Kairo Edwards-John for Melton, the scores having been 1-1 at the break. 


Hinckley LR Reserves' tie at home to Ingles Development went to extra time, the League having changed cup competition rules over the summer to allow for extra time at the semi-final and final stages. Harry Warner scored for Road and Kai Reece for Ingles in the first half, and after a scoreless second period, an extra 30 minutes were played. Brogan Greenwood gave Road the lead in the 93rd minute, and David Mensa-Bonwu scored the winner in the 100th minute, despite Morgan Brown also scoring in extra time for Ingles, Road winning 3-2.


Next week sees normal service resumed on Ramble Round, as we return to full programmes across all three divisions. See you then.