It looks very much “as you were” for the Leicester & District League for the coming season. At the last count with all the expected entries in there will be 57 teams competing, exactly the same number that finished last term.
This was just a little disappointing as it was expected that the full house 60 for five divisions would be at least nudged with four new teams entering but it was something of a shock to find Knighton Park, who moved to larger premises four or so years ago in order to build membership, only fielding maximum nine teams which may even become eight. The club had 12 teams two years ago.
Going in the other direction are Winstanley Wizards who have a very good structure in place for coaching as well as bringing young players through at an early stage. In four years they have added a team per year to bring their total to four this term.
Other new teams come from Electricity with a strong squad who will move straight into a vacancy in Division Three, as well as one from Syston Casuals who are also building nicely. The other team will be from a new club who, I believe, still have to come up with a name.
In the League’s summer handicap team event for the Elbow Tankard, bottom team in Group A, Knighton Park The Bus, put the cat amongst the pigeons for club-mates No Parking when winning 12-8, first points for one and first defeat for the other.
Lucky Obi won four for the losers but it was a 4-0 doubles return for The Bus with Simon Aldis in that role as well as winning three of his four singles, Martin Pember supporting with four of his own.
Then The Bus defeated Abbots All Stars 14-6 to put themselves into contention of a semi-final place, this time Chris Parmar-Saville taking five from six and Pember three from four with the doubles shared.
Meantime No Parking were taking it out on Itinerants with a 16-4 victory when Obi notched all six, George McClurkin five from six while Dean Jordan slotted into the doubles at 3-1 as well as two singles.
In Group B Casualties who play as Syston Casuals in the league are having things all their own way having won all four played so far to ensure progress. Their latest success came against Desford Dynamos who had Keith Adams winning three. For Casualties it was a good team effort with Tony Burns five, Tony Monteiro four and Nick Bishop two, the latter featuring in a 3-1 doubles return.
Electric City are almost certain to join Casualties in the semis after defeating KP Nutters 14-6, spearheaded by Dan Woolman’s five successes while the ever improving Ian Knight won four, Bryan Moylan helping to a 3-1 doubles score as well as two singles. Mike Smith won three from six for KP.