LUTTERWORTH Athletic are the early pacesetters in Division One, leading the way on goal difference from four other teams with a perfect record three games into the season.
A goal from Alex Vineall just before the break was cancelled out by Stapenhill’s Cameron Steele only for the hosts to wrap up a 2-1 victory with a late penalty from Alex Webb. The game was not short of incident with both sides having a player sent off.
Gornal Athletic also made it three wins on the bounce as they saw off FCV Grace Dieu 2-1 at Garden Walk. But they had to do it the hard way after Cornelious Olajide-Oriowo had given the visitors a half-time lead from the penalty spot. Dan Hadley levelled on 63 minutes with Treveay Wright netting the winner two minutes later.
Northfield Town’s 3-1 defeat of Leicester St Andrews maintained their perfect start. Two goals from Romano Graham and another from Maradoche Mipra handed Town a handsome interval lead before Matt Dennis responded.
Cain Beckett and substitute Aidan Neal scored for Birstall United in their 2-0 defeat of Birmingham OJM while the other team with a perfect start, Chelmsley Town, were 2-1 winners at Kirby Muxloe - Sam Kayode and Kyle Hayden on the mark for the visitors and Tom Vyce scoring for Kirby.
There was plenty going on at Coalville Town who edged out visitors Coventry Copsewood 4-3, Ryan Green with the added time winner. Freddy Webb bagged a brace and Ryan Seal the other for the Leicestershire side who finished with ten men while Sean Kavanagh, Alfie Smith and Will Boden were on the mark for Copse.
Heather St John’s were also among the goals as they ran out 4-2 winners at Ingles with Jack Hession and Kyle Jardine scoring two goals apiece. Bradley Coleman and Mac Armstrong were the Ingles scorers.
Goals from Umaru Saho, Drew Tickets and Callum North helped Cradley Town to a 3-1 win at Holwell Sports who had led through Sahil Bagavan while GNG Oadby Town beat Anstey Town by the same scoreline - Logan Aston’s effort was scant consolation for the visitors after two goals from Ryan Charles and one from Rian Patel had secured the victory.
A solitary Essam Mohamed goal was enough for Bustleholme at home to Saffron Dynamo while Boldmere Rangers saw off visitors AFC North Kilworth 2-0 thanks to an overhead kick from Pierre Phillips and a late Lucas Edwards effort.

FIXTURES
Tuesday August 11
Division One
AFC North Kilworth v Kirby Muxloe
FCV Grace Dieu v Birstall United
G.N.G Oadby Town v Ingles
Heather St John's v Lutterworth Athletic
Leicester St Andrews v Coalville Town

Wednesday August 12
Division One
Cradley Town v Bustleholme
Saffron Dynamo v Holwell Sports

Saturday August 15
Premier Division
Stone Old Alleynians v West Didsbury & Chorlton
Tividale v AFC Wolverhampton City
Whitchurch Alport v Brocton
Winsford United v Uttoxeter Town

Division One
AFC North Kilworth v Northfield Town
Birmingham OJM v Lutterworth Athletic
Birstall United v Kirby Muxloe
Chelmsley Town v Heather St John's
G.N.G Oadby Town v FCV Grace Dieu
Gornal Athletic v Saffron Dynamo

FA Vase
Atherstone Town v Northfield Town
Belper United v Ingles
Cheadle Heath Nomads v Wythenshawe Town
Clay Cross Town v Anstey Town
Coventry Copsewood v Droitwich Spa
Coventry Sphinx v Cradley Town
Daisy Hill v Cheadle Town
Dudley Town v Alsager Town
Leicester St Andrews v Southwell City
Lye Town v Sporting Khalsa
Pershore Town v Romulus
Stafford Town v Abbey Hulton United
Stapenhill v Ludlow Town
Stockport Georgians v Penistone Church
Telford Town v Darlaston Town
Wednesfield Community v Sutton United

AFC Wolverhampton City fought back from two down to cause a shock at Step 4 Congleton Town in the Emirates FA Cup. 
​Trailing to first-half goals from Dan Needham and Shak Jones-Griffiths, Dan Munday got one back from the penalty spot four minutes after the break. 
Congleton's Kieran Garner-Knapper was sent off just past the hour with Jacob Wedderburn levelling it in the 68th minute. 
Timmy Oyanda then converted a second penalty with seven minutes to go to complete the impressive 3-2 victory over the MFL Premier Division champions of 2024.
FA Cup debutants Sutton United also caused an upset, twice coming back from behind to beat Coventry Sphinx 4-3.
Jayden Hunter notched five minutes before half-time with Joe Gildea, Tom Massey and Oli Jeeves turning things around from 2-1 down during a 14-minute flurry from the hour mark.
They are among the six MFL teams to make it through the extra preliminary round with Cheadle Town winning 2-0 at Wythenshawe Town thanks to Ethan Padden and Stephen Maylett. 
Alfie Steward's double lit up Lye Town’s comfortable 3-0 win over Stone Old Alleynians on Friday night. 
The lively frontman had already seen one effort slapped away by Raajan Gill before forcing in at the second attempt Luke Sidaway’s 27th-minute cutback.
Steward then precisely placed a first-time shot into the bottom far corner having smartly turned his man in taking Danny Cartwright’s low corner to the edge of the box.
Gill stretched to stop Steward getting a hat-trick with a 20-yard drive just before the hour with Sam Hall, Alfie Didlock and Luke Sidaway all close to a third.
Stone’s Mitchell Glover glanced in a Dale Taylor cross but the well-worked move was ruled out for offside with Didlock’s deflected blast confirming Lye’s safe passage with 13 minutes to go. 
Sam Bowater’s low shot on the turn slipped through keeper James Behan’s grasp but came back off the post late on for visitors.
Goals from Charlie Gardiner and Jarrell Hylton got Romulus past Highgate United 2-1, despite Ryan Moulton getting one back in first-half stoppage time and strong second-half pressure.
Ollie Holden’s low hit and Tom Allen’s thumping header ensured Whitchurch Alport came from behind to win 2-1 at Hinckley AFC, the Shropshire side avenging defeat in the 2023 MFL Cup final at Walsall.
Four Premier Division sides face midweek replays with Sporting Khalsa agonisingly close to getting past Step 4 Nantwich Town only for Josh Hancock to convert an added-time penalty. Macauley Taylor scored seven minutes into the second half for Khalsa.
Max Leonard's goal midway through the first half was cancelled out by Niall Tilsley in West Didsbury & Chorlton's 1-1 draw at Garforth Town, Connor Spiers completed his double four minutes past the 90 as Runcorn Town drew 2-2 with Dearne & District and Abbey Hulton United will host Kidsgrove Athletic after a 0-0 on the road.
Northwich Victoria head to Beverley Town, winners of last season’s Northern Counties East League Premier Division play-offs, on Sunday (3pm).

Friday, August 7
FA Cup extra preliminary round
Dudley Town 0 Droitwich Spa 2
Hinckley AFC 1 Whitchurch Alport 2
Lye Town 3 Stone Old Alleynians 0
Romulus 2 Highgate United 1

Saturday, August 8
FA Cup extra preliminary round
Congleton Town 2 AFC Wolverhampton City 3
Garforth Town 1 West Didsbury & Chorlton 1
Kidsgrove Athletic 0 Abbey Hulton United 0
Knowle 2 Darlaston Town 1
Nelson 3 Stockport Georgians 2
Pershore Town 3 Brocton 1
Rugby Town 2 Uttoxeter Town 0
Runcorn Town 2 Dearne & District 2
Sporting Khalsa 1 Nantwich Town 1
Stafford Rangers 5 Tividale 0
Sutton United 4 Coventry Sphinx 3
Winsford United 0 Mickleover 2
Wythenshawe Town 0 Cheadle Town 2

Division One
Birstall United 2 Birmingham OJM 0
Boldmere Rangers 2 AFC North Kilworth 0
Bustleholme 1 Saffron Dynamo 0
Coalville Town 4 Coventry Copsewood 3
G.N.G Oadby Town 3 Anstey Town 1
Gornal Athletic 2 FCV Grace Dieu 1
Holwell Sports 1 Cradley Town 3
Ingles 2 Heather St. John's 4
Kirby Muxloe 1 Chelmsley Town 2
Lutterworth Athletic 2 Stapenhill 1
Northfield Town 3 Leicester St Andrews 1

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