The weather has not played a significant role so far in this season's local football programme.

But it showed its hand on Tuesday night when the key East Midlands Counties League game between title-chasers St Andrews and Oadby Town was postponed due to a frozen pitch at Canal Street.

That was more of an issue for the Poachers. On the one hand they might have welcomed something of a break after an intense spell of League, FA Vase and Senior Cup action.

However, they still have 18 East Midlands games to fit in this term, while Tuesday night sees them tackle Lutterworth Athletic in the Senior Cup semi-finals ahead of next Saturday's Vase fifth-round trip to Staveley.

Having seen off Ibstock United in the Cup quarter-finals, Town will head into Tuesday's clash against the Senior League promotion chasers at Holmes Park as clear favourites to progress in a competition they have surprisingly not won since 1981.

It is an enticing match – and the club's have history from this season, too.

They met in the first round of the Vase at Lutterworth back in October, the Poachers claiming a 2-1 win on that occasion.

Despite that reverse, Athletic will not lack confidence heading into the game.

They continue their Premier Division title challenge today at home to strugglers FC Dynamo having strung together a sequence of six successive wins.

And if Town do have their eyes even slightly on their Vase last-16 game, Athletic have a group of players capable of giving them an uncomfortable evening to say the least.

Chris Bradshaw's header at Kirby Muxloe saw Lutterworth bag three points last time out, the title battle showing no signs of sorting itself out yet. Rothley Imps are leading the way from Athletic, but Aylestone Park, Thurmaston Town and Birstall United all remain well in the fray.

The second Senior Cup semi-final is set to take place on February 14 with Holmes Park again the venue.

The tie is an all-Senior League affair between Ashby Ivanhoe and Sileby Town.