What a pleasant surprise! It's not very often that you arrive at your chosen destination with the 'hoppertunity of watching more than one game of football. This was the unexpected but most welcome dilemna that faced us today as we turned up at Peckleton Lane in leafy Desford, five miles west from junction 21A of the M1 at Kirby Muxloe in Leicestershire. You see our selected match at the Sporting Desford complex (between Desford and Newhall) was not the only game on offer this afternoon. 

Let me explain a bit further: for those travellers who don't already know it (and we didn't until our arrival),  another club can be found immediately across the road from here. Caterpillar Sports FC, the latest newcomers to the Leicestershire Senior League, are based in the grounds of the large established Caterpillar global innovative company which dominates this area. Amazingly and by chance their football club was also playing a home fixture in Division One (v Barlestone St Giles) of the same competition this afternoon. So the question for us was quite a simple one: which match do we attend? We didn't really have a distinct preference as both would be new clubs and grounds for us and the scheduled games looked equally appealing. Decisions, decisions.

With thirty minutes to go before the game started at Sporting Desford we could already see both sets of  players completing their respective warm-ups on the pitch beyond. This gave us a bit of time to weigh up our options. After turning left out of the car park we headed further down Peckleton Lane to have a closer look at the facilities of Caterpillar Sports FC. From here we passed three separate entrances leading to the expansive site. Without seeing any obvious designated signpost for the sports grounds we opted for the one pointing to the main reception and pulled up at the security barrier. This seemed to lead to a large visitors car park. After a short wait it soon became clear that there weren't any personnel on duty to help us and with time running out we didn't fancy hanging around for too long. Eventually we decided to do a U-turn and head back again to Sporting Desford for our original first choice game. So sadly, without checking out their facilities properly, our visit to Caterpillar will now have to wait to come to fruition at a later date. What a pest!

Back again to DSC. Today's game, even at this early stage of the season, was a top of the table clash with Desford (in second place) taking on current league leaders and newboys Newhall FC. The visitors, ironically from Derbyshire, were former members of the Midland Combination Football League having transferred their allegiance to the Leicestershire Senior League for the start of 2010-11. One of their club officials cited that a move to this competition would help them to reduce spiralling running costs and make savings in terms of travelling; officials' expenses and affiliation fees. Prudence even reaches down into the lower reaches of the football pyramid.

A tight and highly enjoyable match was played on a fairly bumpy pitch in front of only eighteen spectators. The weather was a mixture of bright sunshine with a few hefty showers thrown in for good measure. The hosts, dressed in an all navy blue kit, opened the scoring with about ten minutes to go before half-time.  It was stocky defender Jake Wain (34) who latched on to a loose ball on the edge of the area before striking it hard and low beyond the outstretched Tommy Allan. It was a cracking shot and delighted the handful of home fans gathered near the dug outs on the far side of the pitch. Desford continued to dominate in the second half and doubled their lead almost immediately. Again it was through the exceptional skills of Jake Wain. Ever eager to move upfield and join the attack, the youngster met a crossed ball with a perfect right foot volley (50) that squeezed between the angle of post and bar. It was another terrific strike!

For some reason though the hosts inexplicably took their foot off the gas, allowing their opponents too much space and time to get back into the game. On the hour mark, it was the agile Phillip Gibson, a constant threat upfront, who managed, not for the first time this half, to escape his marker and bear down on the home goal. Unceremoniously pulled down after entering the box, Gibson (also the club captain) confidently stepped up to convert the resultant penalty kick. Thinking he had scored a late equaliser the same striker was not as lucky when his effort was ruled out with only four minutes remaining. Referee Cooper quite rightly spotted that a hand had been used to help steer the ball into the net from close range. A yellow card was the punishment. Desford undeservedly managed to hang on to take all three points and in doing so leapfrog their opponents at the top of the table.

So what's the ground like? Set in open countryside, the Sporting Desford complex is a self-contained site that shares its football facilities with the local tennis club. A narrow driveway leads to a small carpark and the large two-tiered clubhouse and changing rooms around the back. Space is at a premium here and the one and only football pitch to the right is almost shoe-horned into the land available. Although it is surrounded by a metal post and rail perimeter fence there is barely enough room for spectators to stand behind the goal at the far end and along the far side (opposite the driveway). Unusually several branches from the nearby trees actually hang over the playing area in random places close to the touchlines. The Peckleton Road end is more open with enough room for car parking. An old seed mill is a dominant feature here. At present there is no cover pitchside apart from the two dug outs near to half-way. A number of floodlit tennis courts occupy land to the left of the main driveway. These were in full use during the afternoon as a number of youngsters attended coaching sessions.

The club, like many in this division of the Senior League, do not produce a matchday programme. An earlier check phone call suggested that refreshments would be available. However contrary to this promise there were sadly no signs of any sustenance on offer at the ground today. This certainly didn't go down well with the small band of travelling committee members, fans and more importantly Fran and Jo who had joined me for the trip up to the East Midlands. I could tell that they were definitely not impressed. I hope that fellow travellers will have more luck in the future. 

Despite these shortcomings I would still recommend a visit here. On the evidence of today's match the standard of football played at this level is refreshing to watch. Should their near neighbours have a home fixture on the same day again you may even be lucky enough to have a choice of games. Incidently we later found out that Caterpillar Sports played out a goaless draw with Barlestone St Giles...perhaps we had made the right choice after all...ah the joys of hopping in the leafy county of Leicestershire continue! 

FGIF Match Stats

Scorers: (H) J Wain (34; 50) and (A) P Gibson (67)

Attendance: 18; Admission and Programme: N/A; Match rating: 4/5; Ground rating: 4/5.

http://www.desfordfc.co.uk/