John Walker's Match Preview

Desborough Town

DESBOROUGH TOWN

Year founded: 1896 Chairman: Ernie Parsons

Club Website: www.pitchero.com/desboroughtownfc

GOOD AFTERNOON AND A WARM WELCOME TO THE PREMIER PLUS STADIUM TO OUR OLD FRIENDS FROM DESBOROUGH FOR THEIR FIRST VISIT SINCE THE 2010/11 SEASON

Desborough are the first of our former regular UCL opponents that we shall face this season. You will see from the record below that we have some serious ‘making up’ to do to level the record against our Northamptonshire visitors, who have had a consistent spell in the league just lately. Last season they finished ninth in the league table just two places above the previous season and excluding the two COVID interrupted seasons they have registered a top ten finish in each of the last five seasons. However, in their long and proud history they have not won a league title since 1966/67 or progressed beyond Step Five. Prior to the last war they lifted the league title on seven occasions, but their last major local cup honour was in 1951/52 when they lifted the Northamptonshire Senior Cup.In 1979/80 they reached the fifth round of the FA Vase – their best run in a national competition. In the League cup last season, they were beaten by Lutterworth Town in the Preliminary Round. In the FA Cup this season they drew at home with Potton United in the Extra Preliminary Round before losing the replay 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 score in 90 minutes. The first match at Desborough had finished in a 2-2 draw.

Previous meetings of our teams:

We played Desborough in each of the sixteen seasons between 1995/96 and 2010/11 during our spell in the UCL after our return to senior level. In addition, we faced then twice in the league KO Cup in the 2000/01 and 2006/07 seasons – both away from home and losing both!

In the league our record was:

Played 32 Won 10 Drawn 3

Lost 19 Goals for 66 Goals against 49

We lost nine of our first ten league matches in the UCL to Desborough and it took eight seasons before we achieved a league double over them.

Enjoy the match.

John Walker