Where are the home fans?

Evington 1-2 Sileby Town

Leicestershire Senior League Division 1

Saturday 31st January

Dorset Avenue

The original plan this afternoon was (if being up in time) was to attend the Queniborough - Kingsway Rangers fixture in division 1 of the Leicester & District League, but on having a check on the internet I noticed this fixture and instantly changed plans. Also with it being a shorter journey and a 3pm kick-off gave me more time to sort myself out before leaving home.

Despite visiting every current ground in the Leicestershire Senior League I still needed to watch today's hosts Evington to complete it in terms of clubs, exluding the reserves of Friar Lane & Epworth. Evington groundshare at Premier Division club Aylestone Park Old Boys - a venue that I last visited in the autumn of 1998 when Oadby Town recorded a 6-0 victory. This is Evington's 1st season in the LSL having being crowned Leicester City League champions last season, they follow the last two champions FC Braunstone Victoria (now folded) and FC Khalsa into the LSL. Last season (I believe) they played on Victoria Park which is a large open space on the south east side of Leicester city centre heading in the Oadby direction from the railway station. Sileby Town meanwhile are one of (if not the) longest current serving side in the LSL having joined the 1953.

At the start of play Sileby were currently seven points clear at the top losing only two leagues so far this season, both to Friar Lane & Epworth Reserves, while Evington have found the going tough and had recorded only two wins and find themselves in the bottom three.

This was a game that Sileby should have won comfortably ended up being a lot closer than it should have, and were thankful for a last minute winner, scored direct from a corner by substitute Worthington. It was the hosts that should have scored first when the ball found it's was to the edge of the penalty area from a corner, only for the ball to sail high over the bar. Sileby gradually took control of the game and looked dangerous when they got the ball down in windy conditions. Unfortunately for the visiting supporters they must have misplaced their shooting boots as it wasn't until the 44 minute that they opened the scoring. It was through a misunderstanding between the home keeper and one or two of his defenders that allowed Nick Harvey to roll the ball into an empty net.

The second half saw the visitors come out of the blocks quicker but after being awarded a dubious free kick on the edge of the area, Evington's captain and left back hit an unstoppable shot into the left hand side of the goal. This gave them some confidence but it was Sileby that always looked more likely to score, and on more than one occasion should have, but all their chances went wide. I can only recall the home keeper making one save in the whole of the second half. Then in stoppage time at the end of the game they scored the afore mentioned dramatic winner.

Final score: 1-2
Attendance: 15 (14 from Sileby and me)