Cat

CATERPILLAR 1-2 SHEPSHED DYNAMO

Saturday 17th July 2010

Pre-season friendly

Caterpillar Sports & Social Club

I don’t do many pre-season friendlies at present, though the chance to get out of the house on a Saturday afternoon for the first time in a while tempted me. This fixture was originally scheduled to be played at Shepshed, but a check on their website stated that the game had been switched to Caterpillar’s ground in Desford. This was not a new ground for me having seen a Leicestershire Intermediate Cup tie there in January of this year, but as Desford is only a ten minute drive from home I was not bothered. The game took place on the second pitch which is adjacent to the main one but is not railed or roped off. I know some ground hoppers would have classed this as a new “tick” as it were but not me.

Caterpillar won the North Leicestershire League last season and with it promotion to division 1 of the Leicestershire Senior League. Shepshed reformed their reserve side in the summer and have also been accepted into the Senior League. Two other sides will join them in the league – Belgrave (champions of the Leicester & District League) and Newhall United who have transferred from the Midland Combination.

The game was not bad considering it to be both clubs first outing of the season, with Shepshed settling quicker and forced a couple of corners in succession but nothing came of them. Cat gradually got into the game and the majority of the play was in the middle of the park with clear cut chances few and far between. With around five minutes left in the half Cat nearly took the lead when a free kick which was heading for the top corner was tipped over by the Dynamo keeper. Two minutes later and it was 1-0 when a shot on the turn from one of the home centre forwards looped over the keeper. Shepshed again were quicker out of the blocks following the half time interval and drew level just four minutes in from the penalty spot. A second penalty mid way through the half for Dynamo gave them the decisive goal. The home side’s best chance of the half came later on when a low cross from the right saw the centre forward fail to make contact which surely would have brought the game level again. The last five minutes or so saw Shepshed create a few chances but alas none were converted and the game ended 1-2.

The attendance was around the 50 mark with the majority from Shepshed. There was one prat who had to bring a vuvuzela along but thankfully did not have enough lung power to get a proper sound of it. I did suggest to the Shepshed manager that it needs to be shoved up his arse!!!