Saturday 1st October 2011 KO 3.00pm

FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round

DEEPING RANGERS 0

LEEK TOWN 2 (Haddrell 14 Gibson 77)

Att 225

Entry £5

Programme £1.50

Badge £3

Tea £1

Pasty £2

I’d had problems finding something that appealed, so I went where 2 other hoppers were, and met Chris and Davy at Outgang Road. The United Counties League outfit always do well in their league, and you do wonder why they’ve never played at a higher level, the ground is easily up to scratch with its two Wembley turnstiles!

Incidentally Chris does his own excellent blog, “Damage in the Box,” so I’ll do the decent thing.

http://agroundhoppersdiary.blogspot.com

With Leek having struggled in recent years, and now find themselves at a level only one notch higher than their hosts, the Northern Premier League Division One South, you wondered whether there would be an upset.

Sadly for the neutral it wasn’t to be, as a goalkeeping howler gave Matt Haddrell a tap in for Leek’s first, and Danny Roberts in the visitors’ goal had an inspired afternoon producing brilliant saves to keep out former Lincoln City forward Tony Battersby. Inevitably we got the goal on the breal to double the lead, Australian midfielder Devon Gibson finishing well from the right, but at no stage did I fee that Deeping had it within themselves to win this tie. They seemed very one paced in the heat.

One wonders how disappointed Deeping were at losing, there is no shame is a defeat against higher opposition, but I felt Leek were there for the taking with a little more belief. I left, having enjoyed a ground that’s well worth the effort in visiting, but I’m not sure whether we’ll see Market Deeping’s team in a higher league soon, despite the ground’s clear advantages.