Match Information
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Asfordby 2-3 Kirby Muxloe
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When: Saturday 14th October 2023
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Kick-off: 3pm
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Where: Asfordby Acres, The Old Quarry, Hoby Road, Asfordby, Leicestershire LE14 3TL
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Competition: United Counties Football League Division One
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Attendance: 82
Asfordby are welcome newcomers at Step 6 of the National Non-League Pyramid this season. They have achieved consecutive promotions over the past two years finishing champions of the Leicestershire Senior League Division One and then the Premier Division to attain United Counties League Division One status.
I noticed a recent midweek home game was postponed minutes ahead of kick-off due to floodlighting problems so Asfordby kindly decided to invite everyone back for a “Groundhoppers Special” fixture against Kirby Muxloe offering free match programmes to all. That captured my attention and I duly headed off up the A1 on a 180 mile round trip to Asfordby.
It is a village containing 3,300 residents just outside Melton Mowbray. I had been to the area twice before five years ago for groundhopping purposes - 23rd January 2018, Holwell Sports 1 Radford 1 (attendance 47) and 1st May 2018, Melton Town 1 Oakham 2 (attendance 46).
My abiding memory of the Holwell Sports FC excursion concerned a nearby pub (which shall remain nameless) boasting a strong reputation for home cooked food.
Therefore my wife accompanied me on this groundhop with the promise we would enjoy a nice three course meal alongside the football. Dinner was indeed excellent.
But after my wife went for a comfort break in the pub, she returned to our table displaying a face of thunder. “There is no toilet seat in the ladies loo!” she frantically exclaimed.
Consequently when I revisited the region three months later to watch Melton Town, my good lady blatantly refused to join me. Nevertheless, I went to the aforementioned establishment alone for more delicious pub grub!
Ground Description
Asfordby Acres is a large community facility administered as a registered charity.
There are eight football pitches overall (including two full-sized) plus three training areas and an all-weather five-a-side surface. The first team arena is enclosed and floodlit.
A freshly built wooden covered standing enclosure for 100 spectators adjoins the main building that houses the homely bar amenities and a spacious sports hall. Ample car parking spaces are also available.
Programme Details
An interesting 12 page glossy production handed out via friendly club volunteers at the entry hut. It contained the manager’s notes, opposition potted history, a player profile and the line-ups.
I liked the proud mention of the fact Asfordby run 21 teams and a junior academy providing opportunities for some 400 male and female local footballers aged from four years old upwards. In fact, several have admirably progressed through the lower youth ranks all the way to their first team.
Incidentally, I believe this is the first occasion that the current Asfordby FC have issued a printed programme. It is quite a collectors’ item and was really appreciated by all the groundhoppers present.
The Match
With temperatures plummeting to 10 degrees, it was my first big coat Saturday of the 2023/24 campaign. In effect, a short shower at kick-off time meant the sheltered standing structure came in very handy.
As for the action, 10th placed Kirby Muxloe raced into a two goal lead courtesy of Joe Wynder (44 minutes) and Lucca Watson-Quilter (58 mins).
It seemed game over to me yet Asfordby – in 18th position - launched a spirited late comeback mustering strikes by Andy Melville (76 mins) and Fin Thomas (82 mins). However in the final minute, Jack Gunn produced a 30 yard piledriver to seal all three points for Kirby.
If that goal had graced the Premier League, it would definitely have been replayed hundreds of times on television channels all across the globe. I described it meticulously during my TalkTV Non-League slot the following evening.
Having relished this exciting denouement at Asfordby, I reflected to myself on how the United Counties League catchment region has changed dramatically amidst my football lifetime.
When I first started attending UCL matches regularly 30 seasons ago, it had two divisions predominantly featuring sides around Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Lincolnshire.
But nowadays the three division set-up additionally embraces Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire incorporating many teams reallocated from the disbanded East Midlands Counties League under extensive Non-League restructuring carried out in 2021.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
