THE BIG KICK-OFF TOMORROW | LEAGUE CAMPAIGN STARTS IN DESBOROUGH

Tuesday 3^rd August 2021

UHLSPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE-PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH

DESBOROUGH TOWN v COGENHOE UNITED

The Waterworks Field

Braybrooke Road

Desborough

Northants.

NN14 2LE

KO 7-45 PM

On Tuesday night we finally return to action in the new Uhlsport United Counties League Premier Division South with the short trip to face county rivals Desborough Town at the Waterworks Field. Ar Tarn are managed by former Cooks player Jim Le Masurier and we could also be up against a couple of familiar faces on the pitch too as they have registered former Compton Park captain Adam Randall and also Dom Okanu who featured briefly for us at the start of Tom Chapman’s rein. Their last few pre-season games have gone well for our hosts, although they did have to come from 0-2 down last Saturday to earn a draw at home to Paget Rangers. Matt Buckingham and a 78^th minute Iain Blaikie penalty making the final score 2-2. Prior to that they had thumped both Northampton Town U18 (5-1) and Huntingdon Town 6-1 so it looks like they found where the goal is in recent games.

On a sad note I learned that an old friend Trevor Cooper passed away since our last visit to the Waterworks Field. Many of you will have met Trevor either selling the programmes or serving the half time tea at Desborough in recent years, but prior to that I spent many evenings watching football around the county with him, with Mrs Kirkup’s burgers being a particular favourite of his when Rushden Town played at Hayden Road. (Have to say they were very good). RIP Trevor.

Our last visit to Braybrooke Road came on a Tuesday night in October last year when honours were shared in a 2-2 draw. A certain Jake Newman was having a very brief spell in the UCL at the time and before we had reached the ten minute mark he had already won and converted a penalty and then ran through our defence to double the home side’s lead. It got even worse during the first half when Carter Price needlessly got involved in an incident and was shown the red card to make our already uphill struggle an even steeper one. We settled at the break and came out a different team altogether and early in the second half Newman hobbled off and the game looked very different. Despite only having ten men we dominated the rest of the game and Nat Ansu pulled one back with a 25-yard free-kick and then he completed his own double with a turn and shot from the edge of the box that had too much power on it for Chris Jones to keep out. We probably should have gone on to win the game after that, but it wasn’t to be so taking a point after being two goals and one man down wasn’t too bad an achievement.

Our two visits prior to that game ended in 2-1 wins for the Cooks with Ryan Dove scoring twice in both games and Jason Turner on target for Desborough in both clashes too.

The Cooks finished their pre-season seven days ago with a narrow 2-1 defeat at home to a very useful looking Barton Rovers team and although we only managed one goal from Archie Elmore’s free-kick, we did manage to match our higher grade opponents for a majority of the game that night. Whatever team Craig Adams picks we are going to see a number of Cooks debutants on Tuesday night with assistant Lloyd Groves, Kobi Bivens, Faris Rahman, Archie Elmore, Josh Adams, Tom Wakley, Jamie Mastropierro and Craig Foxall all jockeying for a place in the starting line for the first time, whilst we have also seen Dan Mortimer, Dylan Wilson, Jack Daldy and Sam Liddington return to Compton Park for a second (or in Morts case a third) spell. They are joined by Rico Alexander, Will Bates, Jordan Orosz, Jack Riley and Paddy Cichosz from last season’s squad as well as Harry Darnell who has signed on again after missing last season at University. Will Russell has also signed on again this season but is currently out injured. It is also hoped that some of the younger players from the reserves will be knocking on the door as well as the season progresses, with many of them taking their first steps into senior football. It is believed that Harry Arundel has now gone back to O.N Chenecks after signing for the Cooks and playing pre-season here, but he is currently registered on Full-Time for both clubs which is a little confusing.