Belgium

Inter-Provincial Eindronde V.F.V. Poule 2

Promotion Play Off

Thursday 30th May 2019

Kick Off 15.00. On Time!

S.K. Lochristi 1 V.K. Liedekerke 0, attendance 624

85’ 1-0

@ Bosdreef 57

9080 Lochristi

€8 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

As it was Ascension Day in Belgium, it once again gave the opportunity to make a trip across The Channel, for what was my 34th, and probably last Belgian ground visited this season. It was a match with something still on the game, and even better, it was an afternoon kick off.

Lochristi had finished in fifth place in Oost Vlaanderen Provincial 1, whilst Liedekerke had finished third in Brabant Provincial 1 V.F.V. Today’s game had plenty riding on it. Lochristi had won their first 3 matches in this 5 team group, where each club plays each other once, with Liedekerke managing 2 wins and a draw from their three matches. Therefore, whoever won would advance to the final match, which would be a home game, where the prize for the winners would be a place in the Belgian League next season. A draw would be enough for Lochristi.

It is a while since I have had to queue to get in at a Provincial match, but with over 600 in attendance today, then it took nearly ten minutes to reach the pay hut, although it wasn’t helped by having just one person taking the money. A second person then handed you your match ticket, then a third person gave you a team sheet.

It was as if the occasion was too much for the teams. It was a dreadful match, both sides being really poor and lacking any quality in the attacking third of the pitch. Liedekerke, for some strange reason, made little attempt to do anything other than play for a 0-0 draw, which was never going to be enough for them. The winning goal came five minutes from time, when a ball was pulled back from the right and an unstoppable 25 yarder was hammered past the ‘keeper. Liedekerke looked totally deflated, but they got what they deserved. Nothing. To be fair, neither side deserved to win.

After a few satisfactory trips on The Tunnel in the last few weeks, Eurotunnel were once again back to normal. Our 09.50 outbound train ran 30 minutes late, which apparently was due to an earlier train breaking down in The Tunnel. Then, on the way home, they were still using the same pathetic excuse for failing to run on time. Our booked 19.39 train finally left, some 61 minutes late.

Swineshead Cup Final

Saturday 25th May 2019

Kick Off 14.00. On Time !

Swineshead Institute 3 Ruskington Rovers 2, attendance 109

34’ 1-0

38’ 1-1

52’ 2-1

78’ 3-1 (pen)

90’+1, 3-2

@ The Causeway

off South Street

Swineshead

PE20 3UA

No Admission or Programme.

Today I was basically down to a choice of two matches. Plympton Athletic, in the Plymouth & West Devon Combination, or the match here. As I had expected, the game in Devon didn’t take place, as with nothing at stake in the match it meant the visiting team couldn’t be bothered to raise a team. As the match here was a cup final, (which is actually run by the village and nothing to do with the football club) and was scheduled to be a part of the home clubs 100 year centenary celebrations, then this seemed a safer bet.

Unfortunately, the centenary wasn’t important enough to warrant the match being played on the proper pitch, but on a bit of grass at the back of the ground. There was a huge marquee on the proper pitch (overhang on the clubhouse building, railed along one side and a small bit of cover, or possibly dugouts, on the opposite side) right outside the clubhouse, which according to the home club Chairman was “the only place it would fit”…….yeah, right. What about the area beyond the far goal, or the back pitch that the game was played on today ? I just wish I had known beforehand, as I wouldn’t have wasted my time coming here.

I had seen one match in the Boston League many years ago, but don’t remember it being as poor a standard as what was served up today. Swineshead finished the season bottom of the Premier Division this season, having won just four games. Ruskington had finished third, but they were woeful today. Despite being such poor quality, in a game between two sides that were totally lacking in any skill whatsoever, the first three goals were actually decent finishes.

It is a good job that the season in England has now drawn to a close for me, as this sort of game is one of those that make you wonder just why you bother. I would certainly have to think twice about travelling this distance to watch a game in this league ever again. It was dire.

Belgium

Division 1 Amateur

Promotion Play Off

Wednesday 22nd May 2019

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 20.02

K.V.V. Thes Sport Tessenderlo 4 K. Maatschappij Sportkring Deinze 1, attendance 449

3’ 1-0

27’ 2-0

60’ 3-0

74’ 4-0

85’ 4-1

@ Sportlaan 4

3980 Tessenderlo

€12 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

This was a Promotion Play Off match in level 3 of the Belgian League and was match number 5 out of 6 for both clubs in the four team group. Tessenderlo had finished the regular season top of the table, with Deinze being in second place, some 3 points further back. Unfortunately, they have both struggled in the Play Offs, being bottom versus second bottom in the group. Deinze had to win this match to have any hope of catching the group leaders Excelsior Virton, whilst Tessenderlo had only taken 1 point from their first four games, so would need a miracle to turn it round.

Deinze were backed by close on 100 vocal supporters, which by Belgian standards is pretty good. However, their enthusiasm was quickly dampened when Tessenderlo opened the scoring after three minutes. The goal was met with complete silence as even the home fans didn’t seem to care, perhaps having already given up on their very faint hopes of gaining promotion. It was 2-0 by halftime, in what was a very slow paced match. The second half improved and the hosts added two more goals to make it 4-0, before Deinze got a consolation goal with five minutes left, but shortly afterwards they were reduced to 10 men, when one of their players punched a Tessenderlo player in full view of the Referee.

It is nice to see that Eurotunnel have managed to get their act together on our recent trips, with our outbound 12.20 train running on time. We were back at The Tunnel for check in at 00.32 for our 01.22 return, which departed three minutes early.

Belgium

West Vlaanderen Provincial 2A

Eindronde Promotion Play Off 2nd Leg

Sunday 19th May 2019

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

K.S.V. Rumbeke 3 K.F.C. Heist 1 (4-1 on aggregate). attendance 269

43’ 0-1

80’ 1-1

88’ 2-1

90’+ 1, 3-1

@ Sportpark Rumbeke

Wervikhovestraat 7

8800 Rumbeke

€6 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

Today’s match was a Promotion Play Off in West Vlaanderen Provincial 2A, between the teams that had finished second and third in the league table. Rumbeke had won the first leg last Sunday 1-0, so were in pole position to advance to the next stage of the Play Offs, as they look to make an immediate return back to Provincial 1, having been relegated last season.

Heist came out and went for a goal from the off, but Rumbeke held out and started to get into the game themselves. Just before the break Heist deservedly went 0-1 up. Conversations during halftime seemed to suggest that if the score line remained the same, then we would be heading for extra time, and maybe penalties, although there seemed a bit of uncertainty as to whether the ‘away goals’ rule was in place, but unless there were more goals, this would be irrelevant.

Both teams did try to get a goal during the second half, but there were too many wasted chances. We had resigned ourselves to watching extra time, when a cross from the left was slid in at the far post to level it up at 1-1 with ten minutes left, which meant 2-1 ahead on aggregate for the hosts. Despite the fact that Heist only needed one goal to remain in the tie, the goal seemed to have totally demoralised them and Rumbeke added two more goals in the dying minutes to win it 3-1 on the day, 4-1 on aggregate.

We were booked on the 0950 outbound Tunnel, but were offered the earlier 0936 instead. As it was very quiet, we were loaded onto the 0920, but due to ‘technical’ problems, it didn’t leave until 0936, which rather than being a problem, actually looks suspiciously like there were never really going to be two trains running anyway and instead they were combined into a single crossing. As for our return, we were booked on the 1950, which we had to do in case of extra time and penalties. With the game over in the 90 minutes, it meant we were actually back at The Tunnel and through check-in by 1831. We were offered the earlier 1936 departure, which we gratefully accepted and once again, as it was very quiet, managed to make it into the last half dozen cars to ‘tail end’ it onto the 1920, which left a minute early.

Evesham Hospital Junior Cup Final

Saturday 18th May 2019

Kick Off 14.00. On a Time !

Inkberrow 4 Fairfield Villa 0, attendance 104

32’ 1-0

38’ 2-0

54’ 3-0

57’ 4-0

@ Badsey Recreation Club

Ballards Park

Brewers Lane

Badsey

WR11 7EU

£3 Admission, including Programme, 4 pages.

The Evesham Hospital Junior Cup has been competed for since 1912. The final was originally going to be played at Evesham United F.C. but the cup committee were unable to get a booking for the ground, so it was relocated to here in Badsey instead. The ground no longer hosts Saturday football, having been used as a venue for Stratford-upon-Avon Alliance League matches in the past as well as being home to Montpellier F.C. in season 2016/17 in Midland League, Division 3, but I never visited during those days.

At least I had a match with something on it, rather than travelling to a pointless end of season match where this time of year it becomes a lottery as to whether one or both clubs can be bothered to actually turn up and play the match. Both these two clubs had finished in fifth place in their respective divisions of the Midland League, with Inkberrow being in Division 3 and Fairfield in the division above.

It was hard to believe which team were supposedly the higher level one, as it was the lower level side that dominated from start to finish. Two goals in each half were enough for Inkberrow to take the cup and on balance of play and chances, if they had scored another five or six goals, Fairfield could have had no complaints.

West Yorkshire League

Premier Division

Wednesday 15th May 2019

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.32

Huddersfield Amateur 2 Leeds City 2, attendance 32

8’ 1-0

12’ 2-0

50’ 2-1

83’ 2-2

@ Old Earth

off Elland Lane

Elland

HX5 9ES

No Admission

£1 Programme, 4 pages.

I wouldn’t normally travel this far for a midweek end of season game that had nothing riding on it, especially with it being the final match of the season for both teams, but I was offered a lift, so why not. Ridiculously, the 200 mile journey from our meeting place took just short of 5 hours, with a lorry fire on the M1 causing very heavy traffic on the alternative routes heading north, then another accident, on the opposite carriageway of the M62 to which we were heading, meant total gridlock around the junction and surrounding areas we required to exit for the ground.

Amateur were in eighth place in the league table, whilst visitors Leeds City were guaranteed to finish second. When the hosts went 2-0 up after just 12 minutes the game had a very end of season feel to it. Leeds City didn’t really look too interested, but they suddenly woke up and decided to make a game of it. It was pretty much one way traffic from here in. They pulled it back to 2-1 early in the second half and it seemed a case of when, not if, they would draw level and go on to win the match. Having wasted numerous chances they finally got a deserved equaliser seven minutes from time. Amateur had a great chance to win it at the death, but having taken the ball wide of the ‘keeper, the striker somehow managed to roll the ball wide of the empty target. The point sees Amateur finish one place higher up the table.

Carmarthenshire League

Division 1

Tuesday 14th May 2019

Kick Off 18.15. On Time !

Felinfoel 0 Pontlliw 7, attendance 56

2’ 0-1

4’ 0-2

10’ 0-3

20’ 0-4

21’ 0-5

24’ 0-6

64’ 0-7

@ King George V Playing Fields

Ynyswen Road

Felinfoel

SA14 8BE

No Admission or Programme.

In search of a game with something still on it, it was a case of heading 200 miles West, to Division 1 of the Carmarthenshire League, where the league leaders Pontlliw knew that a win tonight would give them the title. Second in the table Ammanford Reserves were a point behind, but had already completed their fixtures, whilst third placed CK Swiss Valley also trailed them by a point, but they still have one match left, which is away at Felinfoel.

The hosts, who were fourth from bottom in the league table, were totally overwhelmed by a blistering start from the league leaders. They were 0-2 down inside five minutes and 0-6 down before we had played 25 minutes. It was certainly nothing to do with a lack of effort, it was just that Pontlliw were just too good for them. A seventh goal didn’t arrive for another forty minutes of playing time, partly due to the champions elect taking their foot off the pedal and also that they brought on all their substitutes in order to give everyone a run out.

It was the first time I have been to a match across The Severn Bridge since the rip off toll charge was removed. Coming back, I had forgotten that they love to close the M4 at 8 o’clock every night at Junction 26 near Newport…….whatever they are doing (or rather NOT doing) here has been dragging on for far too long. They have unbelievably been carrying out this same section of ‘work’ now for at least the last 7 years !

Belgium

West Vlaanderen Provincial 3B

Eindronde Promotion Play Off 1st Leg

Sunday 12th May 2019

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.06

V.V. Cercle Beernem 0 K.S.K. Snaaskerke 0, attendance 184

@ Sportstraat 1 Den Akker

Oedelem

8730 Beernem

€5 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

This was 2nd versus 5th from the final league positions of Division 3B. First leg matches can often be cagey affairs, but both teams here did actually try to score, rather than just sit back. Beernem did manage to get the ball in the net twice, but both efforts were ruled out for fouls during the build up. The Snaaskerke ‘keeper also managed to pull off a couple of very good saves to deny the hosts. They now meet in the second leg at Snaaskerke on Sunday to decide who advances to meet the winners of the Division 3A and 3C play offs.

With it only being an hour and a quarter drive from The Tunnel, we were booked on the 10.20 outbound crossing, but as it was very quiet we made it onto the 09.50 instead, which left a minute early. Our return booking was for the 19.20 train, but having checked in at 18.20, we were offered the 18.50 instead. Even better, it left three minutes early.

Somerset County League

Premier Division

Saturday 11th May 2019

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.59

Worle 0 Chilcompton Sports 7, attendance 143

11’ 0-1 (pen)

12’ 0-2

15’0-3

18’ 0-4

21’ 0-5

78’ 0-6

82’ 0-7

@ Worle Recreation Ground

Station Road

Worle

Weston-super-Mare

BS22 6AN

No Admission or Programme.

Chilcompton arrived here knowing a win would see them crowned champions for the second successive season, pipping the leaders Nailsea & Tickenham, who had already completed their fixtures, by a point. Back on Easter Monday I saw the reverse fixture of today, which Chilcompton won 6-2 without needing to get out of first gear. That day they were 4-0 up after 16 minutes and they had made it 5-1 before we had half an hour on the clock. Today, Worle made an even more pathetic attempt in putting in any type of performance, conceding five goals in the opening 21 minutes, in a woeful display. Their lack of effort really wasn’t fair on Nailsea & Tickenham, but unfortunately these things happen from time to time.

As a neutral, it was a really poor game to watch. With it being 0-5 so early on, it was job done for Chilcompton. The rest of the match was absolute rubbish, with the visitors deciding to add a couple more goals in the last twelve minutes to finish things off. What a shame that a match where the title was at stake turned into such a poor afternoons entertainment. It really doesn’t say too much about the standard of the league when Worle managed to finish in seventh place!

Belgium

Namur Provincial 2

Tours Final Promotion Play Off

Wednesday 8th May 2019

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 18.59

F.C. Olympic Namur 1 Renaissance Sportive Fernelmont-Hemptinne 3, attendance 153

8’ 1-0

15’ 1-1

45’ 1-2 (pen)

88’ 1-3

@ Rue Tir De Ronet

5020 Flawinne

€5 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

The journey east from Lille took around 1 hour 35 minutes, which saw us arrive half an hour before kick off. It was dry for most of the way, but we hit some heavy rain as we got to within fifteen miles of our destination. Thankfully, the rain stopped a couple of minutes before the start of the match and it brightened up for the rest of the evening.

As far as final league positions go in Provincial 2A, this was 5th versus 4th, with the winners of tonight’s match going through to face either R. Sporting Club Neffe or R. Cercle Sportif Schaltin in the next round.

Namur went ahead early on, but were soon pegged back by the visitors. Fernelmont looked far the better side, even though they only finished a point ahead of Namur during the league season, and they were well in control. When they scored from the penalty spot in the dying seconds of the first half to make it 1-2, it looked like it would be hard for Namur to get back into it. The game should have been sewn up long before Fernelmont finally made it 1-3 with a couple of minutes left.

This mornings outbound crossing on The Tunnel left a couple of minutes late, but we had got an earlier train, despite being booked on the 10.50, so it was not a problem. Apart from long sections of speed restrictions in roadworks, we had an easy journey back to The Tunnel after the match. We were actually booked on the 01.22 return, but having made check in by 23.22, we were offered the earlier 23.50 instead and we certainly weren’t going to turn down the chance to get home an hour and a half earlier than originally expecting. It even left a minute early.