Belgium

Oost Vlaanderen Provincial 1

Saturday 26th March 2022

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.28

F.C. Sint-Martens-Latem 2 Eendracht Elene-Grotenberge 6, attendance 135

8’ 0-1

11’ 0-2

13’ 1-2

16’ 2-2

24’ 2-3

36’ 2-4

53’ 2-5

61’ 2-6

@ Hoge Heirweg 58

9830 Sint-Martens-Latem

€7 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

It is good to see a ground retain all of it’s character, despite having had a 3G pitch laid. I can’t see why more clubs can’t take this approach, especially in England, rather than flattening everything in sight and replacing it with high mesh fencing, with little thought for spectators, where the main objective appears to be making the surroundings as bland as possible, which they certainly achieve!

The match saw 13th in the league table host 2nd. Elene-Grotenberge were very impressive, especially in the first half. They were 0-2 up after just eleven minutes, but a spirited fight back saw Latem level it up at 2-2 five minutes later, curling a shot into the top corner, before heading in from a right wing cross to equalise. A lob over the ’keeper was put into his own net, by a defender trying to head the ball wide of the post, to put Elene-Grotenberge back in front eight minutes later. The visitor’s No.9 made it 2-4 before halftime, completing his hat trick, finishing with a shot on the turn that was deflected past the ’keeper. It was 2-6 by the hour mark and despite a number of good chances at both ends, there were no more goals.

Belgium

Oost Vlaanderen Provincial 4D

Saturday 26th March 2022

Kick Off 16.00 Actual 15.59

Rug Recht Breivelde-Zottegem 4 K. Standaard S.V. Denderleeuw ’B’ 1, attendance 51

23’ 1-0

54’ 2-0

64’ 3-0

66’ 3-1

72’ 4-1

@ Bevegemse Vijvers, 3G Pitch

Hemelrijkstraat

9620 Zottegem

€4 Admission

No Programme.

At last, after a gap of 2 years 18 days, it was finally time to get back to watching foreign football. It is currently not as straight forward as before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, as there are extra forms to fill in, and of course you need proof that you are fully vaccinated. All this needs to be completed in advance, so as long as it is in order, it is pretty much as you were beforehand. We were on the 0936 Eurotunnel from Folkestone (booked on the 0950, but offered the earlier train) hoping to pick up four matches from our weekend. We departed a minute early, but unlike during ’normal’ times, all the toilets on board were locked and you were told to remain in your vehicle for the duration. Welcome back!

The match was 1st v 12th in the league table. Breivelde have had a great start to the season, coming into this having won 19 of their 20 games, losing just once, along with a goal difference of +73. They were well on top in this one too, but some poor finishing meant they only led 1-0 at the break. They scrambled in a corner at the far post to go 2-0 up nine minutes into the second half, before adding a third ten minutes later. Denderleeuw reduced the arrears a couple of minutes later, when their striker somehow managed to wriggle his way through three defenders, riding the challenges, before squeezing his shot between the ’keeper and near post. An easy tap in saw Breivelde round off the scoring with eighteen minutes left, for a comfortable 4-1 win.

Our evening game was only half an hour from here, so plenty of time to check in at our hotel en route.