Belgium
Hainaut Provincial 2
Promotion Play Off
Sunday 11th May 2025
Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.07
F.C. Etoiles d’Ere 1 Jeunesse Sportive Team Rosellies 0, attendance 133
57’ 1-0
@ Stade Andre Vanderhaegen
Rue Des Coquelicots
7500 Ere
No Admission or Programme.
Today we were bound for Ere, just southwest of Tournai and a promotion play off in the province of Hainaut. We were booked on the 09.24 shuttle from Folkestone, but actually went out on the earlier 08.36 train, which left one minute early. We’d stopped off en route for lunch in Woesten, before making the final 50 minute drive to the game, arriving around an hour before kick off.
There is a small car park, with the main pitch to the left as you enter. Only one side of the ground has spectator access, the same side as the dugouts. Two metal containers have been adapted to act as covered accommodation. To the right is the clubhouse/changing rooms and there’s a second pitch running parallel, which is floodlit, unlike the main one. There was no one taking admission money on arrival and surprisingly no one was seen to come round to take any money during the game either. They do appear to normally charge though, as there were a number of discarded match specific printed tickets lying around from previous games.
The match pitted 3rd in Division 2A versus 5th in Division 2C. It was a very poor game. Both sides seemed more interested in rolling about on the floor at every opportunity, continually feigning injury. The hosts were the worst offenders by far and were embarrassing at times. The first half was dreadful. The only real thing of note was the Referee picking up an injury a few minutes before halftime. He had treatment, but only lasted a couple more minutes before hobbling off the pitch. Luckily one of the Linesmen took over and after a few minutes we were back underway, but the halftime whistle didn’t arrive until 63 minutes after we’d kicked off! The second half was slightly better, with Ere at least looking like they finally had an intention of actually pushing forward in an effort to try and win the game. The only goal came twelve minutes after the interval, when a break down the right was played square across the box and finished at the far post. It always looked like one goal would be enough to win it and indeed it was. Etoiles d’Ere now advance to the next round and a three team round robin of matches against C.O. Trivieres and F.C. Gerpinnes.
With all the faffing about,including a drinks break in each half, the game never finished until 17.17, but a clear run back to The Tunnel saw us arrive in ample time for our booked 20.24 return crossing. We actually made it on to the 19.24 train instead, which left dead on time and with no motorway problems back in England I was home just before 20.15.
