Belgium

Hainaut Provincial 2A

Sunday 2nd April 2017

Kick Off 17.30, On Time.

R.U.S. Flobecquoise 1 A.C. Estaimbourg 2,  attendance 67

60′ 0-1

64′ 0-2

90′ 1-2

@ Stade Robert Delfairiere

8, Rue Lieutenant Cotton

7880 Flobecq

No Admission or Programme.

It was 16 miles east from Molenbaix to Flobecq, so we were parked up at the ground by 17.18. During my time living in Belgium, I had been here before, again it was to be the second part of a double, but having arrived to see the game was going ahead on the second pitch, due to the main pitch being totally unplayable, I had instead gone a few miles up the road to watch F.C. Ellezellois, where the game was played on a pitch far worse than the one at Flobecq !

No problems weather wise tonight, for a game that was bottom v mid table. In fact, Flobecq had only managed 4 points all season, but were always in with a chance in this one, although having scored their last minute goal, the Centre Forward was then red carded in stoppage time to signal yet another defeat.

Two things of note about tonight’s game. Firstly, it was very unusual for no admission to be charged and just as unexpected to be at a Belgian ground where hot food was available. Only burgers, but better than nothing, which would be the case at 99% of the other grounds in Belgium.

It was a trouble free drive back to Calais, with plenty of time to spare for our 2220 booking on the Tunnel back to Folkestone. Unfortunately, technical problems during loading meant an hour sat there, before being taken off the train and reloaded to a different one that would hopefully work. It did, but another train had broken down in the tunnel, so by the time that had been towed out of the way, we arrived back in England 3 hours later than we should have.