Inter-Island Games Football Tournament 2019

Group C

Monday 17th June 2019

Kick Off 15.30 Actual 15.29

Guernsey 2 Shetland Islands 1, attendance 165 (official number given as 208 !)

21’ 1-0

44’ 2-0

52’ 2-1

@ Cae Ty Criston (Bodedern Athletic F.C.)

Ty’n Fford

Off Church Street (B5109)

Bodedern

LL65 3TU

Admission by donation

£3 Tournament Brochure available, plus free Team Sheet. Didn’t bother with either.

The Inter-Island Games are being held in Gibraltar this year, but as they only have one football ground there, the football part of the tournament was being held in Wales, on the island of Ynys Mon, perhaps better known as Anglesey.

The matches were being held at a number of grounds across the island and of those being used, there were 3 that I hadn’t visited for a match. Unfortunately, the ground of Bro Goronwy was only staging a Women’s match, which I will not watch, so I was left with needing just two. Luckily, they were both hosting matches today and even better, they were at different times and very easy to double up. It also fitted in perfectly with the rugby league in Workington yesterday, so after a second nights accommodation in the North West, it was only an hour and a half drive along the North Wales coast for today’s action.

I had visited Bodedern Athletic before, (4th September 2004, when they beat Llandudno Junction 1-0 in the Welsh Alliance) when they played at Bodedern Secondary School, or Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern, to give it it’s Welsh name, which is on London Road, on the left hand side when entering the village from the A55. They now play on the eastern edge of the village, next to the Primary School. They are developing a nice little set up here and they even had the tea bar up and running, doing hot food and drinks. The organisation of the proceedings wasn’t too bad, considering volunteers would have had to take time off work to cope with the late afternoon kick off. The playing of the national anthems, which I have no idea what either of them were, could have been done better, but at least everything was done and dusted to enable the match to actually get underway a minute early.

Guernsey had quite a number of their squad who play in the Isthmian League for Guernsey F.C., but they made hard work of winning this match. The opening goal was finished with a shot through the ‘keeper’s legs after cutting in from the left and the second goal, just before halftime, was deflected past the ‘keeper at his near post from close range. Shetland got back into it early in the second half. They were awarded a penalty, but although it was saved, the ball fell perfectly for the striker to slot in the rebound. Neither side looked like adding any further goals and the game finished 2-1 to The Channel Islanders.

France

Ligue De Football Des-Hauts-De-France

Coupe De La Ligue Seniors Final

Monday 10th June 2019

Kick Off 17.30 Actual 17.33

Athletic Club Amiens II 2 Union Sportive Choisy-Au-Bac 3, attendance 361

25’ 0-1

27’ 1-1

57’ 1-2

79’ 2-2 (pen)

87’ 2-3

@ Stade Moulonguet

122 Rue Louis Thuillier

(entrance via Boulevard De Saint-Quentin)

80000 Amiens

€5 Admission

No Programme

As far as regular season matches are concerned, this wraps things up for me for 2018/19. I had started the season with a Coupe De France match at Jeunesse Sportive Cambron back on 17th June and was rounding off the season just 35 miles south east of there, in the town of Amiens. The real added bonus of this match was that it was being played at Stade Moulonguet, which has hosted matches in the French League, as high as Ligue 2, when it was home to Amiens Sporting Club before they moved to their new ground, Stade de la Licorne, back in 1999.

Athletic Club Amiens II had finished in sixth place in Seniors Regional 2B, whilst Choisy-Au-Bac had finished second from bottom in Seniors Regional 1A, so the game was evenly balanced. Choisy-Au-Bac took the lead somewhat against the run of play, but their lead only lasted for a couple of minutes. It remained level until just short of the hour mark. Despite having a player stretchered off a few minutes earlier, Choisy-Au-Bac responded well and a brilliant individual run, when beating two defenders, saw a shot into the far corner of the net to put them 1-2 up. It looked like they would hold out for the win, but a very harsh looking penalty decision saw them concede an equaliser eleven minutes from time and it looked like we would be heading to extra time. With just three minutes left, a speculative shot from the edge of the 18 yard box was deflected wide of the ‘keeper and what had been a disappointing season for Choisy-Au-Bac had at least finished on a high note as they nicked a 2-3 win.

We had arrived at Folkestone this morning to once again find Eurotunnel running late, this time, according to a member of staff, due to an inspection of the track, as something had fallen off a train earlier in the morning and a check had to be made to ensure it wasn’t causing an obstruction. Despite our 12.20 booking being re-timed to 12.40, we were actually still loaded onto the 12.20 train, but it departed nine minutes late. With the match kicking off at 17.30, due to it being yet another Bank Holiday in France, it meant we were able to book the 22.20 return crossing. Having checked in at 21.25, we were offered the earlier 21.50 instead (would have cost £7 more if we had actually booked for this, but no extra charge tonight) which left a minute early and rounded off a good day out.

Belgium

Hainaut Provincial 4

Tours Final Promotion Play Off

Wednesday 5th June 2019

Kick Off 19.15. On Time !

Club Deportivo Furia Espanola 1 Association Sportive Pommeroeul-Ville ‘B’ 0, attendance 102

57’ 1-0

@ Rue D’ Hautrage 12C

7331 Baudour

€3 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

I thought my trips to Belgium were over for the season, but this one last fixture, which is the last game that will be played in the Belgian Pyramid this season, appeared on Monday. Due to short notice, plus perhaps the low level of the game, it meant only 3 of us made the trip.

Although it was a Promotion Play Off, it was more of a ‘next in line’ decider, rather than a direct game to go up to Provincial 3. It is now a case of wait and see what mergers or clubs dropping out occur, before Espanola will know whether this win will be enough for them to gain promotion or not.

As you would expect, the game was not high on quality, but there was plenty of effort and a hatful of chances, but the only goal of the game came just before the hour mark, when a shot from the left was pushed out by the ‘keeper, but was followed in by the right winger who smashed the ball into the far corner of the net.

With the attendance just making it into three figures, it surprised us that no ‘gate’ had been taken, but they finally came round and took some money as we entered the final ten minutes of the game, as if done as an afterthought. In keeping with their ‘lateness’, just as the Referee blew his whistle for full time, the floodlights were turned on!

Surprisingly, The Tunnel ran smoothly in each direction, although there were very few vehicles on either leg. Our 23.50 return even left a minute early.

France

Ligue De Football Des Hautes De France

Seniors Regional 1

Poule B

Sunday 2nd June 2019

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

F.C. Loon-Plage 1 Stade Portelois 5, attendance 642

10’ 0-1

12’ 1-1 (pen)

31’ 1-2

67’ 1-3

83’ 1-4

84’ 1-5

@ Stade Marcel Rosseel

27 Rue Du Stade

59279 Loon-Plage

€5 Admission

No Programme.

This was the last round of matches for the season and Stade Portelois came into it a point ahead of second in the league table Sporting Club Hazebrouck, so knew a win here would see them crowned champions. Loon- Plage were in tenth place and had nothing to play for, but they certainly made the visitors work hard for the win.

A report in the local newspaper said that around 200 visiting supporters were expected for the match, but over half the 642 crowd were cheering on the champions elect, easily spotted as they were all wearing special edition t-shirts that were produced for the occasion. When they scored with an angled shot into the bottom corner of the net after just ten minutes, all looked to be going well. Two minutes later the hosts were level, courtesy of a penalty, but within a minute of drawing level, Loon-Plage had a man sent off for a ‘last man’ foul, and the game turned in favour of the visitors. A glancing header saw Stade Portelois go 1-2 ahead just after the half hour mark, before they added the killer third goal midway through the second half to make it 1-3. Two near identical goals, on the break, saw their lead increase to 1-5 inside the last ten minutes, before a home player and the visiting ‘keeper were both shown red cards, for an altercation following a challenge on the edge of the 18 yard box.

We had booked the 11.20 outbound train from Folkestone, but were offered the earlier 11.06 instead, which we took. As Loon-Plage is just under half an hours drive back to The Tunnel, we were checked in by 17.32 for our booked 18.36 return crossing. Unfortunately, as this is the end of the school half term holiday, it meant Eurotunnel were struggling once again to keep to the timetable. We were re-timed to 18.42, then 18.47, but eventually left at 18.59. The fact that they managed to only delay us 23 minutes is quite an improvement on some of the 3-4 hours that we have suffered in the past on the so called busy periods. Still room for improvement though.

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.