Olympic Molen Sport Ingelmunster 2-0 Eendracht Wervik
Gemeentelijk Sportcentrum
03/08/13
Att: ~200
Belgian cup, again.
After a whole 3 days of not going to a game in Belgium Phil was having withdrawal symptoms so we made plans to go to the a third round match in the Cup. Initially we had intended to go to a match at a ground that looked similar to Grays Athletic's former home, but after a rummage through photo's this stuck out as a more interesting ground. So in the car we got and off to the game we went. In the car park we had to carefully avoid the assembled group of people staring at the rather nice car, I've forgotten which make, which had parked over three spaces, in order to make it to the ticket office and into the ground. As with some other places, like Geel, we were confused as to why this club had a ground of this size, but my research has shown the OMSI have a rather interesting history.
The original town team were founded in 1930 playing under the name of SV Olympic Ingelmunster. In 1962 SV merged with the other club in the town, Molen Sports Ingelmunster, to form KSV Ingelmunster. In the 1990's they were to enter the National leagues, reaching the heights of the second division. In 2002 KRC Harelbeke, formally of the first division, went bust. In response KSV merged with them, moved, and became known as Sporting West Ingelmunster Harelbeke (dropping the Ingelmunster in 2007). Many fans were left disillusioned at this move so formed the current team instead, in 2003, taking the colours of the former club. They were to start at the bottom of the pyramid, provincial 4. By 2009 they had managed to become a top provincial team, playing in the same league as Sporting West Harlebeke. At the end of that season OMSI came but a point behind their former guise, who won promotion, but a year later they would catch up again as in 2012 they won promotion. Now they play their football, along with Harlebeke in Promotion A, the lowest national league.
As mentioned the ground was of a decent size, even featuring an away end, this along with the remains of the perimeter fencing showing the stature the club once played at. The side upon which you enter features the Club secretary office nearest, next to this the rather large clubhouse and changing facilities. Next to this was a gap for the player to walk onto the pitch and the police watch tower/stand for television cameras. After this you come onto one corner of the away end, a small strip, three steps high, of uncovered terracing. Either end are similar covered terraces, smaller than the roofs suggest, being of only 3 steps. Rather embarrassingly I spent the majority of the first half trying to work out how to get in the empty away end for photos. There was an open gate. The final side was a covered terrace, again of three steps, with seating above holding, at a guess,1,200.
In regards to the game it was a highly one sided affair, so much so I think they had one shot on target the whole game. OMSI had the best chance in the first half an hour. In the 13th minute the player ran the ball from the left wing, as he cut inside he pranced around 3 defenders leaving only the keeper to beat. He managed to beat the keeper, as well as the cross bar. We had to wait until the later stages of the first half for more goalmouth action. The first of which came in the 39th minute when a cross from the left was flapped by the keeper, but with the follow up shot the ball was cleared off the line. OMSI finally took the lead just before half time with a neat passing move. A pass from central midfield found the left winger who with his first touch played the ball across to the striker who blasted the ball past the keeper.
The second half followed in a similar pattern. In the 60th minute OMSI doubled their lead when a deep cross from the right was headed over the static keeper, but there was an element of controversy come the 67th minute. Number 19 for the host ran the ball into the area and was blatantly tripped, but the referee awarded him a yellow card for diving. As the player walked away he said something that the referee felt worthy of a second yellow and as such the home side were down to 10 men. This didn't change the pattern of the game as it continued to be all OMSI. The best chance of the remaining 20 minutes came when a lofted ball caught out the visitors who were playing the offside trap. The forward ran onto the ball and lobbed the keeper, and then lobbed the goal, so the score was to remain the same until the final whistle.
The original town team were founded in 1930 playing under the name of SV Olympic Ingelmunster. In 1962 SV merged with the other club in the town, Molen Sports Ingelmunster, to form KSV Ingelmunster. In the 1990's they were to enter the National leagues, reaching the heights of the second division. In 2002 KRC Harelbeke, formally of the first division, went bust. In response KSV merged with them, moved, and became known as Sporting West Ingelmunster Harelbeke (dropping the Ingelmunster in 2007). Many fans were left disillusioned at this move so formed the current team instead, in 2003, taking the colours of the former club. They were to start at the bottom of the pyramid, provincial 4. By 2009 they had managed to become a top provincial team, playing in the same league as Sporting West Harlebeke. At the end of that season OMSI came but a point behind their former guise, who won promotion, but a year later they would catch up again as in 2012 they won promotion. Now they play their football, along with Harlebeke in Promotion A, the lowest national league.
As mentioned the ground was of a decent size, even featuring an away end, this along with the remains of the perimeter fencing showing the stature the club once played at. The side upon which you enter features the Club secretary office nearest, next to this the rather large clubhouse and changing facilities. Next to this was a gap for the player to walk onto the pitch and the police watch tower/stand for television cameras. After this you come onto one corner of the away end, a small strip, three steps high, of uncovered terracing. Either end are similar covered terraces, smaller than the roofs suggest, being of only 3 steps. Rather embarrassingly I spent the majority of the first half trying to work out how to get in the empty away end for photos. There was an open gate. The final side was a covered terrace, again of three steps, with seating above holding, at a guess,1,200.
In regards to the game it was a highly one sided affair, so much so I think they had one shot on target the whole game. OMSI had the best chance in the first half an hour. In the 13th minute the player ran the ball from the left wing, as he cut inside he pranced around 3 defenders leaving only the keeper to beat. He managed to beat the keeper, as well as the cross bar. We had to wait until the later stages of the first half for more goalmouth action. The first of which came in the 39th minute when a cross from the left was flapped by the keeper, but with the follow up shot the ball was cleared off the line. OMSI finally took the lead just before half time with a neat passing move. A pass from central midfield found the left winger who with his first touch played the ball across to the striker who blasted the ball past the keeper.
The second half followed in a similar pattern. In the 60th minute OMSI doubled their lead when a deep cross from the right was headed over the static keeper, but there was an element of controversy come the 67th minute. Number 19 for the host ran the ball into the area and was blatantly tripped, but the referee awarded him a yellow card for diving. As the player walked away he said something that the referee felt worthy of a second yellow and as such the home side were down to 10 men. This didn't change the pattern of the game as it continued to be all OMSI. The best chance of the remaining 20 minutes came when a lofted ball caught out the visitors who were playing the offside trap. The forward ran onto the ball and lobbed the keeper, and then lobbed the goal, so the score was to remain the same until the final whistle.