K. Kalmthout SK 1-2 Oud Turnhout
31/03/13
Att: ~75
Change of plans part 12302-03
Our plan when we woke up in the morning was to head to mini heysel in order to watch Bleid play, but that was put to rest upon discovering the game had been moved to a training pitch. Instead we had to rummage through the fixture list with Phil deciding we were going to this match. I didn't know who was playing but it was right next to a station so I was hopeful of getting a picture of the match involving a train. Due to the proximity to the Dutch/Belgian border we didn't have to leave until gone 2, and before long we were pulling into the car park, used both for the football and the station. Pulling into the car park we got a reminder of why everyone hates people that drive BMW's with the guy in front of us parking his brand new car across two spaces in order to prevent any scratches. Idiot.
After parting with our admission money we enabled ourselves to get some initial impressions of this Provincial 3a ground. Safe to say it was basic, yet functional. Behind the goal that we entered was the reasonable sized club house. As ever it was efficient and had a decent view stretching over the pitch. Along one side was a path, separated only by the small stand that I'd estimate at housing 75 people. Behind the opposite goal was another path, which continued round to the end that we entered. It was covered on one half by two separate shelters. The ground was completed by 8 simple floodlights.
In terms of the game the home side started it bottom of the league, and it was easy to see why for the first 10 or so minutes. The home keeper was calamitous to say the least, and had one of the worst opening spells I have seen in a long time. The first shot of the game rifled of the post. The next he spilled, despite it being as powerful as a kitten and the third he let in. A shot was fired in from the edge of the area, the keeper went to parry, but the best he could do was turn it into the goal. One-nil was the score line. To top off his remarkable beginning to the game he got sent off not long after. The left winger ran the ball into the area only to be wiped out completely by the keeper, who probably just wanted to go home. The ref had a good long look and decided it was probably best to send him back to the changing room. The reserve keeper came out and had a slightly better game, despite initial impressions. He was only beaten on one occasion, despite the ball hitting the crossbar on a further occasion. The shot that beat him was a corker to be fair, a lovely curling effort from 25 yards. In the second half fairly little happened, the highlight being the home side pulling a goal back in the last 10 minutes to set up a somewhat tense last 10.
After parting with our admission money we enabled ourselves to get some initial impressions of this Provincial 3a ground. Safe to say it was basic, yet functional. Behind the goal that we entered was the reasonable sized club house. As ever it was efficient and had a decent view stretching over the pitch. Along one side was a path, separated only by the small stand that I'd estimate at housing 75 people. Behind the opposite goal was another path, which continued round to the end that we entered. It was covered on one half by two separate shelters. The ground was completed by 8 simple floodlights.
In terms of the game the home side started it bottom of the league, and it was easy to see why for the first 10 or so minutes. The home keeper was calamitous to say the least, and had one of the worst opening spells I have seen in a long time. The first shot of the game rifled of the post. The next he spilled, despite it being as powerful as a kitten and the third he let in. A shot was fired in from the edge of the area, the keeper went to parry, but the best he could do was turn it into the goal. One-nil was the score line. To top off his remarkable beginning to the game he got sent off not long after. The left winger ran the ball into the area only to be wiped out completely by the keeper, who probably just wanted to go home. The ref had a good long look and decided it was probably best to send him back to the changing room. The reserve keeper came out and had a slightly better game, despite initial impressions. He was only beaten on one occasion, despite the ball hitting the crossbar on a further occasion. The shot that beat him was a corker to be fair, a lovely curling effort from 25 yards. In the second half fairly little happened, the highlight being the home side pulling a goal back in the last 10 minutes to set up a somewhat tense last 10.