Portishead Town 1 v 1 Devizes Town

Saturday 28th October 2017
Western League Division One
Playing Fields, Portishead
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 40 (estimate)
Match Rating: 4

Having bought another bargain Megabus return coach ticket for today, this time from London to Bristol for £4.00, it was a relief when it became clear that there would no threat of the elements preventing my trip today, as they had for my planned trip to Cardiff last Saturday. Fortunately, most of the senior non-league clubs in the Bristol area were at home today, and in the end my decision was based more on the merits of visiting the town, rather than the ground itself.

Having enjoyed spending some time in the pleasant relatively warm sunshine on the bank of the Severn Estuary looking over to the Welsh coastline, I then made my way to the Bristol Road ground, about a 15 minute walk beyond the town centre. Visitors enter the car park from the main road, with the homely clubhouse adjacent, which refreshingly serves two real ales. The football ground is a short walk away from the clubhouse, situated amongst several other playing fields and separated mainly by see through fencing. Spectators enter via a turnstile block by the half way line. To the left of the entrance is a covered standing area constructed of breeze blocks, with a few chairs scattered around inside. Towards the corner flag there are a couple of buildings painted in dark green housing the changing rooms as well as a refreshment hatch. On the opposite side, there is a small metallic all-seater stand straddling the half way line, although unfortunately it is positioned immediately behind a floodlight pylon. Around the rest of the ground there is just hard standing. Hills all around the ground in the distance give it a pleasant setting for what would otherwise be a pretty bleak venue. The 20 page programme was full of stats although lacked interesting reading material such as a welcome message, but here are certainly far worse programmes than this one for sale at that level.

Portishead have had a difficult season so far, and came into this game second bottom in the 22 team division, having won two and drawn four of their 15 league games, and had picked up just a point (in their most recent game) from their last five league games. Devizes Town were in seventh place, having won seven and drawn three of their 15 league games.

On an afternoon that started off sunny but became overcast with a chilly wind in the second half, this game was a lot more even than the league table suggested, and in the end Portishead would probably be disappointed not to have claimed all three points. With just two minutes on the clock, a Portishead shot from outside the area struck the bar, and within the first quarter of an hour, saw a header from one corner flash just wide, and another deflected wide. But on 15 minutes, it was Devizes who took the lead. A long ball forward landed and the striker just got to the ball before the keeper to bundle the ball goalwards, and Ali Bradley tapped in from close range to make sure. But on 27 minutes, Portishead drew level. A high cross from the right wing evaded a defender and Alex Twiggs headed home at the far post. They came close to taking the lead a couple of minutes before half time, but a powerful shot was blocked by the keeper.

The visitors started the second half on the front foot, and that they didn't go back into the lead was down to some unbelievably poor finishing from at least three glorious opportunities. Both teams did plenty of attacking and came close to taking the lead, and on 85 minutes Portishead were awarded a penalty for a push/pull in the box as the ball was crossed high over the box. But the penalty was comfortably saved to the keeper's bottom left. Devizes had another great chance to snatch the win, only for another shot that was screwed wide from a good, central position. But that would have been very harsh on the home side, and Portishead more than deserved their precious point.

Biggleswade United 0 v 1 Yaxley

Saturday 21th October 2017
FA Vase 1st Round
Second Meadow, Biggleswade
Admission including Programme: £6.00
Attendance: 83
Match Rating: 2

I had planned to travel to south Wales today, to take in a game in the Welsh League. However, with Storm Brian threatening to strike South Wales during the day with heavy rain and gale force winds around 50mph forecast, I did not fancy risking a day reliant on a coach journey via the Severn Bridge and then local train services. With the weather forecast to be better to the north of London, at least in terms of rainfall, I chose to head into Bedfordshire to take in this game in the FA Vase.

The Second Meadow is about a 15 minute walk northwards from Biggleswade train station, via the town centre, and is accessed via a path alongside the clubhouse, and then a metal turnstile block behind one goal. In all honesty, there is not much in the way of character nor aesthetic beauty at this ground, but it is functional and neat and tidy. Along one length there is quite a long grey stand, offering three rows of seating as well as some standing area. On the opposite side, there is quite an attractive small brick stand covering mainly terrace steps for standing on, but also with some steeper steps more designed for sitting on. There is just hard standing around the rest of the ground, with grey metal fencing enclosing the ground throughout. A very good programme was included with admission, 24 pages with a glossy and attractive cover in colour, plenty of interesting articles to read about the club, the visitors and recent match reports, as well as the important stats and facts.

This promised to be a close encounter between two very evenly matched teams. Both were in ninth place in their respective parallel leagues, Biggleswade United in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, and Yaxley in the United Counties League Premier Division. Biggleswade United had won five and drawn one of their league games, and before a 3-0 defeat at Harpenden Town in midweek, they had won nine of their last eleven league and cup games since late August, with the two defeat on penalties. To reach this stage of the FA Vase, they have beaten Downham Town 2-0 and Thrapston Town by the same score. Yaxley, who were embarking on their FA Vase adventure today, have won seven and drawn three of their 13 league games.

On a dry but blustery afternoon, the visitors were gifted the lead, and what would prove to be the winner, on 11 minutes. On a counter attack, Dan Cotton ran from the half way line before eventually firing a tame low shot which was heading comfortably into the hands of the goalkeeper, only for home defender Matt Cooper to stick his foot out and the ball rolled into the empty net. Biggleswade had a good chance to equalise on 22 minutes, when a ball through the defence allowed a one-on-one chance for Charlie Black, but after having all the time in the world, his shot was parried by the keeper. They had a couple of penalty appeals just before the break, but after a half when both teams showed some attacking intent but lacked a cutting edge, the visitors held a slender lead.

The second half was a disappointing affair, which Biggleswade mostly dominated in terms of possession, but desperately lacked quality in the final third. They did have a few chances, but it just felt like it would be one of their days when they just wouldn't score. And so it proved, as Yaxley held on relatively comfortably to seal their progress to the next round.

Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking here.

Lausanne Sport 2 v 1 BSC Young Boys

Saturday 14th October 2017
Swiss Super League
Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne
Admission: CHF 27.50
Programme: Free
Attendance: 4,640
Match Rating: 4

Following my game in Geneva yesterday evening, this morning I made my way by train along to Lake Geneva to Lausanne, for another busy day sightseeing – not the easiest of tasks with the city being full of steep hills – followed by an evening game in the top flight of Swiss football.

The Stade Olympique de la Pontaise is about a half hour bus ride northwards from the city centre, and is delightfully old-fashioned in its appearance and facilities. So no surprise, sadly, that plans have been approved for a new stadium to replace it within the next couple of years. Tickets are available at booths outside the main gates, although again I purchased mine online for a discount. Inside the main gate there is a large area for refreshments and a van selling club merchandise. The stadium has mainly seating all the way around, with large all-seater stands along both lengths, although a small section on one side offers terrace steps to stand on. Uncovered seating, not in use, stretched between the stands behind one goal, with a scoreboard in the middle, whilst behind the other, about half of the area is unused uncovered seating, a small covered section offers terraces steps for away fans (although away fans also appeared to be welcome in any other stand), and the remaining area was unused covered seating. The presence of a running track around the pitch means that spectators are a little distant from the actions, but otherwise views are excellent from the stand along the lengths, elevated and unobstructed. Programmes were handed out free of charge around the stadium and also as one enters the stands, and whilst it was rather more basic than yesterday's offering at Servette, it contained the essential facts and getting a programme is not something one can always rely on abroad.

After a difficult start to their season, where they picked up just two points from their opening six league games, they have been unbeaten in their last four league games, and came into this game in eighth place in the ten team division, with ten points from their ten league games. This match would be a very tough assignment for them though, as the visitors were top of the table by six points, and have won their last four league games.

At the end of a beautifully warm and sunny day, conditions were perfect for watching football this evening. The first half was well balanced, Young Boys always seeming to have a little bit more quality, but Lausanne did look dangerous on the break, with some cute touches and fast movement setting them on their way on several occasions. Indeed, they took the lead on 41 minutes, again some fast passing culminated in Samuele Campo laying the ball off for Francesco Margiotta, who took a touch before placing the ball past the keeper.

The away section greeted the players for the second half with flares and sparklers, with the flares continuing throughout the second half. Indeed, they provided superb support for their team, with continual chanting throughout the match. Their team certainly stirred into life in the second half, as the visitors completely dominated proceedings, spending most of the time camped in the opposition’s third, as the hosts were happy to sit deep and defend for their lives. The inevitable finally came on 67 minutes when Young Boys equalised. Roger Assalé curled the ball to the back post, and Christian Fassnacht headed the ball powerfully home. There looked to be only one winner now as the visitors gathered the ball and printed back into position to kick off. Lausanne were not quite so defensive after the goal, but still they had the look of a team who would be delighted to hold on for a point as Young Boys pushed hard for a winner. A draw looked inevitable as the game entered just two minutes of added on time at the end of the match, however that provided just enough time to produce a dramatic finish. Following a throw in by the corner flag, Benjamin Kololli swung the ball high into the box, the ball just evaded a jump by a defender and substitute Gonzalo Zarate was there to head the ball home beyond the keeper’s dive, to cue wild celebrations amongst the crowd and players, which continued beyond the final whistle which blew shortly afterwards. The Lausanne players joined in with the celebrations in front of the terrace area, and no wonder the occasion was celebrated so much, as it was Lausanne’s first home victory in the league for over a calendar year, spanning 21 home matches.

This was a terrific way to end my short groundhopping stay in Switzerland, witnessing a dramatic match in pleasantly old fashioned surroundings and with a friendly feel to the place amongst the fans and officials.

Video highlights of this match can be found by clicking here