Damage in the Box!

ARTHURLIE (Dunterlie Park)

Just when I thought the 2010/2011 season was dead and buried, along comes one more game to give it one last bolt of life. The game was in Scotland, or Barrhead to more precise, and it was the semi final of The Evening Times Cup Winners Cup between Arthurlie and Irvine Meadow. There was nothing else better to do on a Saturday in June, so it was north of the border I pointed the car. I wasn't the only one who thought this and there were lots of familiar faces in amongst the crowd.

The Cup Winners Cup is an end of season tournament for the West Juniors and it brings together the different league champions (Irvine Meadow are the 2011 Premier Champions), district cup winners, sectional league cup winners and the West of Scotland Cup holders (Arthurlie are the 2011 winners).

Dunterlie Park is the home of Arthurlie and is absolutely fantastic. It has real character with the crumbling terraces and the fans being tight against the pitch. The club moved to this ground in 1921, when they were a Scottish League club, and it's doubtful if it's changed much since. If this ground was in one of the English leagues the Health and Safety namby pamby brigade would probably condemn it.

There was a very large crowd present today, i'd guess around the 700 mark, and none of them could argue they didn't get full value for their £5.

The 'Lie were a goal up at the break, with their only shot on target, thanks to John McLay's left foot effort. Medda had most of the attacking intent in the first half and the goal was completely against the run of play. There was a crisis at the break, off the field though, when the tannoy announcer had to inform the crowd that the pies had sold out. Shriek!

The second half however was far more even, and more end to end. Medda levelled the game through Michael Hughes and the same player looked to have secured the win, with just 10 minutes left, when he headed into an empty net after the home goalie came rushing off his line and got nowhere near the cross ball.

Arthurlie though refused to give up though and deep into stoppage time, the 93rd minute to be exact, Steven McKeown blasted home a loose ball in the Medda six yard box to take the tie straight to penalties (there is no extra time in this competition) and bring all the people who had left early rushing back into the ground.

The Arthurlie goalkeeper Neil Parry redeemed himself for his earlier mistake, saving 2 of the spot kicks, and this left Gary Arbuckle to slot home the winning penalty (it was 4-2 on pens, for the record) and send Arthurlie into Thursday's final against either Auchinleck Talbot or Shotts Bon Accord.

Once again another trip to watch a Scottish Junior game didn't disappoint and it was a great game (and ground) to end the season with. This is definitely it now, so thanks for reading my blog and i'll see you in July when we can start the whole process once again.

Enjoy your summer!

Gary Arbuckle slots home the winning penalty for Arthurlie

Saturday 11th June 2011

Evening Times Cup Winners Cup Semi-Final
Arthurlie 2-2 Irvine Meadow XI
(Arthurlie win 4-2 on penalties)
Attendance: 700

Footnote: Arthurlie went on to lift the cup, beating Shotts Bon Accord 1-0 in the final.

STEGLITZER FC STERN 1900 (Sportplatz)

Wednesday 18th May 2011
Berliner Pilsner Pokal Semi-Final
Steglitzer FC Stern 1900 2-1 VSG Altglienicke (AET 1-1 90mins)
Attendance: 450

The last game of my trip was to witness a little bit of history in the semi-final of the Berlin Cup. Steglitzer Fussball Club Stern 1900, to give them their full name, were taking on VSG Altglienicke for the right to play Dynamo Berlin in the Final on June 8th, and with it not only some silverware but an automatic place in the first round of the German equivalent of the FA Cup.

The game was taking place at Stern’s tiny Sportzplatz ground on Kreuznacher Street, which was absolutely packed to the rafters for the game, but there were only around 400 present. That gives you an idea of the size of the club and of the occasion.

The ground had no cover, or indeed anything that you would recognize as a football stand. There was a small terrace with seats bolted on and a little bit of hard standing by the clubhouse. The pitch was also an artificial surface but none of your modern day 3G technology, this was your 1980’s Luton Town model. I dread to think of the poor players slide tackling on this surface!

The game was not the best i’ve ever seen, in fact it was utter dross, but the tension of occasion did keep everyone on the edge of their seats (if you were lucky enough to claim one). After an uneventful opening period, the homesters took the lead after 34 minutes when Christoph Hampel fired a superb 20 yard shot into the top corner, which the ‘keeper never saw.

This goal opened the game up and both teams started to play some football. Altglienicke levelled just before the break when a glorious through ball split the home defence and Thomas Tomkiewicz beat the ‘keeper at his near post.

The second half was a total non-event and the game seemed to be not only heading to extra time but also to the dreaded penalty shoot out. It was in the first period of extra time that the eventual winner came. After 111 minutes the ball was crossed in the Altglienicke box and substitute Patrick Mattern volleyed home what proved to be the winner. There was one more chance for Altglienicke to savage a draw when a long range effort was tipped over the bar by the home goalie.

There were wild celebrations at the end as the Stern players and fans celebrated reaching their first ever final.

FOOTNOTE: Dynamo Berlin beat FC Stern 3-1 in the Final.

For another take on the semi-final, click on this link....

http://www.exberliner.com/articles/casting-the-first-stern

SC UNION 06 BERLIN (Poststadion)

Tuesday 18th May 2011
Berlin Bezirksliga
SC Union 06 Berlin 2-1 Weißenseer FC
Attendance: 35 (h/c)

SC Union are one of two clubs that were formed from the original ironworks team SC Olympia 06 Oberschöneweide, who were based in the East of the city.

This club was a reasonably successful outfit until things came to a head when they reached the regional league finals in 1950. The team was refused permission to travel by the Soviet authorities, so the team fled to the West to take part in these finals and then became known as Sport-Club Union 06 Berlin.

This club was successful until the building of the Berlin Wall, actually playing in front of healthy crowds at the Olympiastadion, but the decline was such that today the club plays in the regional Berlin Bezirksliga (step 8) in front of paltry clouds (today was no exception as I counted 35 hardy souls present). The club that remained in the East eventually became known as 1.FC Union and are now an established Bundesliga 2 side.

SC Union play their home games at the Poststadion, which is also an athletics stadium and is only a 15 minute walk from the main Berlin Hbf. This evening was their penultimate home game of the season, where they are mid-table, and they were playing bottom of the table Weißenseer FC.

Weißenseer took the lead after 11 minutes when Grunow scored direct from a corner. ‘The Eisern’ were level after 28 minutes when Albers fired a shot from 20 yards which the ‘keeper let squirm away from his grasp.

There was plenty of neat football played but both teams wasted loads of chances. The homesters got the winner two minutes from time when a corner fell to Yüksek Schober in the six-yard box and he made no mistake, firing through the ‘keepers legs.

An enjoyable evening and a bonus game for me, as I only found out about this on the Friday before I departed. Admission was 3 euros, but no programme was produced, however they do usually issue and were happy to give me some copies from earlier in this season.