Havelse 4, Werder Zwei 1 (12/08/2018 18:00) - Regionalliga Nord

A fourth tier game between TSV Havelse and the second team (U23s) of Werder Bremen was a little disappointing to be honest.
It is the nature of German football that second teams of 'the big boys' get to have 'training matches' against the first teams of smaller clubs in a competitive situation. This is beneficial to the big clubs, as the youngsters get to experience games in the stadium environment, and perhaps to the smaller clubs in financial terms, but for me it all seems artificial.
The Bremen boys played some nice passing football and showed off their skills to their coach. Havelse let them, but not in the final third of the pitch. Werder could not get through the 'red wall'.
Werder's young defence was a lot more fragile and were at fault for the first three goals:
1) a deflection past the 'keeper from a left wing cross;
2) a free header from a right wing corner; and
3) a poor clearance straight to the main striker who tucked the ball away past the 'keeper's left hand.
By the 80 minute mark I had seen enough, I left and I missed the last two goals (I had to consider the Sunday transport timetable and my need for a nice curry).
The Hannover suburb of Garbsen has a great little team in TSV Havelse. And it is reasonably well supported. Their hardcore fans (wearing Santa hats (in August)) in the 'Hannover Airport Tribune' were noisy throughout and they must be delighted that their team sits proudly at the top of the league table.
All in all it was a nice afternoon out in the northern German sunshine and our beer was so nice that the local wasps wanted to drink it too.

FC Britannia 5, Field Lane FC 2 (29/04/18 10:45) - Derbyshire FA Sunday Senior Cup Final

Chesterfield's FC Britannia cemented their claim to being Derbyshire's finest Sunday League side with a resounding victory over Derby's Field Lane FC, at one of my favourite grounds, Christchurch Meadow (now the Marston's Stadium) in Belper.

Britannia, the current holders of this cup, were again riding high in the Chesterfield and District League and Field Lane were sitting in a position to challenge for the Derby Taverner's League title - as they both served up a footballing treat for 65 supporters on this very cold April day.

Unfortunately for Field Lane, Britannia had too much about them to lose their grip on this title. From their powerful 'keeper, through their solid defence and skilful midfield, to their clinical finishers' Britannia looked to be a class above and never looked like losing.

Castle Donington Town 1, Rowsley '86 9 (nine) (28/04/18 14:00) - MRA League Cup Semi-Final

An unplayable pitch handed Castle Donington a home advantage in this semi-final of the Midlands Regional Alliance Cup at the tidy Moira Dale facility.

Rowsley, the best Derbyshire team that doesn't play in the FA pyramid, were hot favourites and in the end they didn't disappoint. But Castle Donington kept the game close for 40 minutes, although they always looked second best.

A late goal in the first-half meant that the half-time score was 0:2 but Rowsley came out all guns blazing in the second-half and scored with the first attack, thanks to some fantastic wing play and a great cross. 

Castle Donington's hopes were raised with a goal that made it 1:3 but then Rowsley ran riot; every subsequent attack seeming to yield a goal. 

A day of goals, questionable officiating and umbrellas left me happy that I decided to go to North West Leicestershire with my father. 

Alfreton Town 0, Chesterfield FC XI 1 (24/04/18 19:45) - Derbyshire FA Senior Challenge Cup Final

My fifth consecutive Derbyshire Senior Cup Final saw me return to the stadium at which I witnessed my first; the Impact Arena in Alfreton. On that day Ilkeston beat Glossop but today tier 6 Alfreton had 'home advantage' against the development squad of Football League side Chesterfield FC.

I was very much anticipating an even affair in this game, unlike the two finals I had witnessed between Gresley and Matlock in which the Gladiators put the Moatmen to the sword. And very even the game was between the two young sides, with Chesterfield edging it thanks to, what looked like, a glancing header from a free-kick in the 2nd minute.

Both sides could have bagged a few goals on this chilly, damp April night but Chesterfield lifted the trophy as their senior team had relegation out of the Football League confirmed, due to results of other games being played in League 2.

SG Aumund-Vegesack 6, VFL Bremen 1 (24/02/2018 14:00) - Bremenliga (Oberliga - Tier 5)

The chance to see another Bremen Oberliga game took us to the pretty riverside suburb of Vegesack, on a cold but bright Saturday afternoon. 

We parked in the Vegesack Stadion's car park as a youth team game was being completed on the all weather pitch. 

We were told, by the man on the gate as we paid our €4 entrance fee, that the day's main event would also be played on plastic, the recent cold weather having hardened the adjacent stadium's grass surface to an unplayable condition.

It was unfortunate that the game could not have been played on the adjacent grass playing surface as the old stadium looked quite quaint with its small old stand, old running track and steel barrier around the periphery.

After buying a coffee in the smokey clubhouse we chose our vantage point... looking into the low sun, in line with SAVs first-half penalty spot. I was quite glad that I had brought a baseball cap with me to shield my eyes, and my companion was glad that he had brought his sunglasses. 

Literally as soon as the match had kicked off the gulf in class (SAV, mid-table and VFL, fighting a relegation battle) became evident; SAV scored straight away. The older faces in the SAV team had brought with them the experience and composure that seemed to be lacking amongst the fresh-faced VFL ranks. 

A quarter of the way through the match the home team were 2.0 up and the game looked dead and buried. But from this point (for half an hour anyway) the game became quite even. Three factors came into play 1) a busy midfielder was introduced by the visitors 2) the strong cold wind in the faces of the VFL players dropped and 3) SAV 'took their foot off the gas'. VFL, after forcing some chances and hitting the post, got a deserved goal on the stroke of half time. 

A bratwurst and mustard sauce took the chill off the halftime inactivities and we were ready for the secondhalf. We, the 40 or so spectators, and VFL were ready but the home team took an age to come out of their dressing room. I imagine that the SAV manager must have been ripping into his players and throwing tea cups at them for allowing VFL back into the game.

VFL's resistance broke after 15 minutes of secondhalf play and SAV ran out comfortable winners thanks to standout performances from their experienced left sided midfield player and their busy right wing-back.

The goals are detailed thus:

1.0 Husmann (1'). VFL lost the ball straight from their kick-off, SAV stormed forward firing a shot to the 'keepers left. The 'keeper, under pressure, spilt the ball at the foot of a SAV striker who rolled the ball into the empty net. VFL's claims for off-side are waved away by the referee.

2.0 Prigge (28'). A route 1 ball. A ball played up the middle to the on-running striker who lobbed the 'keeper.

2.1 Hirsig (44'). A free-kick out left delivered to the far post, a header back across the middle for an easy tap in.

3.1 Husmann (61'). A good cross from the left to the far side, played back into the middle for an easy close in finish.

4.1 Bosse (75'). Corner from the right and a free header past the 'keepers right hand.

5.1 Martens (87'). Good attacking run and a fired in cross from the right corner of the 18 yard box across the goal for a close finish at the far post.

6.1 Steege (91'). Corner to the far post and a stooping free-header.

Hilton Harriers 3, Linby Colliery Welfare 0 (06/01/2018 14:30) - CMFL South

A rainy week meant that a lot of the lower non-league fixtures had been postponed due to waterlogged pitches. The Mease Pavilion ground similarly suffered at the hands of Storm Eleanor, and as such this fixture was switched to the 3G artificial surface of the Etwall Leisure Centre. This being the case, today meant that I got to see a new 'ground' and to see Hilton playing in their new league.

Harriers joined the Central Midlands League set up in the summer, from the Staffordshire County League, and have done very well in the first half of the season. Only clubs with better budgets and facilities sit above them in league.

The first half was fairly even until the final moments when the Linby 'keeper had a rush of blood and charged down a Hilton striker. The penalty was converted and the game changed.

Two goals further goals in the early stages of the second half killed the game off and Hilton ran out comfortable winners.

Bremer SV 1, Habenhauser 1 (02/12/2017 13:00) - Bremenliga (Oberliga - Tier 5)

When visiting friends in Germany I try to catch a game if I can. The consensus was, however, that 50 euros to watch a poor Werder Bremen team was way too expensive. This left me looking around for other games to watch and so I settled on catching an Oberliga game. For a brief discussion on the German football pyramid - see below.

After seeing friends in Bremen, myself and my Hannover based friend made way to the Stadion am Panzenberg, to see a 'Bremen Premier League' game. Unfortunately, due to the the wet playing surface, a sign at the turnstile told us that the match had been relocated to the plastic pitch of their training ground, some 10 minutes away. Thankfully we had given ourselves plenty of time and we made it to Hohweg with sufficient minutes left prior to kick-off to grab a gluwein from the club bar.

Having paid our €6 to enter 'the ground' we stood with our backs to the wire fencing, 3 metres from the unbarriered playing surface. From this vantage point it was clear to see that this facility would not be of sufficient standard to host an English Step 7 game.

The home team, sitting proudly at the head of the table, were hosting a mid-table team, but we were initially confused as to which team was which as Bremer were wearing their red away strip.

The match itself was quite entertaining with lots of chances for both sides. Bremer looked like the better footballing side throughout but had to come from behind to get a well deserved point.

The first corner of the game on 20 minutes brought the visitors their goal. Near post, and unmarked, a player confidently glanced a header past the 'keeper.

It took Bremer a further 50 minutes to get their equaliser. A lovely ball was dinked into the box ahead of the onrushing striker who slotted the ball past the 'keeper from 9 yards out, slightly to the left of centre.

It is always difficult to make comparisons, but the standard looked like an English Tier 9 equivalent.

After standing in near freezing conditions for 90 minutes we were happy to get back to a warm car. Unfortunately on the way back home our warm car was pranged by a driver of a Volkswagon.

The German football pyramid is different from the English system. It is complicated by the German federal state system.

The Bundesliga and Zweite Bundesliga equate to our Premier League and League Championship respectively but then significant differences are seen.

The Dritte Liga (our Football League 1st Division (tier 3)) can contain the second teams of bigger clubs. And second teams, and even third teams, of bigger clubs can appear in the two steps below this level.

The Regionalliga sits at tier 4. As the name suggests it is regionalised (unlike the English tier 4). It is made up of 5 leagues (4 regional leagues and the de-facto Bavarian federal state 'premier league'). If this were the case in England an English Regionalliga would consist of teams from League 2, Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South and the second teams of bigger clubs.

Sitting below the Regionalliga are the 14 Oberliga leagues (some of which are the de-facto federal state premier leagues).

End of season play-offs decide promotions from the Regionalliga. Winning a league is not enough to guarantee promotion.

Some Oberliga league winners get automatic promotion to the Regionaliga, while others have to enter a play-off competition. This is due to the fact that some Oberliga are weaker than others.

Below tier 5 the system is even less clearly defined than the English system, as each federal state run leagues under their jurisdiction. Typically there are the Verbansliga, Landesligas (federal divisions), Bezirksligas (county leagues) and Kreisliga (district leagues).