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.
