How many sheds?

 

 SV Häger 0 VfB Fichte Bielefeld 2

Herforder Pils Cup 1st Round

I had missed the first two Fichte games of the season through various commitments. But a 1-1 draw at home in the first game, with a injury time equaliser from new signing Anthony Eviparker versus Grün-Weiß Nottuln, and followed up by a 1-0 victory away at TuS Dornberg saw us in 4th place in the league after two games.

Todays 71km jaunt was actually the 1st round of the Kreispokal, named now after the sponsors Herforder Pils against Bezirksliga team SV Häger. 

I had been to this ground a number of times when I lived in the area, as a mate played in goal for them. It was said, not without reason, to be the smallest ground in the area. And as I remember it, it most certainly was. It was just a football pitch, with a wire mesh fence seperating it from a cornfield and the spectators, what little there were of them, stood less than 2 feet from the touchline. 

So imagine my glee (ok, not really glee but I so wanted to say that word. "Glee". See? I did it again) when I looked on Google Maps and found a brand new 3G pitch behind the old grass effort. 

The old grass pitch

 

 

 

 But how to get there? The car park is situated behind a pub, which to my knowledge of the mid 00's has never been open. Then one has to walk along a road beside the old grass pitch to reach the new pitch a few hundred yards down the road. 

The long and winding road, not long and certainly not winding

 

The ground....well, what can I say? It's a 3G pitch, with a few sheds down one side. Yes, sheds. My biggest chagrain is that I didn't photograph them, but there was a home shed, and an away shed, and a I am assuming neutral shed. The fact is...the changing rooms are located down the road, and past the pub which is closed, so the players have a 500m (at least) hike back to get changed after the game. 

Oberwelland-Park, my arse

 The starting line up contained 5 of the starters from the 1-0 win at Dornberg on Saturday, and both teams settled into an early rhythm without threatening the goal. Disaster struck as Häger were awarded a penalty in which the player smashed over the bar. In the 21st minute, Jens Hirsig spanked in a shot to make it 1-0.

Just before half time one of our players saw a second yellow (don't ask me who, I was looking at the cornfield behind the goal) and we were down to 10.

More flags than fans

In the half time break I needed to wee (too much info?) so took advantage of the Portaloo they had there next to the row of sheds.

In the second half another penalty was awarded to Häger but Matti Kuuse in the goal parried it away. Two minutes from time a cross was floated in from the left and Eviparker got his head to it, and floated a textbook header into the net to make in 2-0.

Token match shot

We (all four of us) chanted his name to which he responded with a round of applause. After the game, every player came and thanked us for our support. There was even time for a quick chat with Häger's player coach Hüseyin Geceli who is an ex player of ours. 

Sunset over the fields

 RATINGS

Clubhouse: Nope, unless you count a shed
Seats: Sort of. I took a plastic chair and plonked myself down on it
Behind Goals: Hard standing behind one but only serves as a pathway
Cover: A marquee where the plastic chairs are stored
Floodlights: Yes
Barrier: Metal fence
Bratwurst: €2 - not sampled
Beer: €1,30 - Veltins
Entrance fee: €3
Friendliness: 7/10
Programme: No
Weather: 8/10
Ground: 7/10
Home fans: 1/10