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Lewes FC host FC Oslo in the FENIX Trophey at the Dripping Pan |
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European football comes to the Pan Sero 🏟 in the shape of the FENIX Trophy. The Rooks have been invited join this annual tournament and face Group D opponents Gamle Oslo Fotballklubb of the Finnish 4th Division. The Rooks are currently 9th in the Isthmian Premier League and haven't lost at home (or drawn) since the beginning of September. We haven't been here for while so don't know any of the squad. The home team are in their usual red tonight and the visitors are in their 3rd kit which can only be described a fluorescent yellow. Bright doesn't do it justice. It's a league game tonight with the team that finishes top going to Italy for the Semi-Finals and Final.
The visitors start brightly and are breaking with pace but the hosts soon settled into thier stride and were knocking the ball about and frustrating their opponents. The Rooks are getting some good crosses in but they can't get on the end of them until one fizzed in from the right, is met at the left post by Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala on 15⚽. They are fairly comfortable now playing some good football. The Reds are very athletic side covering a lot of ground and they have some pace too. The visiting keeper is playing well and doe's well to keep the deficit to one goal at the break.
Oslo seem to have found something extra as they are a much tougher opponent now, fighting hard for the ball and getting quite feisty. They can't get a decent chance to test the Rooks keeper but are defending better. It starts to get a bit too aggressive as the clock winds down. A couple of nasty tackles on Lewes players before Archie is brought down after wriggling free just in front of us. It doesn't look that bad but he doesn't get up and isn't moving. He is stretched off and a sub comes on. It calms down a bit and it's no time before the final whistle goes. The Rooks first European game and a first European win. Brighton aren't the only team mixing it up with continental opposition this season. One step on the road to Italy.
A good game in the first half with the Rooks being quite dominant. The visitors were much better in the second half but didn't get any good chances. They also got a bit too physical as they struggled to get any kind of grip on the game and were lucky to keep 11 on the pitch. A couple of nasty injuries late on was the result. The ref was lenient and could and should have stamped it out earlier. Glad to hear that Archie is OK after being stretchered off with whiplash. It's difficult to judge the levels of teams in other leagues at the same step in the UK but whoever matched these two up did well. The away leg will be after the Norwegian season starts in March. The other team in the group is KSK Beveren from Belgium and we'll keep an eye out for the home game. I was great to visit the Dripping Pan again and hope to bring the Scranometer next time.
POTM: goes to goal scorer no.19 Kalvin who was exactly where the opposite winger should be when a cross comes in and hit the target. Was devastating with his charging up the left wing all night.
Hope to be back here soon.
Love Tranmerekat 🐾
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| Back at the Pan |
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| Close to the action |
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| Equality FC |
