Belarus Football 2021 – Week 22

 September 11 & 12, 2021

Following their first defeat of the season at Rukh, Shakhtyor will probably appear to be in a stronger position at the head of the table at the end of this weekend’s round of matches, as it is their turn to be awarded the 3-0 walkover win over defunct Sputnik. They probably need these points as they face stern tests in their three upcoming fixtures (  BATE away, Neman home, Dinamo Minsk away ).

BATE and Rukh both face sides in the relegation places, so will be expected to keep the pressure on Shakhtyor.

There are no matches on Friday, but with the winter nights starting to close in, the matches on Saturday kick-off at the usual time of ten to the hour !

FK Isloch Minsk vs Neman Grodno ( Saturday @ 12.50 UK time )

Although Isloch bounced back from their 1-7 hammering at Rukh by grabbing a point at BATE, in form Neman will be short odds to add to their 5 consecutive league wins. 1-3

Result : 2-0. Isloch deservedly ended Neman’s recent winning run and in doing so ended any faint lingering relegation worries they may have had. Not much happened in the first half, although Zubovich should have given Neman the lead but his flick from close range was steered wide, whilst for Isloch, Dmitry Lisakovich decided to fall over in a pathetic attempt to win a penalty rather than trying to score when clear on goal.

The deadlock was broken in the 53^rd minute with a well worked set-piece routine. Kozyrenko’s in-swinging left footed free-kick was met beyond the far post and headed back across to the face of the goal, where the unmarked Sosah leapt acrobatically to head home at the other post. It was the Ghanaian’s third goal in two goals.

Isloch settled the match in the 66^th minute when Kozyrenko’s though ball sprung the offside trap to put Sanets clear, and the former Sputnik player produced a comprehensive finish across goal into the top corner to give Malevskiy no chance.

It was a day to forget for Neman, which got worse when Zubovich received a second yellow card 10 minutes from time, pushing over an Isloch player when trying to get the ball to take a throw-in.

FK Minsk vs Torpedo BelAZ Zhodino ( Saturday @ 14.50 UK time )

Minsk have lost 4 in a row without scoring, whilst Torpedo have lost three on the trot, so at least one of these records will come to an end. It could be grim. 0-0

Result : 0-2. A fifth loss for Minsk without scoring and they may well yet be dragged into relegation danger if they carry on playing like this. Torpedo didn’t need to be anything above ordinary to take the points. It was predictably 0-0 at half-time, thanks to Samiev wasting two good chances for Torpedo, and a horrible effort by Ostroukh for Minsk with just the keeper to beat.

A goal eventually came 4 minutes after half-time thanks to some poor defending by Minsk. Keeper Prishivalko ought to have gathered a high ball into the area, but he seemed to lose his bearings, allowed it to bounce, only for Gabovda to hook across to the goalmouth. Tajik International Samiev made no mistake this time, sliding in to score from a couple of yards as the Minsk defenders stood and watched.

Aleksey Antilevski and Veloso both squandered glorious chances to extend Torpedo’s lead but 10 minutes from time they were awarded a penalty when Stolbov’s sliding attempt to cut-out Astakhov’s cross was adjudged to have struck his arm. Gabovda sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot.

Dinamo Brest vs FK Slutsk ( Saturday @ 16.50 UK time )

Slutsk took an important step to survival with their win over Slavia last time out, but they have the worst away record in the league, and with their fantastic crowd behind them, Dinamo should ease to victory. 2-0

Result : 0-0. An important point for Slutsk in a dire game, and the visitors will probably feel they should have taken all three points from a strangely lack-lustre Dinamo, who were without Pavel Sedko. Potapenko came close with two decent efforts for Slutsk, whilst Gvazava forced Stepanov into pushing a low shot off for a corner in added on time.

FK Gomel vs FK Vitebsk ( Saturday @ 18.50 UK time )

Two wins have seen Vitebsk move up to 6^th but Gomel are unbeaten at home and should find a way past the Big Blue Bus. 1-0

Result : 4-1. This match got off to an electric start. Julio Cesar should have given the visitors an early lead but headed wide from 6 yards, after which Gomel’s Levistskiy had a shot blocked by the legs of Gushchenko. Gomza hit the post with a shot from the edge of the area, with the rebound hitting the prone Gushchenko, before fortunately for Vitebsk rolling wide of the post for a corner.

Gomza gave Gomel the lead in the 22^nd minute but his left-footed shot went under the body of the Vitebsk keeper and it really should have been saved. There was little Gushchenko could do two minutes later though, as Solovei added a second for Gomel and his 11^th of the season.

Vitebsk pulled themselves back into the game in the 32^nd minute when Krasnov thumped a shot into the roof of the net after Teverov’s pull-back and they started the second half strongly. Wanderson saw his long range header headed off the line, Ksenofontev had a snap shot saved by Ivanenko and then the same player sent a curling left-footed effort against the base of the post only for Teverov’s follow-up header to go inches wide.

The game turned decisively 10 minutes from time when Julio Cesar gave Borodin a slight nudge in the back, and the Gomel player went down like the proverbial sack of spuds holding his head. The referee awarded a straight red card to Julio Cesar to reduce Vitebsk to 10 men. Two late goals from Ivanov gave the match a very misleading scoreline.

FK Smorgon vs BATE Borisov ( Sunday @ 13.45 UK time )

Smorgon are in desperate need of points but have taken points from both Shakhtyor and Rukh in their last two home matches. Although BATE have been shaky in the past month or so, nothing less than 3 points are required this week. 1-2

Result : 1-3. Another brave, but ultimately fruitless performance from Smorgon as BATE’s extra quality saw them home. After coming close with a header from a corner, BATE took the lead in the 20^th minute, Smorgon keeper Scherbachenya got both hands to Nekhaychik’s free-kick, but could only push the ball on to the underside of the bar and over the line. Scherbachenya made partial amends with two fine saves, but Smorgon failed to learn their lesson as BATE scored with a near identical corner, Jakov Filipovic timing his run to head home.

Smorgon pulled a goal back in scrappy fashion four minutes from the break, but they all count ! Leonovich got enough of a touch on a deflected low cross to divert the ball pass BATE keeper Kudravets, who had already committed himself, and the ball trickled over the line. However, BATE restored their two goal advantage on the stroke of half-time. Karasev’s drive was probably going in but defender Yatskevich’s attempts to prevent the goal only succeeded in him put the ball into the net, and he was perhaps unfairly credited with the own goal for his efforts.

Despite their hard work, Smorgon were unable to create more than a couple of half-chances in the second half, and BATE had the better chances to score the next goal. However, the second half remained goal-less, and BATE moved, albeit temporarily, to the top of the table.

FK Slavia Mozyr vs Rukh Brest ( Sunday 15.45 UK time )

It’s looking bleak for Slavia, and a visit from a Rukh side unbeaten in their last 12 league matches is hardly what the doctor ordered. 0-2

Result : 1-1. A barely deserved point for Slavia as they stay deep in the relegation mire. Despite being reduced to 10 men after a second yellow card to David Tweh, it was Rukh who were pressing for a late winner but unfortunately for them, Bakaj twice selfishly chose to shoot rather than pass to better placed colleagues.

Rukh took the lead in the 7^th minutes when Tweh’s incisive pass freed Pechenin down the left and his shot squirmed through the legs of Slavia keeper Shishlov. Noyok nearly added a second but his long range effort hit the top of the bar and went over, and Laptev was then denied by a point blank save by Shishlov.

Tweh received has second yellow card in the 52^nd minute, unfortunately catching Lovets when stretching after losing control, and was consoled and escorted from the pitch by Slavia’s Narh and Barsukov.

Slavia were galvanized by this advantage, and Narh saw his goal-bound effort deflected over the bar by a team-mate, and in the 67^th minute substitute Ovono Essogo, on his debut, stretched to turn home Malkevich’s low cross for the equalizer. Rukh eventually weathered the storm, and finished the stronger side.

Energetik BGU Minsk vs Dinamo Minsk ( Sunday 17.45 UK time )

Energetik have been inconsistent, being well beaten last time out at Neman, but deservedly drew with BATE. Dinamo have lost only one of their last 8 games and will be looking to keep the pressure on the sides above them. 1-3

Result : 0-1. A binary win for Dinamo to keep their faint title hopes alive, but the margin of victory should have been greater. The winning goal in the 71^st minute did have a large element of fortune to it though.  Matveychik’s low cross from the right in the general direction of Poe at the back post beat the diving Isloch keeper, but in his efforts to intercept, Svirepa could only prod into the empty net.

Bakhar had headed against the cross bar in the first half, Lozhkin rightly had a header chalked off for off-side and Dinamo came close on several other occasions.

For Energetik, Ubaydullalev forced Khatkevich to make two decent saves.

Summary :

FK Isloch Minsk 2-0 Neman Grodno ( att : 150 )
FK Minsk 0-2 Torpedo BelAZ Zhodino ( att : 210 ) 
Dinamo Brest 0-0 FK Slutsk ( att : 3,429 )
FK Gomel 4-1 FK Vitebsk ( att : 5,100 )
FK Smorgon 1-3 BATE Borisov ( att : 2,000 )
FK Slavia Mozyr 1-1 Rukh Brest ( att : 1,953 )
Energetik BGU Minsk 0-1 Dinamo Minsk ( att : 140 )

Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1twwW-Tzh7o

Comments

BATE temporarily moved to the top of the table after their victory at Smorgon, but Shakhtyor regained top spot when their 3-0 default win over Sputnik was applied, lying 2 points clear with three games in hand. However, next week sees BATE host Shakhtyor, a match which could determine the destiny of the title.

Dinamo Minsk leap-frogged Rukh after their hard fought win at Energetik, and Rukh’s slip up in Mozyr. Gomel are keeping up their chase, and the gap between them and 6^th placed Dinamo Brest is now 10 points.

At the bottom, Slavia moved 2 points ahead of Smorgon but remained 7 points behind Slutsk, albeit with a game in hand. They are now only 2 points behind three sides, Neman, Energetik and FK Minsk, with FK Minsk in free-fall with 5 consecutive defeats without scoring a goal.

In the 7 matches, there were just 16 goals, three red cards and one penalty.

Chinnor 34-21 Sale FC ( att : 420 ) – 2021/22 National League One

September 4, 2021

Today marked the start of the new Rugby season, and with the 2020/21 season being cancelled at this and all levels below, this was the first competitive match for Chinnor since March 7, 2020 after which the Covid pandemic brought an early end to their 2019/20 season. Co-incidentally these two sides played each other at Sale’s Heywood Road that day, with Sale being victorious 21-19. Sale though, played Moseley on the Thursday evening after, winning 26-10 to end their season.

Chinnor’s last competitive home fixture was a tense 24-21 victory over Rosslyn Park on February 29, 2020, a match covered by these diaries. https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2020/02/chinnor-24-21-rosslyn-park-att-725.html

Chinnor finished the 2019/20 season in 4^th place in National League One, their highest ever placement, whilst Sale were in 11^th place. However, Sale were formidable opponents on their own field, with a 10-0-3 record, but were let down by their poor away form, winning just twice in 12 matches. Indeed, they lost 31-38 at Chinnor. The sides have met four times in total, with the previous meetings being in 2018/19, where again both results were home wins, 28-21 at Chinnor and 31-22 at Sale. Perhaps on this form line, a home win might be expected today !

One major connection between the two sides is flanker Dave Seymour, who started as a junior at Chinnor before moving onto Saracens and then made nearly 200 appearances for Sale Sharks before finishing his career with Sale FC.

Sale FC are under the same ownership as Sale Sharks, the professional side of the club, but are separately run, with the Sharks being ring-fenced. That said, there is some player movement between the two sides, and England International Tom Curry played 5 matches in 2016/17 when Sale were in National League Two North ! Fortunately for Chinnor, Faf du Plessis was not playing for them today………..

With no rugby last season, nearly all of Chinnor’s first team squad left the club in order to play in the Championship, which being deemed as elite level sport, was permitted to play a limited season. A number of these players have now returned to the club, but essentially Chinnor have had to build a new team for this season. I spent most of the match trying to recognize the players !

In 2020/21, Chinnor played only three friendly matches, all under the adapted laws of no scrums or mauls. Home and away matches against Esher were played behind closed doors, with two away wins, whilst spectators were permitted for a match at Rams, which the home side won convincingly. The return fixture at Chinnor was postponed following an outbreak of Covid in the Chinnor camp.

Chinnor went into this match having played two warm-up games, losing 15-17 at home to Welsh Premier Division side Carmarthen Quins, and then winning 19-17 at fellow National League One side Blackheath. On the other hand, Sale had played 4 pre-season friendlies, all against lower division sides, beating Rotherham, Sedgley Park and Fylde but also losing to Sedgley Park. However, it is always dangerous trying to read too much into pre-season results.

The Sale matchday squad for today’s encounter included 7 players who featured in the match from March 2020, including fly half Chris Johnson, who was the third highest points scorer in the league that season with 164 points. Ex-London Irish centre Fergus Mulchrone scored 10 tries and winger/fullback Tom Brady scored 6 tries. In contrast, the only Chinnor player who appeared that day was flanker Willie Ryan, although four players from that line-up are still with the club but were not available for selection through injury.

Tickets for the match were £15 for non-members, £10 for members, £5 for Students and Under 16’s free. Chinnor were encouraging spectators to purchase their tickets on-line rather than pay at the gate, and the club is aiming to be cash free by the end of the season. Parking is free, as are the match programmes.

A burger was £6, a steak and ale pie £4, a sausage bap £3 and a sausage roll £2.50. A pint of Estrella was £5 but after the member’s discount was applied, was only £4.25. Other beers on tap were Breakesperes, Warsteiner and Guinness. There was also a bouncy castle for the kiddies.

The weather was dry and cloudy, with temperatures around 18 degrees, but the infamous Chinnor strong breeze was present for much of the match !

I was probably the only person who wore a face mask to enter the ground, and there was little evidence that we are still in a pandemic. However, I was able to find plenty of space to watch the match without anyone near me.

Chinnor got off to a dream start, full-back Oscar Heath burst through a gap in the Sale back line and strode over the line to put the home side ahead in the first minute. Caolan Ryan’s conversion made it 7-0. 

It was 14-0 after 7 minutes when Clementson crashed over after a series of drives after a line-out, and Ryan again converted.

In a cracking start to the game, Sale then scored a try of their own, spinning the ball wide after winning their line-out, for Brady to dive over in the corner. Johnson made an excellent conversion from the touchline to make it 14-7 after just 11 minutes.

A minute later Sale centre Robbins made an excellent break to threaten the Chinnor 22, and although the attack came to nothing, the Sale backs were looking sharp. Despite a lot of grey hair in the back-line, it was deceptive !

In the 18^th minute Chinnor though they had scored from another close-range drive and at first it looked as if the referee had awarded a penalty try. Instead, it was the first example of a rule change for this season where being held up over the line results in a drop-out from the goal-line to the defending team rather than a 5 yard scrum to the attacking team.

Sale then lost their own line-out midway in their own half, and they then infringed at the ruck to give Ryan a straightforward penalty to increase the lead to 17-7 after 20 minutes. Chinnor started to apply more pressure but Sale survived a series of attacks on their goal-line. However, the home side won a scrum penalty against the head, and Ryan slotted over another simple penalty to make it 20-7 after the half-hour.

Sale produced another slick backs move four minutes before the interval, but were thwarted by a good tackle near the corner, and when the ball was reworked, a Sale forward knocked-on under very little pressure. The visitors compounded this error shortly after when they lost another line-out and with the Chinnor backs showing they could also play a little, Heath’s behind the back pass saw Hammond make a great pick-up off his toes and run down the touch-line, before playing the inside pass to give scrum-half Carter an easy run-in. Ryan made a fine conversion from close to the touch line to make it 27-7 at the break

From the restart, Chinnor knocked on, giving Sale the chance to pressurize the Chinnor line but after yet another error from the forwards, Chinnor were able to clear, but at the cost of an injury to fly half Ryan, who had to be replaced.

Sale continued to be camped in the Chinnor 22, but the home side had a stroke of fortune when a poor clearing kick hit the referee, and a scrum had to be given to Chinnor and deprived Sale of a good attacking opportunity.

A potential pivotal moment occurred after 50 minutes. Centre Grose made a tremendous break and offloaded to Bourton who was stopped just short of the try-line. As Chinnor tried to play the ball quickly, a loose pass went to no-one in particular and was fly-hacked clear. The Sale backs raced after it, and after another boot forward by Metcalf, Morris won the foot-race to score close to the posts and Johnson converted to bring the score to 27-14. A proverbial 14 point swing if ever there was one !

Another example of a new rule occurred in the 58^th minute when a Chinnor kick forward stopped in the in-goal area. After waiting for it to bounce beyond their line, Sale touched down, but rather than getting a drop-out on their 22, they received a drop-out from their own goal-line.

Sale fashioned another good attacking position, but another fumble spoilt the chance, and after another  fumble in the 62^nd minute, Chinnor winger Davies burst through a couple of tackles but Bourton was held-up for another goal-line drop-out, which unlike in Rugby League was not taken from under the posts.. Sale full-back Metcalf was hurt in stopping the try but stayed on the pitch despite some obvious discomfort.

Chinnor finally secured their 4 try bonus point in the 67^th minute. After several drives were kept out, South African lock Brockschmidt eventually crossed the line, which was just as well as he chose to ignore the three man overlap outside him. Bourton, who is on loan from Ealing Trailfinders, took over the kicking duties to make the score 34-14.

As the Sale side gathered under the posts, the measure was clear. “Let’s get two more tries for the 4 try bonus point”. With 5 minutes left they grabbed their third try,  scoring from a rolling maul after a 5 metre line-out, Onasanya being credited with the try. With no time to waste, Johnson simply put the ball down and immediately struck a fabulous conversion from out wide. 34-21

Sale tried to run the ball in the closing stages, but found no way through the Chinnor defence, and another error conceded a penalty just inside their own half. Bourton’s long-range effort sailed just wide, and the referee, who had an excellent game, blew for full time and a 5 point bonus point win to Chinnor

There wasn’t much between the two sides, but Sale made too many handling errors, especially their forwards, and were poor at the lineouts. However, if their backs continue to play with the same inventiveness they should be able to record a few convincing wins, especially at home.

Both sides were guilty of over the top celebrations when the other side made an error or gave away a penalty. It’s perhaps understandable if, say,  there has been some great work at a ruck but it’s a bit ridiculous when some-one knocks on with no-one near him !

In summary though, it was good simply to be just able to watch a game of rugby, and it was very enjoyable !

Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FGICJOn0Js