FC Le Mont v FC Winterthur
I know, I haven't posted for a while. The tour has gone on, I've just been lazy, so my apologies.
Today was a sunny, glorious day for football and I was on the way out to see FC Winterthur play Le Mont and realized that this was a stadium I haven't covered. I've been before but was jet-lagged having just got back to Switzerland from Columbus, Ohio on the morning of my last visit. I was taking a holiday from writing anyway but even if I'd been literally active, anything written would have made no sense at all. I slept from Baulmes back to Winterthur despite Winti fans singing loudly down my ear (I honestly remember nothing of this).
So what is the home of Le Mont like? Well, I don't know, because this isn't it. To give Le Mont their full name, it's Le Mont sur Lausanne (the mountain above Lausanne). Their home is Terrain du Châtaignier in Le Mont sur Lausanne, and is 36 km away, (32 minutes by car). Stade sous Ville is the home of FC Baulmes (who else). Baulmes is a beautiful village near Yverdon les Bains, to the North of Lausanne. Le Mont are there for the usual reasons of their stadium not meeting Swiss Challenge League standards, so inconveniencing the home fans is obviously the sensible thing to do.
So what is FC Baulmes' stadium like?
Getting There
7/10. Not too bad. Trains all the way (direct from Winterthur/Zürich to Yverdon, then a regional train to Baulmes). The stadium is a short walk from the station. The only slight issue, trains are hourly so you may get stuck in a tiny village with nothing else to do other than finding a pub.
Friendliness
6/10. Only let down by the fact that the 30 or so Winti fans were given a very close search. For one moment I was cringing waiting for the snap of a rubber glove but thankfully, my security guard was content with a good grope around the waistband of my shorts. 20 SFr entrance fee is slightly high for challenge league, but a Mother's Day action that let the ladies in free brings it down to extremely reasonable.
Once in, these were nice people. The toilets were portaloos but nice ones. Points won back because the lovely lady at the away end refreshment stall obtained some wine for us (always worth an extra point).
Safety
8/10. For me, a stadium that has it right.
No stupid fences.
Terraces that are standing terraces with steps of a few inches rather than a few feet.
The away fans were segregated from the home fans, which was a change from my earlier visit in the season. The segregation was as always understandable but unnecessary.
View
8/10. You could not be closer to the action and with proper standing terraces, at the away end, I could see just fine. The main stand looked like it also provided a good view. If there is a criticism, it would be that I can quickly see the 2500 capacity stadium becoming packed and unpleasant to view football were an attendance to approach that capacity.
Atmosphere
5/10. Its all a bit characterless, unfortunately, but it is what it is.
Only 350 fans were present and much noise was provided as ever by the 30 or so traveling Winti fans. But credit also goes to a young group of Le Mont fans, one of whom was beating the crap out of a drum. Good for him, they did get heard and noticed.
Refreshments
4/10. Bit of a let down in this category. Beer available and wine if you asked (and you should, it was nice and at 15 SFr for a half liter, better value than the 4 SFr being charged for a small beer). Foodwise at the away end it was sandwiches or crisps. Nothing hot. I seem to remember fairing better on my last visit when not segregated from the home fans but I'm only scoring this visit.
Overall
38/60. Amazing really. The village of Baulmes has a population of around 1000 and a lovely little football stadium.
The Match.
The background to this one was FC Le Mont still with plenty to be worried about. Three points clear of bottom place and relegation but with an inferior goal difference. This match gave them the chance to pull six clear of bottom with 4 games remaining.
Winti had just ended an appauling run of one point from 7 games with a home win against bottom club, Biel. But Winti are safe in fifth place with nothing to play for, except not being the worst club away from home in the Challenge league.
It started quite cagily with good possession from Winterthur and the home side looking to break quickly. It was as one of these breaks broke down that Winti took the lead. A ball into the midfield from Hajrovic was moved on to the right side and Tighazoui. The tricky midfielder played a one-two with Paiva and advanced into the area. He could only be stopped by Gilberto Reis stepping on his foot. A red card for Le Mont defender and a penalty dispatched into the bottom left corner by Patrick Bengondo. Le Mont 1 - down with 10 men and 78 minutes to play.
Straight forward now then for the visitors? Well, not quite. For the remainder of the first half, despite the extra man, Winti struggled to break through their opponents without an unwelcome offside flag. Le Mont were working hard and opened up Winterthur's defence completely on 24 minutes. Minder was forced into a point blank save and the rebound was crossed to a striker on the far post but thankfully his header could have been a pass back. But Winti had been warned!
On 33 minutes, the warning was followed up. A sloppy piece of play in midfield lost possession and Sessolo became the latest player to play at trying to lob Matt Minder from range. For anyone who doesn't know, Winti made the news by conceding a goal in just 5 seconds when Minder was lobbed from the halfway line in a friendly. Every man and his aunt has been trying since. On this occasion the ball hit the angle of post and bar with Minder clattering into the post in his efforts to make the save. He did well to be on his feet facing the rebound but Dubajic's shot into the far top corner was too good.
A little slapstick then occurred with Le Mont's trainer being sent to the stands for an over exuberant celebration. He actually returned briefly in a different top, but the fourth official wasn't falling for that one and +1 was added to the attendance in the main stand.
Half time came and went and the game continued in the same vein. Winterthur were unable to break a determined home defence while Le Mont were keeping them on their toes with occasional breaks. But you had the feeling the work Le Mont were doing was taking a toll.
On 75 minutes Winti thought they had a second penalty when Tighazoui was brought down but the referee was corrected by his linesman and a free kick on the edge of the penalty area was correctly given. The decision became immaterial though as Amin Tighazoui curled a lovely shot in to the top corner direct from the free kick.
Now the game was Winterthur's on 88 minutes Bengondo tried his luck from range and rattled the crossbar. On 90 minutes, any doubt over the result was removed. Tighazoui came in one-on-one with the Le Mont 'keeper and unselfishly played in Tunahan Cicek who had an easy finish for 3:1.
A reasonable match. Winti made hard work of it but were good winners in the end. And that worst away team in the league title has been lost for now!
Match highlights here
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