Älghults IF 1-1 Bockara GoIF
Tuesday 5 May, 19:00 kick-off
Swedish regional division 6 (8th tier)
Ekensvi idrottsplats, Älghult
Crowd count: 70
An idyllic evening in the village of Älghult in south-east Sweden and a match in the lowest tier of football round here, division 6. Since Swedish football is organised in a real pyramid structure there are an awful lot of division 6 leagues around the country (I think there are divisions 7 and maybe 8 in the big city regions). Most clubs at this level are in villages and even if many small village teams have died in recent times due mostly to a lack of players and volunteers, there are still plenty of them to discover.
Älghult and Bockara are two such villages, surrounded by forests and lakes. Both teams are undefeated so far this season and will hope to be challenging for a promotion spot in the autumn. I haven't seen either team before and generally enjoy this level of football with plenty of energy, honest endeavor and commitment to compensate for misjudged passing, reckless tackles and wild shots. Sometimes, of course, there are moments of magic when everything goes right.
The ground
Ekensvi is a charming rural ground surrounded by forest and the evening sunshine added to the idyllic atmosphere. The entry gates are guarded by two typically Swedish ticket booths, now purely decorational, and you pay your 50 kronor (€4.60, £4) entry by mobile or in cash to a man sitting at a picnic table. There's a clubhouse, changing rooms and kiosk on one side plus a simple wooden stand. Opposite are the benches and a building that is probably used to house the lawnmower and other groundkeeping equipmant. There's an old style running track round the pitch but without lane markings.
Like all matches at this level the crowd is mostly friends and relatives of the players and apart from the usual protests at the referee's "obvious bias" against our lads it's all very relaxed. Feelings on the pitch, however, can get quite heated.
Food and drink
Not much to write about here. Usual Swedish menu of hotdogs, coffee, soft drinks and homemade cake (very tasty). No tea for me this time sadly. Tea is seldom on the menu here but at many small grounds I have been pleasantly surprised when they manage to find a kettle and a tea bag hidden in a drawer to satisfy my request.
The match
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| Kick-off with Älghult in yellow and Bockara in green and white |
The game started in warm evening sunshine and finished with a distinct chill in the air. The hosts had the upper hand in the first half and took the lead after 19 minutes with a penalty after an incident in a crowded box. Joakim Jakobsson slotted home the spot kick. The visitors were dangerous on the break and my man of the match, Mammadi Jabateh, showed some lovely dribbling skills resulting in two clear chances near the end of the half with home keeper Lindahl making great saves. Lindahl continued to shine after the break as the visitors began to dominate with another couple of superb blocks from close range. However, the visitors got their reward after 81 minutes with what seemed to me to be a doubtful penalty that was coolly put away by Jadateh. Deserved reward for a player who has real skill. Near the end tempers flared after a reckless tackle resulting in a player from either team getting red cards.
A draw was probably a fair result and the teams' unbeaten records go on.
More than football
Älghult is home to 416 people according to the 2023 census and has in the past been home to a glassworks and furniture factory - sadly no more. One curiosity in the village is the first beekeeping museum in Scandinavia.
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