Friday 25 October train from Frankfurt to Bregenz in Austria, plan was to watch the Second Division Derby game in Bregenz but that was moved to Saturday for live TV. So found 3 further options, like to use public transport but was not sure how reliable it would be so hired a car for 24 hours. this made it easier but in hindsight could have used public transport as in the Vorarlberg region is very good and their own transport APP is very easy to use and gives up to date times.
A short drive up into the mountains and the Friday night game:Friday 25 October
FC Hittisau 1 SC Austria Lustenau II 2
Vorarlbergliga
Sportplatz Hittisau
Admission: 6 Euros
Programme: Nil
Attendance: 79 h/c
Arrived as getting dark but you are right up in the mountains, surrounded by alpine scenery. the pitch has been cut into the hillside, so on the dug out side you have behind it a large stone wall that holds the rest of the hill back. On the other side is decent stand with a small hut selling beer. Behind the goal are the changing rooms, club canteen and some covered seats and standing. Beer and food on sale, just stuck to coffee as driving plus Currywurst and Pommes! The block behind the goal reminded me of the new set up at Melton. Pitch was astro.Visitors were the more dominant ream, however it was the host who had the first 3 clear chances in the game. The visitors then got a penalty in 28th minute but it was easily saved.The visitors took the lead on 62 minutes only for the home team to get back on terms in the 82nd minute, but the game was won by Austria Lustenau Amateurs in the 86th minute with a great individual goal, however there was still time left for the visitors to go down to 10 men after one of their defenders got a second yellow card.
Short drive down to next village where I was staying, a couple of beers and then ready for a Saturday with 3 games, in 2 countries whilst driving through a third!
After a short 15 minute drive on Saturday morning, I was in the village of Egg, 500 m above sea level to see a team, with a great name, sponsored by a brewery and a ground that could be part of the set for the 'Sound of Music'.
Saturday 26 October
11am
FC Egg 1 FC Wolfurt 1
Eliteliga Vorarlberg
Sportanlage Junkerau
Admission: 8 Euro
Programme: Nil
Attendance: 229 h/c
A level higher than Friday night and football was of a higher quality but the star of the show is the ground itself, set amongst the mountains with a great view every way you look, helped by a cracking blue sky and the sun shining.
One large stand/clubhouse/changing room complex on one side, all wooden, with 3 rows of seats then room to stand and drink behind. The club house was doing good business in beer plus Wusrts. A second beer stall by the electric scoreboard.
Even game, with both teams struggling to get a shot on target, the home team went in front on 79 minutes after a dreadful keeper error, he tried to do a quick kick, it hit the back of a retreating opponent and bounced to a home forward who only had to nod in with a header from 2 metres. It looked like the home team were going to get al 3 points until deep in injury time, the visitors hit the post from a direct free kick and a visiting forward was first to react to tap in and gain his team a point.
A number of German hoppers present, with numerous other local games on offer in the afternoon, but I had decoded on a slightly longer drive, to knock off another country - still only 50 minutes vis a Swiss motorway to end up in Liechtenstein for a 4pm kick off
4pm
USV Eschen/Mauren 0 SC YF Juventus 1
Swiss 1 Loga Classic Gruppe 3
Sportpark Eschen-Mauren
Admission: Not sure as was already in ground but late arrivals were charged
Programme: Free 4 sheet programme, with admission and copies in clubhouse
Attendance: 250 h/c
Hard to believe this was the ground where Liechtenstein played home international games, part of a large sports complex on a main road away from the two small towns/large villages.Main pitch, has one large stand with a clubhouse/VIP bar at top - can also watch games on the G3 pitch behind the stand from the clubhouse. Can watch game from all 4 sides but the main stand is the only place with cover or terracing.Competitive game but the 'Swiss' Juventus were always in control, and the win was not a surprise, the only real surprise was that they only got the one goal, which was in the second half and helped the visitors from Zurich maintain their second place in the league.Again amazing scenery, however only once the cloud lifted and from a distance as the ground sits in quite a vast and flat valley floor..Another drive of under an hour gave me time to book into hotel in Bregenz, return the car and get public transport to the last game of the day.8.30pm
SC Schwarz Weiss Bregenz 1 Austria Lustenau 1
2 Liga
ImmoAgentur Stadion
Admission: 20 Euro, print at home
Programme: Free, but again most home fans did not bother picking one up
Attendance: 5500Some suggested this may be the biggest 'Derby' game ever to take place in Vorarlberg, as Austria Lustenau have to share the ground of Bregenz. Not a full house, but with both stands on either side of the ground full but plenty of standing space behind the goals. Late kick off as game on TV. Hosts started as favourites as were sitting third in the league.Seemed to be a bigger deal for Lustenau as their ultras arrived in good numbers and got behind their team throughout the game. I was sat in the main stand and there was no segregation in that stand. Athletic track round the pitch gave it a feel of the Withdean.
The visitors looked the sharper ream whilst the host final pass was quite poor, the visitors went ahead in 35 minute but 4 minutes later one of their better players chose to handle the ball to stop a certain goal - red card however Bregenz missed the resulting penalty. Bregenz did get level in the last minute of the half.
Even with just 10 men, Austria Lustenau were not that troubled by the hosts and probably still deserved a point. Public transport back to the hotel, and happy to have the extra hour in bed as the clocks went back as had an early start with a train to Zurich in the morning.