The final between Heeg and Grootegast, with the aim of survival in the third division, became a true thriller. Penalties had to offer a solution after a 1-1 final score. After 21 penalties, it was Grootegast player Jouke Visser, son of interim coach Harm Visser, who saw the decisive penalty hit the crossbar.
,,I will have to offer some comfort to my son tonight” Harm Visser joked afterwards like a farmer with a toothache. Just before that, a true penalty drama had taken place in Scharnegoutem, the neutral place where the final of the playoffs took place. Grootegast had still got off to a good start. After four minutes of play, Mike Homan took advantage of Heeg’s sloppiness in defence. He shot from the edge of the Grootegast penalty area for a 0-1 lead. “The ten minutes after the opening goal we had some real chances for another goal. Then the tension came to us and Heeg took over the initiative, especially through the long ball” said Harm Visser. This initiative did not lead to many great opportunities.
Work ethic
In the second half, Grootegast managed to defend the minimum lead for a long time by fighting hard. ,,I really have to compliment my team, but especially the defense, for their work ethic”, said Harm Visser proudly. He also noted that his team had only created two small chances in the second half. In injury time, Grootegast still had to capitulate. Johannes Hoekstra managed to force an extension on behalf of Heeg with the 1-1.
Hungry group
Not much happened in extra time, except for a second yellow card for Robert Kooistra van Grootegast. In the end, it was Heeg who secured a new season in the third division after penalties. Grootegast is therefore relegated to the fourth class, a level they have not acted on for ten years. The disappointed interim coach Harm Visser, who will no longer be part of the group next season, has every confidence in the coming season. ,,New trainer Arjan Veenstra gets a hungry group with quality and work ethic. That’s going to be all right.”