PJC Nieuwe Pekela drops heavily through lower limit against Muntendam

,,We fell heavily through the lower limit today”, sighed PJC trainer Loek Swarts. ,,Until now, apart from the last ten minutes of last week against Engelbert, we have always played well. But this really isn’t possible.”

Muntendam, which had only collected five points until the game against PJC, already decided the game before the halftime signal. And it didn’t even have to play well itself. After more than ten minutes, Maikel Hut opened the score, after which Patrick Vasse doubled the margin.

PJC could not make a fist at all in the front and got the final knockout in the last minute of the opening half. Henk Blaauw and Joey Piening had to leave the field injured and Muntendam captain Kevin Bijl curled the ball tightly into the corner from a direct free kick.

Very easy

Things went from bad to worse for the home side after the break. Initially, both teams were more evenly matched, because Muntendam took it very easily. The team of the technical duo Marcel Vasse and Robert Nieborg played inaccurately and suffered a lot of loss of ball.

The Muntendammers walked too much with the ball. As a result, Bijl called on his teammates to ‘don’t always bring the ball’ and ‘mainly play football’. Initially, this warning had little effect.

Even after PJC had to continue with 10 men after Jeroen Jager’s red card, Muntendam remained sloppy. Wouter Valeton even managed to score the fourth league goal for the home team. That was the signal for Muntendam to put more energy into the game.

Three goals

In no time at all, PJC goalkeeper Kevin Walters had to swallow the next three goals. PJC was lucky that Muntendam hit the crossbar twice in the remaining time and that a ball jumped back into the field via the post, otherwise a defeat with double figures would have come eerily close.

PJC trudged across the field tiredly in the last few minutes, saw Rik Roelfsema also sent off with a direct red card after he had kicked Bryan Luttje down, leaving only nine home players with bowed heads after the final whistle.

You don’t give up

Due to a selection that is too narrow and (too) many players with an advanced age for football players, PJC already seems to be able to forget about enforcement. Swarts: ,,Of course we already know that it will be very difficult, but you don’t give up. The main thing now is that the atmosphere remains good.”

A few points would contribute a lot to the latter. Something they immediately agreed at Muntendam after the second win. Due to the victory, the team has again found its connection with the middle bracket. PJC remains last with only one point.