FOOTBALL – A separate afternoon at Sportpark De Perkenslag in Westerbork this afternoon, where the spectators were told by the speaker just before kick-off that promotion is already a fact for VKW. The KNVB reported this yesterday, by telephone, to the Drenthe first division team, who will therefore play in the main division for the first time in club history.
That telephone promotion not only paralyzed the public, but perhaps also the players of the home team. VKW lacked sharpness and lost 0-1 to Jubbega, which did good business for a place in the postseason.
“It is all very strange”, also acknowledged VKW trainer Karlo Meppelink, who was crowned ‘best trainer of northern amateur football’ this week. “Honestly, we didn’t know what to do with it when we heard it. We hesitated to tell the players, but we were already congratulated left and right and then you can’t keep it quiet anymore. But then you have to play football with a different pressure and mindset. That was not easy, as it turned out.”
Nevertheless, VKW still had enough opportunities, especially in the first half, to take the lead against the ambitious Jubbega (which still played in the 4th division in the 2015/2016 season). However, the chances were not spent on Anjo Willems, Jeroen Welles and Jonas Nijland. Jubbega, who played football more easily than the home club, did not really enforce anything before half-time, although attacker (and former professional) Xander Houtkoop was a constant plague.
The only goal came fifteen minutes after the break. Daryl de Vries shot the ball hard past VKW goalkeeper Martijn Mulder from a switchover moment. The home team did everything they could to avoid a defeat, but mainly tried with the long ball, which made VKW’s attacking game more and more predictable. Still, the equalizer could certainly have fallen and a 1-1 would not have been undeserved, but it did not fall, although Welles, Willems and Durk de Jong were still close.
Due to the loss, VKW drops to second place and Hoogezand, which won 1-2 against Stadspark, is the new leader. The difference between the two teams is now one point in favor of Hoogezand. But the championship is certainly not lost on the men of Meppelink. On the last day of play, VKW and Hoogezand will still play against each other.