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LR Vicenza (Stadio Romeo Menti)

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 While I was over in Veneto, I was also lucky enough to visit Vicenza. It's a great little town and as well as the great cafes and bars and of course all the renaissance architecture, it is a place that has a real football legacy. And what's more, they had just celebrated going up from Serie C1 to Serie B. LR Vicenza are one of Italy’s most historic provincial clubs, traditionally known for their strong identity, youth development, and periods of impressive overachievement relative to their size. Although most recently in C1, Vicenza have spent much of their history moving between Serie A and Serie B, with their peak coming in the 1970s and 1990s when they were regularly competitive in the top flight. The club carries a reputation for being well-organised and resilient, often punching above their weight against bigger northern sides. One of the things that interested me the most about visiting there was the legacy of Paolo Rossi- the hero of the 1982 World Cup, who is synonymo...
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Hellas Verona (Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi)

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 Last week we were in Italy and more specifically Verona for a short break. When I got up on the Monday morning (we arrived late on Sunday) I noticed we were opposite the club shop for Hellas Verona. I wasn't tempted as I have never been particularly taken by Hellas, especially given the reputation of their fans. However, after seeing all the sights in the spectacular town, I still went for a nose around the stadium, not that you could get particularly close to it. In all honesty, I would have perhaps been more interested in some Chievo history, but their Serie D base was quite away out of town and I had more plans for the next day - more of that later.  Hellas Verona - founded in 1903,  are best remembered for their remarkable 1984–85 season when they won the Scudetto under Osvaldo Bagnoli, a feat that remains one of the most celebrated shocks in Italian football. The club has since moved between divisions but retains a strong identity rooted in working-class support and...
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Downham Town 2 Waltham Abbey 2

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 Downham closed out their season in the Isthmian League North before presumably returning to the Eastern Counties Premier with a good performance in the sun with a beer festival going on in the background. It was a good opportunity for Downham to close a difficult season off on a high. Waltham, who couldn't finish higher or lower than third on the other hand have the playoffs to look forward to as they look to go in the opposite direction. That being the case, you couldn't have blamed Waltham if they had taken things easy, but that was not to be the case. After just 2 minutes Luke Delandes gave the visitors the lead with Downham still asleep, although it has to be notes with quite an experimental defence. Things looked like they were going to get worse just a couple of minutes later when Waltham were awarded a penalty. However, Charlie Congreve was on hand to save it and keep the score to 1-0. Luke Delandes had other ideas and on the next Waltham break skipped brilliantly throu...
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Aston Villa 4 Sunderland 3

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 Well, I have been to a lot of poor games this season including the Solihull Moors one the day before. However, this one was a classic and one that will live in the memories of both sets of fans, but probably longer in Villa fans'.  The game got off to a blistering start when John McGinn found Ollie Watkins in space and crossed the ball for him to head home with only two minutes on the clock. However, if Villa thought it was going to be a rout, they were to be mistaken as Chris Rigg scored on 9 minutes to make it 1-1. For the next period of time Sunderland looked the better of the two teams, but with just under 10 minutes left in the half Ian Maatsen found Ollie Watkins in space for him to head home and put Villa in the lead. Finally, Villa really had the bit between their teeth and looked to increase their advantage before halftime. the second half started as the first half had finished and with the half only 2 minutes old, a lovely placed shot saw Morgan Rogers put Villa 3-1...
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Solihull Moors 0 Boston United 3

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 11th v 12th in the National League in a dead rubber game at the end of the season was never going to be a classic and so it proved. It was one of those spring days where it felt more like November and threatened to rain but never quite managed it. Getting on the bus at the airport going in the wrong direction to the ground was an omen of things to come. The game itself didn't have much life in it as both teams cancelled each other out in central midfield and it was short on action or entertainment. The catalyst of change was in the 66th minute when Conor Wilkinson of Moors was sent off for an alleged racist remark. Hopefully there wasn't. It seems that the Moors coach was confident enough as he brought the players off the pitch in protest. He was also backed up by the Boston coach, so it seems there could well have been a misunderstanding. After a lengthy break in play, the teams came back out, but pretty much everyone had lost interest apart from a few of the Boston players, ...
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Downham Town 1 Brightlingsea Regent 3

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Downham started off the game with the slope and the wind in their favour, probably hoping for a repeat of the good fortune that they had with it last week against Witham. However, things didn't go to plan from the start when Shane Temple leapt on a defensive error after only 6 minutes to give the visitors the lead. What Downham lacked in defence though, they made up for in attack and Charlie Royle grabbed an equaliser in the 17th minute. However, another defensive error led to an own goal on 40 minutes and Brightlingsea were 2-1 up at the break. Downham came out firing in the second half, but now the slope and the wind was against them and on 55 minutes Finlay Adams all but put the game to bed by giving Regent a 3-1 lead. Downham continued to chase the game, but it never felt like they were going to get back in it from this point - and they didn't. This was the day when the somewhat inevitable relegation was confirmed.
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