Idrettspark Nordre Asen, 1. Division, 4/8/23
Me 287, Wee Man 160
Skied Fotball
Founded – 1915
Nickname – Oksene (The Bulls)
Honours – Norwegian Top Tier – 1966. Norwegian Cup – 1947, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1963, 1965 and 1974
Random Fact – In 2020 the club inherited a substantial amount of money rumoured to be around 2.5 million pounds from a lets say, different source from the norm. Pornography. This due to assets being left to the club by local man Leif Hagen after his death. Hagen or “Porno Hagen” as he was known was a controversial figure known for his businesses in mail order sex toys and hardcore porn mags
The real match and what was actually supposed to be game one of this trip and let me tell you, it was a highly enjoyable experience. With time not really on our side we made it to Nordre Asen with minutes to spare due to being in Ekeburg in the other end of the city, this left no time to search for a scarf pre-game which turned out to be a god send. This due to me buying tickets for us in the away end without realising. There was no mention of this when google translate did its work. Never mind as it was brilliant. It was also a first for us as outwith watching Aberdeen we had never been in an away end before. It was a great experience. 90 minutes non stop noise, 90 minutes not stop support and 90 minutes growing a wee soft spot for them due to the enjoyment of the night.Once we finally got in the match was just away to kick off and the atmosphere was clear with red flares being set off which Wee Man was chuffed to bits to see “Daddy look, wow”. This led to us standing instead of taking our seats in the seated half of the end. This being a bloody great idea and giving us a highly memorable night, but also seeing Wee Man loving the atmosphere in the way he did was great to see. I have largely shielded him from the more boisterous areas of grounds in the past(He is only 8) But tonight there was not really much choice. Not too sure initially, he was soon stamping his feet, clapping along, bouncing and just taking it all in. He was clearly loving his new experience.
On the park the home side were the better team in the early stages with huge amounts of space being allowed to Hickson on the left for Skeid. He was given the freedom of the left side of this plastic pitch(one that was far too heavy with the pellets)However his final ball was not up to much despite numerous attempts to get it in the box from wide. The home side were on the attack at every chance.It really did look like if anyone was to score it would be the hosts. In typical fashion Fredrikstad drew first blood and what a way to do it. Oscar Aga hit a shot which rebounded off a defender out the the left hand side of the box where Faroese man Bjartalio swung on the half volley from outside the box, and with the ferocity of a bazooka sent the ball back across the goal and into the top corner. I think “worldie” is the word.Such a sweet strike of a fitba. Against the run of play but who cares. This got the visiting fans even louder(not that they were quiet at any time) as the capos at the front fired them up. It was one of these capos that gave us the best off pitch moment of the night when he scaled one of the fence poles to the top to place a Fredrikstad sticker higher than any other clubs sticker. A level of pettiness I can get right behind. The game ebbed and flowed and it was all square four minutes from the break when another superb strike was witnessed when Kvia-Egeskog drove a powerful effort through what seemed a host of bodies past Fredrikstad keeper Havar Jensen into his bottom left. All square at the half time whistle.
HT 1 v 1
Fredrikstad came out to win and clearly had been sent a rocket up their bahookie. They really should have been in the lead when Phillip Aukland met a corner with his head but pulled a decent save from a couple of yards. He should have been wheeling away celebrating in all truth. Frederikstad continued to push and created some decent chances but failed to test Nilsen in the Skeid goal. Another humorous moment was to happen in the stand, not humorous in the split second of the incident but a laugh after. This came when Fredrikstad man Molde tried to get a cross in from the byline but it was blocked and the ball cannoned towards the net that covers the front of the away end. The net bulged to the left of Wee Man’s face. It missed him by an inch. He turned round laughing about it exclaiming “it almost hit me in the face”, this as Bruce, myself and some nearby Fredrikstadians had looks of “fucking hell that could have been a catastrophe” on our faces. The longer the game went the more we thought FFK would score but the clock neared 90 and the draw was looking likely. Bruce said the game hinged on how much injury time was added. 6 minutes were shown on the board and Bruce in his infinite wisdom was correct as in the last minute Fredrikstad won it when that man again Bjartalio rose to boom home a header into the top of the net. Cue scenes all around us with players scaling the net at one side and fans reciprocating at the other causing a pile on in the stand. Brilliant scenes which again Wee Man was delighted with and was clapping and shaking his fist cheering. A superb ending to a really decent nights fitba. One thing of note. Bruce and myself are sure there was not one offside in the whole match. An extremely rare occurrence.
But the good night was not over. As I couldn’t get a scarf for the collection at the start of the night we nipped round to the other end of the ground at full time. I couldn’t see a shop. I asked a club rep lady who pointed me in the direction of Knut the mannie selling hotdogs. After a piss about getting cash(cheers Bruce). Knut told me to shut up his stall so he could go to his car. His car was like a bin, stuff every where, polly bags, t-shirts and just everything really. I parted with the 300 NOK and he handed me one of the much sought after red, blue and black delights and shut the door. I reminded him he was to give me two. He must went through 20 of the REMA 1000 polly bags before finally liberating a second scarf, something I thought was not going to happen. What a man and what a car. But mission accomplished. 3 more scarves to go before we head home.
After a night of great fandom, great goals and drinking beer that was 0.7%(found out after) we jumped a tram back into the city centre more than chuffed with proceedings of the night, and the day as a whole in terms of fitba. But we have also seen a lot of Oslo today and it is a bloody lovely city. We said our farewells to Bruce as we jumped off one stop before him to retire to the hotel as he was away for a pint with pals while I had to make do with a few cans as Wee Man slept next to me. Mjondalen and Drammen await.
Entrance – Me 200 NOK (Approx £15.50), Wee Man 120 NOK (Approx £9.30)
Attendance – 1234 (official)
Pie – Pøls i Lompe (Sausage in pocket) 40NOK (approx £3.10)
Pint – Sagne Kjorepils 40NOK (Approx £3.10)
Score Predictions – Me 0 v 3, Wee Man 0 v 4
Score Prediction Season Totals – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 