After the U21 game it was time for a fifth-tier fixture at Atzeneta. We got there early enough for a wander around the town, having read that they had some ice houses and that there was an excellent view of a valley. We didn’t see either of those sights, but we did stumble across a sheep in someone’s back garden.
We also found an old stone laundry system where people would wash their keks on a not so rapid cold cycle by using the stone gulleys outside of their houses. The Atzeneta tourist people had very kindly created a little trail for people like us with frequent notes spelling out how it all worked. It’s just what I need for the washing machine in our house.
The Campo de Futbol el Regit was up a hill on the edge of town and with woodland on three sides. We were there well before kick-off and by that time there were already lots of cars parked up. Atzeneta had a big game against La Liga side Getafe coming up in the Kings Cup and I wondered if maybe more people than usual were turning up for this game with the intention of buying a ticket for the cup-tie.
Our tickets for this match were fifteen euros each, which struck me as a bit over the top, although that’s maybe just because of my age. Or tightness. It’s about on a par with seventh-tier prices in England and so I suppose not too bad really. I bought some raffle tickets on the way in but noted that the prize of a couple of bottles of wine probably wasn’t worth much more than the cost of the tickets. I’d been hoping for the chance to win a pig leg.
We found seats in a covered stand that probably held around three-hundred and fifty or so. Latecomers had the opportunity to lean against a rail along the remainder of the touchline. An alternative option was provided by benches and tables on the opposite side of the ground which was outside of the perimeter fence and up the hill. Some teenagers had nabbed those spots and saved themselves the entry fee.
Atzeneta were in the play-off spots, with visitors Acero in mid-table. The hosts went a goal up after a quarter of an hour with a shot from outside the box and preserved their single goal advantage until the break. I got myself some sort of mini pasty that seemed to be filled with tuna and tomato. It was ok, I suppose, on the basis that by ordering blindly it could have been a lot worse.
The home side quickly added two more goals after the restart and before the sun dropped behind the mountain knocking around ten degrees off the temperature. Acero pulled on back just after the hour, then had a ‘goal’ disallowed before missing a simple chance. At that point it could easily have been three-each.
The game was effectively over when the Acero keeper saw red for a deliberate handball. With no subs remaining an outfield player took his sweaty top and promptly conceded a tap-in for a final score of four-one.
Trail of the Lion King 