SML Arnhem
Sportpark De Bakenberg
Kemperbergerweg 11b
6816 RM Arnhem
Netherlands
+31 26 848 6344
Ground Number: 1119
Sunday 9th October 2022
SML Arnhem 2-1 VDZ Arnhem
Derde Klass Zondag Oost B
SML ARNHEM - A BRIEF HISTORY
The club was established in 1911, the SML in their name translates as 'Sport Maakt Lenig' which translates roughly as 'Sport Makes Agile'. Their main team plays in the Derde Klasse Zondag Oost B - the Third Class Amateurs Sunday East. This is the 8th tier of Dutch Football. The club consists of 5 senior teams (4 on Sunday and 1 on Saturday), 14 junior teams, 25 school teams and the minis. It has a partnership with local giant Vitesse Arnhem. SML played its first match against Vitesse in November 1939, the game ended 4-4. In 2011, the club celebrated its 100th anniversary. To mark the occasion, a match was played against Vitesse with a large number of players from the first team, such as Wilfried Bony and Marco van Ginkel. SML won 3-2 on their home ground. The clubs' most successful period was in the 1960s and 1970s. During that time, they were in the top two divisions of Amateur Football. 1966 saw them finish 5th in the Eerde Klasse 1B, the best finish to date. Most of the 90s were lean times with them spending six seasons in the Vierde (4th) Klasse. The last decade has seen fortunes vary. 2015 & 2016 saw them drop down to the Vierde Klasse, and then by 2018, they were promoted to the Tweede Klasse. This was only for a single season and they've been in the Derde Klasse since.
MY VISIT
Once again, my first game on Sunday was decided by my evening game, this time at Vitesse Arnhem. This time, it was Vitesse Arnhem and it was the easiest ticket to book of the lot. A great value hotel in the centre was also booked for £48. In fact, the trip had worked out reasonable value, albeit I might have done things differently, such as looking into the overnight ferry from Harwich. The flights were initially a bargain £36 although an early start and £49 parking. I also opted to check in early for the reassurance of printing my boarding pass at home and this set me back another £7 for an aisle seat. Though as it turned out I could have completed my check-in online and got the pass in the app as it wasn't accepting my passport expiry date in the app. Probably deliberately knowing Ryanair. Overall though, I was happy with the deal that I'd got and was glad to be on my second foreign trip in little over a month.
It had been a rotten night's sleep, but surprisingly, I didn't feel tired, I'd been forced to sleep in the hotel porch as someone, another guest, had locked the door from the inside despite being told not to. I wasn't too chuffed with the hotel though, as they shouldn't be allowing it to happen. At least I was inside, but I eventually got into my room at 8. I was also dehydrated due to the lack of places open and so breakfast and lots of juice were a priority. At least I was able to get my bag I dropped with them and also charge my devices as that was my main concern. I had not yet paid for my hotel and did not intend on doing so and so I just left my key and went off on my way around 10:40. It was around an hour to the station with stops. I got a vitamin drink as well as my ticket, the fare a reasonable €4.
I was in Arnhem pretty swiftly, around 12.15. A bar and something to eat would be my first choice. However, time was tight and I had to make do with Lidl. Their bakery was decent and I had a cheese straw, a coconut macaroon, a pretzel, two hard seltzer and a big bottle of flavoured water. It was then a fair walk to the ground, around 45 minutes and I was there by 1.20. Entry was a well priced €4 and I had a look around before taking a seat in the stand. It was a real family crowd and once loads of noisy kids filled the stand, I decided to move to the other side. To be fair to them, they gave their team good support throughout the afternoon.
The two clubs were located in Arnhem, just over a couple of kilometres from each other. SML were 10th, whilst VDZ were 7th. The hosts had drawn 1-1 against HC '03 on opening day but had lost 3-2 at FVO last week. The visitors meanwhile had suffered a 3-0 defeat at SC Westervoort before recovering to beat Pax 5-2. Both sides had good periods and came close to scoring in the opening half-hour. SML took the lead on 35 minutes, Krijn Meeuwsen poking home from a close-range move. VDZ put on the pressure during the second half, equalising in the 55th minute. It was a curling Cross from the left, prodded home from within the six-yard box. The visitors missed a gilt-edged opportunity from a similar position on 69 minutes, putting the ball over. SML took the lead on 89 minutes, a great shot by Fatih Spenkel from the edge of the area that found the top right-hand corner. That was how it stayed, much to the delight of the large home crowd which numbered around 400.
THE GROUND
SPORTPARK DE BAKENBERG seems to be a good setup for the level and a community setup as much as anything. There are several pitches and other facilities for players. The main pitch has a covered stand, holding around 300. There's also plenty of open hard-standing and various benches. The decent-sized bar offers food and drink and is decorated in club colours. There's plenty of parking and buses run nearby but there wasn't much around the ground aside from housing and forests.
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