Hardy(T)'s World Soccer Diary

17/7/96, Newtown, Wales.
UEFA Cup Preliminary Round, 1st Leg.

Newtown 1 (Brown)
FC Skonto Riga 4 (Astafyev 2, Lobanyov 2)
Att: 2,000 at Latham Park, Newtown.

 

History in the making in sleepy mid-Wales as Newtown staged its first ever UEFA Cup tie. Local volunteers had worked flat out to ensure that picturesque Latham Park was ready for the big night, and it was a credit to them that UEFA had not switched the match to Wrexham. All police leave had been cancelled (the County Times reported that "up to 30" officers would be on duty), hotels in the town were fully booked and the local press was at fever pitch (the County Times ran an invaluable "12 things you didn't know about Latvia" article which recommended that Newtown fans travelling to Riga for the away leg try the local brew, Black Balsam: "thick, black, alcoholic...and just 15p a pint"). Arriving on matchday, I myself had to track down the club chairman, the helpful Mr. Keith Harding, in the social club bar in order to pick up a match ticket.

 

Come 7pm, a boisterous and partisan (apart from the 50 or so Latvians in the Swansea Gate "stand") crowd had shoehorned itself into Latham Park and the game was under way. The Latvian side dominated the first half, although the Welsh defended with much determination, and it wasn't until ten minutes before half time that the unfortunate Michael Barton allowed a harmless shot from Vitaly Astafyev to bobble over his prostrate body.

 

It was the same pattern in the second half, as the visitors pressed forward once more. The Robins bravely stood their ground until the floodgates opened 20 minutes from time. Astafyev added another and a late double from Valentin Lobanyov made it 4-0, which wouldn't have been an unfair result. A consolation goal in the last minute from former Shrewsbury player Romily Brown - now working in a local windows workshop - salvaged some pride for the home side.

 

The 50 or so travelling Latvians go home happy

 

The post-match discussions in the excellent Sportsmans Bar revolved not so much around the ultimately disappointing result, but more around what a marvellous and historic occasion it had been for the football community of mid-Wales. And to be fair, everyone involved with the Robins had done their team and town proud on this long summer night.

---

Read more of my adventures in Hardy(T)'s World Soccer Diary, or return to the main Round the World page.