Hinna 5 Buoy 2

Norwegian Fourth Division, Rogaland One, Thursday 29th June 2018

My penultimate game in Scandinavia saw me at a Norwegian Fourth Division match from Rogaland and it pitted Hinna against Buoy.

Hosts Hinna had started the season with just five points from eight games but a recent turnaround in form saw the hosts unbeaten in six with four wins in that run although they were still only a point ahead of the bottom three. 

Visitors Buoy sat just below Hinna but werent in such form as their opponents and after three straight defeats, with the last two being heavy home losses, the form book suggested a home win.

After a fairly quiet opening few minutes the hosts broke the deadlock on ten minutes as a cross was missed by defender and saw the hosts nod home at near post despite the keepers best efforts to keep it out, which he probably should of done if truth be told.

His and Buoy's mood got no better three minutes later when it was two for the hosts as a shot from outside the box was poorly parried by the keeper straight into the path of a hosts attacker who duly tapped home the rebound as easy as you like.

Hinna could of added two more before the half hour mark although the visitors were competitive but had failed to really threaten the hosts goal. 

Shortly after the half hour mark the visitors flashed a great ball across the six yard box in what was their best attacking moment so the match but just a couple of minutes later the hosts made it three with a brilliant turn and strike into the roof of the net.

And it looked bleak for the visitors when ten minutes before the break Hinna added another, just walking through a static defence and forcing the ball between the keepers legs and see the ball just trickles in, another one were the keeper probably should of done better if truth be told.

The visitors though kept going despite the 4-0 scoreline and seven minutes before the break grabbed a goal back when a free kick swung in saw the ball glance off a home defender and into the far corner for an own goal.

The hosts then almost restored their four goal cushion when a free kick thumped off the bar and then moments later saw a close range header saved, whilst the visitors headed over good chance late on in the half, a half which ended 4-1 to Hinna.

The visitors knew a second goal back could put doubts in the hosts mind and eight minutes into it saw a terrific run down the wing resulting in a cross which was headed home into far corner, and you felt it could be game on now.

And the visitors twice should of made it 4-3 but were thwarted by the hosts keeper and defence, before the visiting keeper produced a decent save at the other end to prevent a fifth for Hinna. The hosts were looking nervous now though.

Hinna's nerves were not to be helped midway through the half when their full back received a straight red which can only be described as a shocker of a decision. The full back and a winger were battling for the ball and the full back cleared the ball perfectly on the slide but the winger tried to leave his mark on the defender but ended up getting badly injured in the process.

However the referee decided to show the full back a straight red to his utter disbelief and it's got to be one of the worst red card decisions I've ever seen. It also meant the hosts would have to play the final quarter of the contest a man light.

Prior to that red card the hosts should of made it five but saw an effort cleared off the line, and this together with the sending off meant an interesting finale was possible. 

However this never really materialised and two minutes into stoppage time saw the hosts awarded a penalty after the keeper had brought down an opponent and the penalty was despatched and saw Hinna finally seal the points it what had been a far from easy win despite the scoreline suggesting it had been.

So the hosts took a battling win and made it five wins in seven and unbeaten in seven too, climbing up three places to seventh, whilst Buoy dropped into the bottom three after their fourth straight loss.