Sunday, away trip to Olten! After the positive start to the season which saw “Les Grenat” sitting top of the table Sunday morning, this remained a match of great importance. Short of numbers, away to Olten, suspect refereeing, a scenario we know all to well, but yet one that seems to continually create a mental block, could we finally push past this?

Positive start from Servette as has been the case so far this season, three at the back a packed midfield two up front and chances for both Gareth and Loïc but not the breaks we were hoping for, the luck maybe not with us. Despite a crowded midfield with many Servette bodies Olten find to much ease in penetrating with long balls, channels left unguarded and pressure mounting. Trouble finally arrived, PC for Olten, save by Julien deflected onto FLH, ball clearly going wide, discussion between the umpires only one possible outcome of course, STROKE!! 1-0!!

Not important, we have seen this before, but old doubts and frustrations return, decisions go against us, the leniency afforded Olten by the Umpires is not equally shared and Pascal finds himself disciplined, harshly, ten minutes at ten men. Moments later a direct ball eludes Julien the rebound falls unkindly, 2-0! Half time can’t come soon enough, heads aren’t right, Servette is leaking water and badly, we need to regroup!

In the Changing room, calm, frank looks, strong words. There are no problems just solutions this situation can be redeemed, has to be.

The Start of the second half, still at ten men and minds still not right, we concede a PC early, a sloppy push a crowded D and a lot of luck and the scoreboard reads 3-0. The road from here is long and sadly for Servette to long, some more poor umpiring compounds events a second Stroke and its 4-0 and game over. Whilst Servette continued and saw chances fall for us, the writing was on the wall, technically mentally and physically we were short on the day, no excuses just regrets and whilst we may bemoan the standard of umpiring this is not new and ultimately had little effect on the performance.

To quote a world cup winning coach "winning does not happen in straight lines" there are always bad days like these that are hard to explain, it is something we as a group have to live with, learn from and try with all our endeavours to not experience again.

Patrick Montalbetti