3.30pm 13 July 2025
Island Games, Group B
Gozo 0 Shetland 0, 4-3 on penalties (att 430) at Kirkwall Grammar School
After the earlier game at Firth I headed into Orkney's capital, Kirkwall, which is staging Island Games football on two grass pitches at Kirkwall Grammar School.
This match was on what the organisers call 'pitch two', otherwise known as Meadowbank and a regular home ground for local clubs Kirkwall Academicals and Kirkwall Hotspurs.
The venue was something of a magnet for supporters. A large crowd were watching Orkney's women's team on 'pitch one' while Shetland had a large following for their men's team.
They had a frustrating afternoon, although the warm weather and the welcoming atmosphere of what are dubbed - not without reason - the 'friendly games', will have made it more palatable.
There wasn't much between the teams, but Shetland created more chances, and looked much more likely to break the stalemate as the game went on. In the end though it finished goalless.
Drawn games are settled by a penalty shootout, which I think only comes into play if teams can't be separated in the group. With only three teams in group B, and the other being Jersey, Gozo's shootout win could yet be important.
The Meadowbank pitch is just a pitch, although a steep grass bank on one side is useful for watching the action and, on a hot afternoon, doing a spot of sunbathing. As at Firth earlier in the day, the organisation was excellent.
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