narrow defeat against Düren
In front of 3,448 spectators at the Stadion Am Stadtpark, a very varied game developed in the first half, as the Düren players were able to repeatedly counterattack from a tight defence. Although the Werkself took the lead through Karl-Heinz Spikofski on two minutes, they were forced to concede an equaliser just seven minutes later. Paul Wiorek restored the lead after 18 minutes, but the visitors struck twice more before the break - Bayer 04 went into the interval with a surprising deficit.
In the second half, it is one-way traffic. The Werkself repeatedly create great scoring opportunities, but the strikers either fail to score because of the post, crossbar or the opposing goalkeeper, or they miss the target. No more goals were scored by the end of the game. This 3-2 defeat did not set the Werkself back, as the two direct rivals from Bergisch Gladbach and Rapid Köln also lost their games, meaning Bayer 04 remained two points clear at the top of the table.
big support at the Sportpark Höhenberg
The Werkself's next match is against direct rivals Rapid Köln. The Rapid team's home ground is the Sportpark Höhenberg. Accompanied by almost 3,000 Werkself fans, who make the journey to Mülheim by all possible means of transport, Bayer 04 want to maintain their two-point lead and, at best, even extend it with a win. As the Werkself players enter the pitch, they are greeted by large black and red flags, small pennants, trumpets, cowbells and vociferous support.
In front of a crowd of 8,000, the score was 0-0 at half-time, although Bayer 04, led by director Richard Job, played for the win right from the start. But the visitors missed a lot of chances to score. It was not until the second half that Karl-Heinz Spikofski netted the opener on 48 minutes. When Hans Flohr increased the lead to 2-0 eleven minutes later, the Bayer 04 supporters celebrated wildly. There was more excitement when the Cologne team reduced the deficit at 2-1 with a rather dubious penalty in the 80th minute, but the Werkself held on to their lead and kept a direct rival at bay. After the final whistle, hundreds of Bayer 04 fans stormed the pitch and carried their heroes off the pitch.
On matchday 18, TSG Vohwinkel 80, unbeaten in eleven games, come to the Stadtpark. The Bayer ground is very well filled with 4,000 spectators, who do not regret coming. The Werkself had to muster all their strength to overcome their opponents. The goals only came in the second half. Team captain Hans Frömmel scored one of his rare goals for Bayer 04 after a free-kick from Richard Job in the 52nd minute. Half an hour later, Karl-Heinz Spikofski set centre-forward Emil Becks free to score the decisive and, for to the relief of everyone, goal at 2-0. Vohwinkel only managed to pull a goal back on 89 minutes. And with Bergisch Gladbach also winning their game, everyone is looking forward to next Sunday, when they face SV Bergisch Gladbach 09, who are two points behind Bayer 04 in second place.
thriller against Gladbach
The Gladbacher Platz Am Kradepohl has rarely seen such a crowd. 8,000 football fans cheer on their respective teams with drums, kettledrums and trumpets. And the events escalate dramatically. As early as the 16th minute, half-back Karl-Heinz Spikofski breaks through on the right and pulls the ball sharply to the edge of the penalty area, where wide right Hans Frömmel scores his second goal in a fortnight. This lead lasted a quarter of an hour before the 09ers equalised. Bayer 04 keeper Helmut Rennen was able to save a penalty, which was awarded due to a handball by Karl-Heinz Spikofski, but conceded with the rebound. Bergisch Gladbach edged it up to half-time, but the score remained 1-1.
After the restart, the Werkself got straight into the game. On 55 minutes, Richard Job converted a penalty, but Gladbach equalised just one minute later. The tension grows and with it the general nervousness, which unfortunately also leads to some unsportsmanlike behaviour. A player from Bergisch Gladbach is sent off after an unsavoury incident. Bayer 04 centre-forward Emil Becks is also unable to control himself and follows the Gladbach player into the dressing room a few minutes later. A solo effort from Paul Wiorek then gave Bayer 04 the much-acclaimed 3-2 lead again in the 68th minute. The last twenty minutes belonged to the Werkself, whose passing machine was running. The hosts can thank their keeper for maintaining the scoreline until the end. Bayer 04 remain top of the Second Oberliga West table at the end of January with a four-point lead.
