Sisaket: A Thai derby — Terrace Edition

Words: Rob Bernard

Images: Rob Bernard

Saturday 23rd September 2023 provided me with the opportunity to attend my first Sisaket derby match in the third tier of Thai football, between Sisaket Utd and Rasisalai Utd.

This level of the game in the Land of Smiles is regionalised, but still provides clubs with distances of over six hours on a team bus to an away game. I spent large chunks of my life in the countryside south of Sisaket, so I am quite familiar with both the sides, in what turned out to be a rip-roaring local derby on a quagmire of a pitch.

Heavy rain continued throughout the week in the rainy season before an absolute downpour dropped its clouds over the city an hour before the 5pm kick-off. Quite how the match remained goalless I’m not sure, but there was plenty of entertainment on show.

The hosts were generally on top, but the away side were resolute and very determined, with big defender Gideon Chuckwuma putting in an outstanding performance. Sisaket have replaced three Brazilians who blew hot and cold last season with a couple from the samba nation along with an Argentinian.

The front pairing of Danilo and Damian are beasts of men, with Matias Panigazzi just behind them being a general menace. Each club is allowed three overseas players in this tier, with some simply not bothering, owing to the costs incurred.

©Rob Bernard/ Terrace Edition. Sisaket Utd vs Rasisalai Utd.

An effort midway through the first half was somehow cleared off the line by a visiting defender whose slide was ended by a post and what looked like a part of his body that could have curtailed any chance of Saturday night romance.

After the interval, play became heated with lots of cards being handed out. I would have given Panigazzi a red for a horrible challenge raking down the Achilles of an opponent, which naturally exacerbated tensions.

I don’t think Glenn Gregory had the Sisaket Derby in mind back in Sheffield in the 80’s when he sang about no passion missing with Heaven 17, but it was an accurate description of this encounter.

Four minutes from time, Rasisalai were awarded a penalty after a scramble in the box, despite the ball ending in the net. The previous week, Natchanon Yongsakool scored, as well as missing from the spot. This time, keeper Adisak Lambelsah dived to his left to keep the kick out. To compound the misery for Natchanon, he was shown a second yellow card within a minute to receive his marching orders.

Honours even at full-time but a reminder that local derbies matter the world over.

The crowd got fully involved throughout, with the rare sight of the away section being opened at this level, even though it wasn’t strictly enforced. Rasisalai is a town around 35 miles away, but they haven’t a suitable venue, so they use the more modern arena, SAT Sisaket Stadium a mile or so down the road from where this game was played for their home matches.

The pitch, incidentally, at Sri Nakhon Lamduan Stadium wouldn’t even have merited an inspection in many other parts of the world. It would have been called off immediately, but they just get on with things out here. It did lead to an element of farce, but it also added to the entertainment.

After being dropped off by my wife, I took the minivan service into Sisaket, alighting for a Leffe style and then cherry fruit beer at Leo’s on Ubon Road. They have reopened in a new location after a two-year sabbatical owing to Covid and while looking to find new premises.

A pleasant, modern place, with a good menu, if on the expensive side, the Belgian influenced Hong Kong Garden, owned by an English expat, provided my more down to earth pie, chips, and gravy and some Laos Dark beer.

Then, a Grab took me to the game through the pouring rain, which meant the fan-zone in the cheaper of the two parts of the stadium had become very soggy.

Plenty of cheap snacks and beers were available, which could be taken into the stands. Admission into the cheaper uncovered section was 40 Baht, which is around 90p. It is 20 Baht more, round under the cover of the main stand.

The Sisaket hardcore fans group held some free prize draws but the weather put pay to the couple of dancing girls before the match, though they performed at the start of the second half up in the stand, which for obvious reasons distracted quite a few of the crowd.

I went home by Grab down dark narrow country lanes. My driver wondering where the mad westerner was directing him. At my destination, my good lady was waiting with a couple of fellas who did work on the house and who had just fitted a large TV outdoors under our canopy but couldn’t get it to work.

I’m sure seeing me and my limited skills while under heavy alcohol influence must have been entertaining judging by the sniggers behind my back.

Inevitably, I got everything working as soon as they departed. A late winner after all.