The match, arranged by Bury Rangers Vets Club Secretary, Gary Palmer, took place 27th April at Vfl Wiitekind Wildeshausen Stadium, with players from Hertford’s Bury Rangers FC’s Vets team making the journey to play against their German counterparts. Vfl Wittekind fielding their Under 40 team meant that some home players were nearly twenty years younger than their Bury Rangers FC counterparts, giving them a slight advantage.

Working with the Hertford Friends of Wildeshasuen committee and Wildeshausen Friends of Hertford, along with Wildeshausen Mayor’s representative ‘Birte Hogeback,’ players from both teams battled for 90 mins, with Bury FC going one goal up first with a well taken goal by Andy Eglin.

Wittekind fought back, scoring two goals after exploiting space and using their pace to create shooting opportunities, with a well taken free kick just before half time curling beyond the Bury wall and into the bottom corner of the goal.

A strong second half display saw Bury Rangers FC grow into the game and dominate both possession and chances with a number of goal line clearances denying Bury the opportunity to get back on level terms before the final whistle.

A penalty shootout, pre-arranged by Wittekind, brought all players into the centre circle for an exciting finale to the day’s proceedings, with Bury victorious 15-14 with goalkeeper Craig Leverett saving a home penalty along with scoring the winner.

The Bury Rangers FC team comprised of Craig Leverett, Gary Palmer, Matt Locke, Jason Levy, Phil Spears, John Stuart, Dave O’Connor, Matt Moring, Danny Bishop, Scott Lenik ,Jamie Southwell, Andy Eglin, Billy Thompson, Dicky Cooper and Lee Marshall.

Discussing the game, Jason Levy, Chariman, Bury Rangers FC, said: “Bury Rangers FC would like to say a special thank you to David Kirby of the Hertford Friends of Wildeshausen committee and Mayor Jens Kuraschinski, Wiildenhausen Town representative, Birte Hogeback and of course our opponents and new friends at VfL Wittekind e.V particularly Matthias Ruhle.”

A rematch with Vfl Wittekind travelling over to Hertford to play Bury Rangers FC at home is being organised for later in 2019, along with the ongoing development of future relationships with all age groups across Bury Rangers FC’s boys and girls football teams, with plans for continued annual exchange tours between both clubs and towns.