Wednesday’s match, which started at 4pm, confirmed that the Stal players were this season’s most serious candidates for the Polish championship title. And in this match, after an earlier, first away victory in Zabrze (19.10.1974, Górnik – Stal 1-2), the Miners’ eleven were victorious for the second time in their history, this time in their own stadium. The meeting was extremely exciting and kept the fans in suspense until the last seconds. Our team was severely weakened, as coach Zientara could not use as many as four key players: Karas and the injured Bielewicz, Kosinski and Rześny in Łódź. The defensive line in particular was completely reorganised. Mirek Tryba, delegated to cover for Szarmach, was the standout link in his team, and debutant Wojciech Niemiec also gave a good performance. In the stopper position, this time our team captain Kasperczak played.
It started with a strong strike for the Blue and Whites, as already in the 1st minute Grzegorz Lato entered the scoring list, finishing with an accurate header from Sekulski’s left-hand side. Seven minutes later, Krawczyk had a good opportunity to increase the score, but missed badly. Less than a minute later, after a quick counter-attack from Hutka, Andrzej Szarmach’s precise strike from the penalty area led to a draw. Later in this part of the game, the visitors were limited to counter-attacks (shots by Szarmach in the 15th and Gzil in the 24th minute). Also the Mielec players’ finishes (Lato in the 19th, Tryba’s header in the 37th and Per in the 43rd minute) missed the target.
After the break, Włodzimierz Gąsior took the place of the indisposed Kasperczak, and it was from the right-hand side where he operated that Stal struck the killer blow. The decisive action was initiated in the 54th minute by Gąsior. He played the ball to Domarski, who passed it back to Gąsior, who without thinking much about it, banged it straight into the top corner of the goal. sekulski also had an opportunity 300 seconds later, but made nothing and, in the 71st minute, the same player blasted over the crossbar. The remaining time until the end of the meeting was marked by a big revival in the Górnik team, which carried out as many as five actions from which it could lead to an equaliser (2 times Szołtysik, Gorgoń, Gzil and Szarmach). Our team occupied 3rd place in the table after this game (26 points), with a loss of 3 points to leader Ruch. Before the end of the season, our fans were pleased with the high form of Grzegorz Lata, as he was in practically every area of the pitch when the situation required it.
31.03.1976 – Mielec, 21st round 1st League, Stal Mielec – Górnik Zabrze 2-1 (1-1)
Referee: Jarguz (Olsztyn) Spectators: 10,000
Stal: Kukla – Oratowski, Kasperczak, Tryba, Per, Krawczyk (46 Gąsior), Niemiec, Hnatio, Lato, Domarski, Sekulski Coach: E.Zientara
Górnik: Fischer – Kwaśny, Gorgoń, Wieczorek, Bindek, Szołtysik, Popowicz, Lazurowicz, Hutka (59 Kluger), Szarmach, Gzil Coach: A.Gajewski
Goals: Lato 1 (head), Gąsior 54 – Szarmach 8 min.
Steel’s league balances against Górnik at the two highest levels of the competition look as follows: in the Premier League the two teams faced each other 52 times (8 victories for Stali, 17 draws, 27 defeats; goals: 43-84), in the 1st League (second level of the competition) they competed 2 times (1 draw, 1 defeat, goals: 2-3). There were two duels in the Polish Cup (2 defeats, goals: 1-5).
Leszek Śledziona
