Our Steel was already feeling the first symptoms of crisis this season, caused by the political changes in our country and the consequent restrictions on funding from its parent patron, WSK. After 22 league queues, we were only fourth from last (18 points), while the hosts had half as many.
However, it was the locals who, as coach Włodzimierz Gąsior mentioned in his post-match comments (the undersigned and his colleague Grzegorz watched it live from the local Gwardia stadium, where Jagiellonia were playing at the time), completely dominated the blue-and-white team during the first half hour of the game. Already in the 10th minute of the duel played on Easter Saturday, the speeding Jarosław Bartnowski, having played around three of our players, sent the ball with a lob into the window of Wojdyga’s goal. Six minutes later, Mielanie repaid the favor with an inaccurate strike from a free kick by Śliwowski. In the 23rd minute, our goalkeeper saved his team from losing the second goal, when he deflected a shot from Janusz Szugzda’s goal with his fingertips. Our goalkeeper played a good game and it was to his credit that we only lost one more goal a minute later. He deflected the ball after Gierejkiewicz’s head strike, but the ball bounced off Gruszecki’s feet and into Tomasz Giedrojcia’s net. Fortunately, the Steelers were able to shake off their rival’s advantage (Tyburski’s change to Tomanek also helped) and by the break they had scored a contact goal, recorded in the 34th minute. After a quick counter-attack from the wing, Rafal Ruta crossed hard into the penalty area and the retreating local striker Zbigniew Szugzda drove it into his own goal.
After the break, less than four minutes later, the scoreboard read 2-2 as Adam Fedoruk jumped to the ball, which was whipped hard into the penalty area, and with an impressive header sent it into the Białystok net. The visitors continued to attack, Dariusz Zagorski had two opportunities (57th minute – a missed header and 58th minute – a shot straight at the goalkeeper), while Jagiellonia began to suffer from lack of fitness. Jaga retaliated in this period of the game only with an off-target hit by Ambroje from 5 metres.
14.04.1990 – Białystok, 23rd round of the 1st league, Jagiellonia Białystok – FKS PZL-Stal Mielec 2-2 (2-1)
Referee: Zelazko (Warsaw) Spectators: 3.700
Jagiellonia: Karwat – Kulesza, Gierejkiewicz (ż), Cylwik, Z.Szugzda (54 Zajączkowski), Romaniuk, Ambrożej, Bartnowski, Prabucki (61 Witkowski), J.Szugzda, Giedrojć Coach: M.Mojsiuszko
Stal: Wojdyga – Porębny, Czachowski, Tyburski (32 Tomanek), Fedoruk, Łętocha, Gruszecki, Ruta, Tułacz (75 P.Stopa), Śliwowski, Zagórski Coach: W.Gąsior
Goals: Bartnowski 10, Giedrojć 24 – Z.Szugzda 34-sam, Fedoruk 49 g min.
To sum up, the balance of all 13 (home and away) extra-class duels between Stala and Jaga is in favour of our team – 5 wins for Stala, 5 draws, 3 defeats. The goal ratio is 23-19 for FKS. Second league struggles are 4 matches (2 wins for Stal, 1 draw, 1 defeat; goals ratio 4-3). In the only Polish Cup match, Stal won 2-0.
Leszek Śledziona
