FC Kray secured an important victory after nine games without a win. Coach Dimitrios Pappas is relieved and looks ahead to the last three games before Christmas.

With a narrow but deserved 3-2 win against bottom-of-the-table Rhenania Bottrop, FC Kray achieved an important breakthrough in the Landesliga Niederrhein 2. The three points moved coach Dimitrios Pappas’ team up to 13th place in the table, putting them above the relegation zone ahead of the weekend break.

Pappas was very satisfied with most of the game. However, there were one or two situations that bothered him. These were mainly the first goal conceded and the last ten minutes that followed.

“We took a 3-0 lead and then something happened that shouldn’t have happened: a careless misplaced pass because we were desperate to get the ball out of the back,” reported the FC coach, adding: “The last ten minutes reminded us of times when we were still learning. But the three points are what count. We want to get away from the relegation zone, and we’ve managed to do that for now.”

And that was an important step, especially at home against the bottom team in the table. For Pappas, the victory was a must, but by no means a foregone conclusion, especially against the backdrop of nine games without a win. “If we had lost against the bottom team, we would have had more to worry about. But it could have gone very differently; Mülheimer FC were bottom of the table when we lost against them,” said the Kray coach.

Before the somewhat longer break until the next competitive game, the three points should improve the mood at Kray. The coach agrees, hoping for a positive effect on his team: “We have a young squad, so this victory is good for the boys’ morale.”

For the remaining matches before the winter break, Essen is focusing primarily on the home game against PSV Wesel-Lackhausen. This match is framed by away games against the current leaders, VfB Bottrop and ESC Rellinghausen.

“We’re focusing more on Lackhausen so that we can achieve a good result there. Everything else is a bonus. Of course, we also want to annoy the other two a little. If it works, it works; if not, it’s no big deal. No one is counting on us,“ says Pappas, looking ahead and making it clear: ”We have a clear goal, and that is to stay in the league.”