MARCOS MORALE BOOSTER SINKS CAMPELLO

Sport » Soccer » Santa Pola CF

Kevin Rendall / 2010-03-07 18:52:41

Goalscorer Marcos clashes with Chechu

SANTA POLA CF 1 - 0 CD EL CAMPELLO ...A well taken first half finish by midfielder Marcos extended Santa Pola’s unbeaten sequence to six and in the process earned his team three valuable points.

El Campello were never at the races in an opening period the home side dominated but could only muster a single goal where five or six would have been a more accurate representation of their superiority. The visitors clung on grimly before staging a rally of their own in an increasingly fractious second forty five minutes.

There was nothing wrong whatsoever with the Santa Pola supply line to forwards Paloma, Adriano and the excellent Pedro Miralles, each in turn had chance after chance to put the game beyond El Campello inside the first ten minutes. In the end, Marcos showed the profligate strikers how to do it by latching onto a through ball from Pedro to slip the ball past Campello goal-keeper Jordi a quarter of an hour in.

The early goal visibly settled the ‘Pola nerves and three times shortly after they could have added to the lead with moves that developed down their right flank. Monsa found Carlos Fernandez in the Campello box and the hard working American midfielder touched the ball just over, before a diving header by Adriano flew wide of Jordi’s right hand post.

For the majority of the half, Santa Pola’s back four were relegated to interested spectators, on the rare occasions Campello built attacks, full back Jon Ander and Chinche combined well to feel danger man Jon, every time though the attentive Julio denied the visitors best player.

A slip by Miguel Blasco deep in his own half almost gifted Chechu and undeserved equalizer, a brilliant recovery rescued his own mistake and a corner was the upshot. A stuttering Campello effort wasn’t helped when first choice forward Lucho limped off to be replaced by Lopez after only half an hour.

Santa Pola looked great value for the lead but really should have been out of sight at the break. Half time 1-0.

Very obviously Campello coach Jose Campillo must have had cross words with his charges or put something extra in their mid-match cuppas, because they looked a team transformed when play recommenced. The home defence was made to work much harder as the visitors edged the midfield skirmishes and created much more than previously.

A card less opening period soon gave way to various flashes of yellow as La Ribera referee Rodriguez Castello booked Carlos Fernandez for a nothing challenge on Chechu followed soon after by Campello’s frustrated striker Jon who felled Fernandez with a flailing arm.

Both sides traded substitutions, ‘Pola in an attempt to put daylight between them and their rivals and El Campello to try and grab a fortuitous point. With the tension rising, for Santa Pola a single goal is rarely sufficient, both sides were guilty of one or two stiff and unpunished challenges. Mario Fernandez was introduced up front for Santa Pola and immediately made a difference, holding the ball up well and twice setting up Paloma with intelligent flicks.

Attempting to run the clock down with the ball near the corner flag, the burly Californian was crudely scythed down by Caturla who was lucky to stay on the field. Eventually, just as it was getting dark, or so it seemed, Sr. Castello blew after what appeared an inordinate amount of additional time. Final score 1-0 and Santa Pola gained revenge for their first defeat of the season against today’s opposition back in October.