MAZARRÓN FC v JUMILLA CD

SANCTIONS AND SUSPENSIONS

Both side, besides injuries, should be at full strength for Sunday's game as neither have any sanctions or suspensions

FINAL SCORE

MAZARRÓN FC 0 CD JUMILLA 1

I still wonder how this game ever went ahead as after a day of torrential rain and continuous heavy downpours throughout the game the pitch was, in places, literally under water, the players couldn't keep their feet and the ball often stuck in the mud. Let's be straight, this playing surface was dangerous and made the game a lottery.

Mazarrón start well with Andreo having a shot in the first minute which was parried away. Meanwhile Jimmy over ran ball when it stuck in a puddle when bearing down on goal.

On 9 minutes lovely ball by Raso, who was a tower in the Mazarrón back line, played in Jimmy but he went for power over placement and missed to left of the upright.

Shortly afterwards Andreo laid the ball off to Chino on the wing an excellent strike flew just wide of the left upright.

Mazarróns best chance of the first half came from a lovely ball out of defence by Juan Andreo to Chino and it took a finger tip save from the Jumilla keeper to keep it out of the net

A certain goal was denied to Mazarrón three minutes late when a peach of a ball put Chino in but again the excellent Jumilla keeper dived to saved his well struck shot.

It took until the 28th minute for Jumillas first shot which was from distance Pablo, in the Mazarrón goal collected the ball hitting it straight up other end to Raul but his attempted lob over the Jumilla keeper was saved.

To give an example as to the state of the pitch Raul received the ball, turned and his shot beat the keeper but not the mud as the ball stuck a foot from the line and was gratefully collected by the goal minder, on another day it would have rolled into the net.

Then came the sucker punch

On 33 minutes Jumilla were awarded a disputed throw in level with the penalty area. The throw was quickly taken and there appeared to be no danger but the player receiving the ball hit it on the volley from fully 25 yards into the top right hand corner of the Mazarrón net. I feel that Pablo could have done much better but he stayed rooted to the spot believing it was going wide, WRONG, he could and should have done better. 0-1

Normal service was then resumed with the home team pressing and almost brought it level in the 40th minute from a Chino free kick which sailed just to left of post

Jumilla were now reduced to playing on the break but almost doubled their lead a minute later but the shot from just outside of the box just went wide right.

Half time

If the first half was all Mazarrón the second was an even contest with both side playing good football despite the pitch cutting up. Two minutes after the restart Jimmy brought a fingertip save from the Jumilla keeper but shortly afterward Mazarrón should have been awarded a spot kick when there was a blatant handball as a visiting defender used his hand to prevent an Andreo cross. The ref didn't see the hand ball but did award a corner as it came off the Jumilla defender!

On 60 minutes it was Mazarrón who had a let off when a well struck free kick came back off the wall only to fall to a Jumilla forward but he blasted his shot against the post.

Mazarrón make two quick substitutions to shake things up with Jimmy and Raul leaving the action to be replaced by Ruben and Cesar respectively and they did make a difference especially Cesar.

It was then the turn of Jumilla to suffer due to the atrocious pitch, Mazarrón were caught short at the back as they pressed forward and Pablo saw a Jumilla forward bearing down on his goal. Pablo went to ground to early and the forward dribble passed him but as he pulled the trigger the ball stuck in the mud and his resultant miss kick went wide of the empty net.

Young Mazarrón striker, Jose, replaced Koko as a last throw of the dice and it almost paid off as the young lad created an opportunity for Boudia as the ball bobbled around the Jumilla goal line but he fluffed his lines as from a couple foot from the goal line he managed to hit the post instead of scoring.

And that was it. A defeat for Mazarrón in a game that should not have even started as it was a lottery with both sides unable to keep their feet and at times this lead to dangerous situations were players were lucky not to be injured during sliding tackles.

Mazarrón team

Pablo, Raul Torrano, Chino, Marcos, Juan Andreo, Raso, Boudia, Raul (Cesar), Koko (Jose), Jimmy (Ruben). Andreo,

Man of the match: Juan Andreo