UCAM MURCIA CF v MAZARRÓN FC

NEXT AWAY GAME

IT’S MID WEEK, IT’S AN EARLY KICKOFF, IT’S A BANK HOLIDAY AND IT’S FATHERS DAY

TERCERA DIVISION GRUPO XIII - game 32

TUESDAY 19/03/2019 KICKOFF 12:00

TO BE PLAYED AT THE CIUDAD DEPORTIVA GOMEZ MESEGUER (Cesped)

UCAM MURCIA C.F. "B" v MAZARRON F.C.

So it’s a mid week game with an early kickoff for our next trip on the road. The mid week fixture is necessary due to the number of teams in our league and the timing is down to the Father’s Day bank holiday on Tuesday but strangely they also have the Monday off as well 🤔

This game is well timed so the lads can reflect on their performance the previous Saturday against Lorca FC. During that game Mazarrón FC were on the back foot going behind on the stroke of half time. Mazarrón pulled it level through a penalty but as they say that you are most vulnerable after you have just scored as Lorca went down the other end to re establish their lead one minute later which they increased in the 89th minute with the game finishing Mazarrón FC 1 v Lorca 3

Meanwhile our opponents faced Ciudad De Murcia who started the match licking their wounds from a 6-0 pasting the previous week by Lorca FC. In the end it was a 0-0 draw which taking into consideration the relative positions both teams currently hold in the league this was definitely a point gained for Ciudad de Murcia and two dropped by Murcia.

THE LAST TIME THAT WE PLAYED (and it wasn’t pretty)

MAZARRON FC 0 - UCAM MURCIA "B" 2 (31.10.2018)

Mazarron's unbeaten home run came to an end when they were beaten 2-0 at home by UCAM Murcia who started the game second in the league.

Mazarron started the better of the two teams. Salva Ballesta and Jose Da linked well to provide Andreo with a half-chance but his shot was blocked.

As Mazarron continued to dominate a superb through ball by Heredia found Basi who despite a surging run forward was unable to get his final shot away and the danger was cleared. Against the run of play, the visitors took the lead after 13 minutes. What seemed a harmless free kick from the left was fumbled by Antonio Pena and Juan Matias gratefully tapped the ball home from two yards out.

Mazarron could have equalised minutes later when a Zurdo throw in was headed on to Basi at the near post and his clever flick rebounded back off the crossbar. Andreo then found himself in the visitor's six yard box but he turned back when a shot seemed a far better option and the chance was lost the half ended 1-0 to the visitors.

Mazarron continued to dominate play and excellent work by Basi saw Jose Da hitting a fierce shot from outside the penalty area which was well saved.

Basi showed his strength and appeared to be held back in the penalty area before hitting a shot just over the bar. The referee continued to keep his cards out of his pocket and sent off the UCAM right back after 66 minutes for his second yellow card. Mazarron's assistant coach Jose Luis was sent from the bench a minute later and Zurdo was booked on 70 minutes for what seemed an innocuous challenge for a ball that was going out of play.

Andreo made a surging run down the right and crossed the ball perfectly only to see Salva Ballesta blaze his shot well over the bar. As Mazarron surged forward in search of an equaliser, Chino was sent on in place of central defender Nacho and immediately played a one-two with Andreo only to see his dangerous cross cut out.

It was all Mazarron now as UCAM Murcia used every trick in the book to break up play, feigning injury at every tackle and making three substitutions in a period of six minutes. Mazarron players vainly appealed for a handball in the penalty area on 84 minutes. A minute later more good work by Basi saw Chino racing down the right and Salva Ballesta just failed to convert his cross at the far post.

Zurdo was sent off for a second yellow card and then it was Basi again who provided Salva Ballesta with yet another chance and this time his shot rebounded to safety off the far post. A succession of corners saw the whole team encamped in the UCAM penalty area and from one of these UCAM broke away to score their second goal with virtually the last kick of the game.

It was a really impressive performance by Mazarron against a team who had at the time not yet lost this season.

UCAM MURCIA

Our opponents played in the Trecera division last season and they finished in a creditable 10th place. Now sitting on the edge of the playoff positions they are obviously looking to improve on last year with the hopes of promotion.

Our opponents play in an all blue strip so expect to see Mazarrón FC in red.

UCAM Murcia normally play in Sangonera De Verde but their home ground is not available for this game so have moved it to FC Cartagenas training ground next to the Mediterraneo shopping center in Cartagena. There are two artificial pitches and a natural grass ground within the complex, all pitches have seating of some sorts and there is a decent canteen on site where toilets are available.

Direction to the ground are from Camposol. Either take the AP 7 towards Cartagena until you reach the A30. Travel to Cartagena and turn off at the Mediterraneo shopping center and the pitches are on the left. Or take the RM3 from Camposol to the RM2 then onto the A30 travel towards Cartagena until you reach the Mediterraneo center.

CURRENTLY STATS

8th UCAM MURCIA P 31 W 13 D 12 L 6 GF 35 GA 27 Points 51
10th MAZARRÓN FC P 31 W 12 D 8 L 11 GF 37 GA 38 Points 44

SANCTIONS AND SUSPENSIONS

Details of any suspensions or sanctions will be posted on the Mazarrón forum as soon as we get them. Mazarrón had two booked on Saturday both in the last two minutes of the game, Diego and Peña, the latter was sat on the bench, we wait and see if either miss the mid week game.

AWAY SUPPORTERS COACH

The away supporters coach provided by Los Amigos will leave the lower Consum car park at 10.30am Tuesday morning and coach tickets available from the usual outlets.

Unfortunately it would appear I am not going to get adopted in time for tomorrow's game so I will have to take a ride to the Mediterranean with the boss. Any idea of tomorrow's admission price?

TODAY'S TEAM

1. CURZI, JUAN CRUZ (Juan Cruz)
2. MARTINEZ FONTA, JOSE MANUEL (Josema)
3. LOPEZ CARRASCO DIEGO JESUS (Gato)
4. CAMPOY PEREZ, ADRIAN (Adrian Campoy, capt.)
5. NICOLAS NICOLAS IGNACIO
6. ANDREO GOMEZ ANTONIO (Andreo)
7. BALLESTA NAVARRO, SALVADOR (Salva)
8. HEREDIA MARIN, JUAN FRANCISCO (Heredia)
9. VERA PARRA, JAIME IVAN (Jaime)
10. GOMEZ SANCHEZ, DIEGO (Diego)
11. GARCIA MARTINEZ, JAVIER

SUBS

12. GARCIA COCA, ALBERT(Alberto)
13. RAJA ROJO, DAVID (David)
14. UREÑA ESCUDERO, ALEJANDRO
15. SILVA MARTINEZ ADRIAN (Silva)
16. OLIVER SANTIAGO JOSE ANTONIO

No Basi, no Peña Young Jaime leadings the line and young David as second string keeper??🤔

No sanctions or suspensions for Mazarrón today

Somehow it went from 1-0 to 2-2!!!

More info to come.

A hard earned point sadly only marred by the yellow cards and Campoy's red and an unsavoury incident I witnessed involving 1 of our supporters and the oppositions bench which we may hear about in due course if we don't then Mazarrón are very lucky. With Diego limping off, he must be doubtful for Sunday and with Campoy suspended we will be down to the bare bones. This is even before we hear of any further injuries and suspensions. However on a positive note the young number 9 Jaime must surely keep his place on merit. He ran tirelessly putting defenders under pressure, was happy to tackle back and looked unfazed when up against clearly older and more experienced defenders. If this was his full debut then we'll done! I look forward to seeing him lead the line for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately he got man of the match and historically that means warming the bench the following week.

UCAM MURCIA 2 MAZARRON FC 2

Mazarron somehow rescued a point when all seemed lost with an injury time goal.

Mazarron were without five regular players through injury and regular goalkeeper Pena with work commitments. With no recognised striker available, free scoring juvenile striker Jaime made his first full appearance of the season.

There was little goalmouth action in the opening stages although Mazarron's reshaped team had a fair share of possession. It was 25 minutes before the first attempt on goal when Salva Ballesta's corner was headed over the bar by Adrian Campoy although the referee had blown for an infringement. The home team's first chance came when a free kick was only half cleared but Renato shot well over.

Mazarron took a deserved lead on 31 minutes when Salva Ballesta and Diego worked the ball well on the left and Salva hit a low shot into the far corner of the net. UCAM had another chance with a break down the right which ended when Renato again missed the target with a shot into the side netting.

Adrian Campoy was booked five minutes before the interval and then Randry burst down the left wing only to fire wide of the far post.

The second half began with the home team pushing forward in search of an equaliser and Juan Cruz in the Mazarron goal was called into action with a couple of routine saves. The game was constantly interrupted with a spate of fouls and players rolling around on the ground. The referee had to sharpen his pencil to cope with the amount of yellow cards he was handing out.

There seemed little danger for Mazarron and UCAM were restricted to a series of long shots from outside the area without presenting any real threat on the Mazarron goal. Jaime was working hard up front for Mazarron but things changed after 64 minutes. Coach Juanjo brought on central defended Alberto and took off the skilful and hard working Heredia in midfield moving Nacho out of the back four to replace him.

Minutes later Diego had to leave the field with an injury so Mazarron were now without both their creative midfield players. Diego was replaced by the highly rated Jose Antonio from the successful Cadetes team.

The Mazarron tactics were now to defend at all costs and it was a plan that was doomed to failure. Jaime was left alone up front and it was no surprise when UCAM equalised on 82 minutes. Alberto was penalised for a tackle in the area and Pablo made no mistake with the penalty kick.

Four minutes later the usually dependable Adrian Campoy made a rash challenge on the edge of the penalty area and received a second yellow card. The free kick was turned home at the near post by Daniel at the near post to give UCAM a lead they hardly deserved.

Mazarron at last decided that attack was the best form of defence and after good work by young Jose Antonio, Randry's excellent cross was fired home by right back Josema who had raced 50 yards to get into the goalmouth and score the equaliser deep into injury time.

Considering the absence of so many influential players it was a good result for Mazarron who ended a run of three successive defeats and the youngsters certainly did not let the team down.

Team: Juan Cruz; Josema; Gato; Adrian Campoy; Nacho; Andreo; Salva Ballesta; Heredia (Alberto); Jaime (Adrian); Diego (Jose Antonio); Randry

Man of the Match: Jaime