MAZARRON F.C. v F. C. CARTAGENA SAD "B"

NEXT HOME GAME (3 games to go)

TERCERA DIVISION GRUPO XIII - game 40

Sunday 05/05/2019 kickoff 11.00

To be played at the ESTADIO MUNICIPAL DE MAZARRON ‘Pedro Mendez Mendez’

MAZARRON F.C. v F. C. CARTAGENA SAD "B"

These games are coming thick and fast now as the season draws to a close and the next game is this coming Sunday when Mazarrón FC face FC Cartagena B for the second time this year and it’s an early kickoff.

WHAT HAPPENED ON WEDNESDAY?

Due to the many fixtures this season Mazarrón were on the road to near neighbours Aguilas on Wednesday night which was also a fiesta night for all in red shirts. The result of the game was a hard fought 1-1. Mazarrón took the lead but were quickly pegged back. Aguilas had a player sent off late on but Mazarrón couldn’t make the extra man count.
Why can we do it away against a side fighting for promotion but we stutter against sides struggling at the bottom? There were many team changes from last Sunday humiliating 0-2 home defeat and they seemed to have worked.

Meanwhile FC Cartagena were at home facing Ciudad De Murcia and that game finished up as 3-2 win for our next opponents in a match where both sides led with Cartagena nicking it after Ciudad De Murcia had equalised.

WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME WE PLAYED? and it wasn’t pretty

FC CARTAGENA "B" 4 v MAZARRON FC 1 (16.12.2018)

Mazarron's season continues to deteriorate after an embarrassing 4-1 away defeat at Cartagena, who started the game 17th in the league, saw them slip further down the league table to ninth.

After a quiet start the first chance of the game fell to Cartagena when a right wing corner was headed straight into the grateful hands of Antonio Pena. On 14 minutes a fierce left foot shot was just wide of Mazarron's goal and at the other end Mazarron's first attack saw Basi and Habib combine well only to see Habib's cross blocked.

It was the home team who continued to dominate and Pena had to make a smart diving save after 17 minutes before a dangerous left wing cross was headed against Mazarron's post. Mazarron's first shot on target came after 23 minutes when Salva Ballesta's shot from the edge of the area was comfortably saved.

On 32 minutes a dreadful free kick from Xavi went straight to a Cartagena player and the ball was transferred quickly upfield but, fortunately for Mazarron, the final shot was well over the bar. Despite being second best for much of the time, Mazarron should have taken the lead two minutes later. Basi broke down the right and cut inside before playing a perfect ball into the path of Habib who missed his kick completely in front of goal and the chance was lost.

Cartagena took the lead after 37 minutes when the referee awarded a penalty for a tackle by Gato on the edge of the penalty area which saw a Cartagena player fall inside the box. Mario Solano made no mistake from the spot despite Pena's despairing dive. Mazarron continued to waste dead ball situations with Salva this time the culprit with a free kick which sailed harmlessly into the Cartagena keepers' arms.

Mazarron equalised totally against the run of play in the 44th minute when a Cartagena defender was adjudged to have handled the ball to break up a move between Habib and Basi and Salva made no mistake from the penalty kick.

Cartagena opened the second half on the front foot with a fierce shot from the edge of the penalty area which hit the post and rebounded to safety. Mazarron replied with a Basi header which was saved but they were once again struggling to string two passes together and could not keep possession of the ball.

Time after time they were content to clear their lines with aimless long balls down the middle from defenders and goalkeeper Pena which only resulted in the opposition regaining immediate possession of the ball. Diego replaced Xavi after 64 minutes and at least showed that he could pass the ball in the short time he was on the field. Mazaron had a rare half chance on 65 minutes when Boudia headed the ball to Basi but his shot was too weak and easily saved. A minute later things went from bad to worse for Mazarron as a routine left wing cross saw two Mazarron defenders miss their kicks completely and the ball fell to Jose Antonio who made no mistake from close range.

Jose Da replaced right back Josema but Mario Solano scored his second and Cartagena's third goal after 73 minutes when a long ball out of defence caught the Mazarron defence hopelessly flat-footed and he shot into the far corner of the net.

Mazarron then brought on Chino for Gato meaning that both full backs had been replaced as they went in search of a second goal but apart from a shot from Basi which went wide and a Habib effort which was blocked they offered very little. It was Cartagena who scored again in the 84th minute when what seemed an innocuous left wing cross found its way into the far corner of the net to complete a miserable day for Mazarron.

The players and the manager seem to have lost their way with only two wins in the last nine games. The style of football is totally different to what we saw in the early part of the season and is not pretty to watch. Apart from Dani Barrelis who has left the club the players are the same but there is no apparent game plan and things need to improve quickly.

CURRENT STATS

9th MAZARRÓN FC P 39 W 14 D 12 L 13 GF 45 GA 45 Points 54
17th FC CARTAGENA P 39 W 9 D 14 L 16 GF 45 GA 53 Points 41

SANCTIONS AND SUSPENSIONS

It will be a quick turnaround for the sanctions and suspensions committee. We will be keeping an eye 👁 on the Federation site and will post their deliverance when we see the white smoke appear.

The cards flowed thick and fast on Wednesday night so it’s fingers crossed for Sunday 🤞🤞🤞🤞

SANCTIONS AND SUSPENSIONS 

Neither side has any additional suspensions or sanctions for Sunday’s game.

8 mins...

Oh dear.... 0-1

12 mins...it gets worse...

0-2

15 mins...0-3

24 mins...0-4

We didn't even get one goal this time!

Final score...0-4.

How embarrassing!

MAZARRON FC 0 CARTAGENA FC "B" 4

Mazarron gave one of the worst first half performances seen in many years when they conceded four goals in the first 25 minutes against a Cartagena side struggling to avoid relegation.

With the hard working midfielder Andreo inexplicably relegated to the substitutes bench Mazarron were completely overrun in midfield and the normally excellent defence was at sixes and sevens as the Cartagena players surged forward at will. Mazarron lost possession in their opponents half after eight minutes and the ball was quickly transferred downfield and Alberto stroked the ball home after playing a clever 1-2.

On 12 minutes a long ball caught Adrian Campoy flatfooted and Jose Antonio took advantage to fire a shot past the helpless Antonio Pena to make it 2-0. Things got even worse three minutes later when Mazarron conceded a needless free kick on the edge of the penalty area and Alberto scored his second goal direct from the free kick.

With Mazarron supporters urging Manager Juanjo to make changes Cartagena broke again down the right and a perfect cross into the centre saw Adrian racing in unmarked to make it 4-0. Juanjo immediately introduced Andreo in place of Xavi but it was too late, the damage was done.

Surprisingly no changes were made at half time as Manager Juanjo stuck to his rigid formation of playing one up with two players wide on the right, both of whom are always too far from the action to support the lone striker. Pedro Casado was having no impact on the game but young strikers Jaime and the experienced Borja remained on the bench.

Randry's mishit shot rebounded to Jose Da two minutes into the second half and his clever backheel almost caught the Cartagena keeper by surprise. Then Randry's cross found Jose Da whose overhead shot was well saved as Mazarron at last began to make some impression.

Diego then headed wide from six yards out before Jaime was finally introduced after an hour but the juveniles leading marksman was immediately banished to the right wing with Casado continuing down the middle. Cartagena were now looking less dangerous as the Mazarron defence began to get its act together and Jose Da shot over the bar after another pass from Randry.

Juanjo then made another strange decision bringing on defender Alejandro to replace striker Pedro Casado when surely he should have introduced the experienced Borja to partner Jaime and play the two down the middle with the team 4-0 down.

This tactical naivety has been a feature in recent months. The play is too stereotyped and there is no plan "B". Supporters have been surprised at a lot of the Manager's team selection decisions and the seeming inability to change tactics and formation when things are not going well. There has been only one win at home since 2nd December and had the team not had such an excellent start to the season, Mazarron could now be looking at a relegation battle themselves.

Team: Pena; Gato; Randry; Campoy; Nacho; Heredia; Jose Da; Xavi (Andreo); Pedro Casado (Alejandro); Diego (Jaime); Salva Ballesta.

Man of the Match: Andreo