Sol y Futbol: Ten Men Defeated By Conquense

LANZAROTE 1 CONQUENSE 3

5th October 2009

The teams began the day with Conquense 5th from bottom and Lanzarote 2nd from bottom and both teams looked nervous in the opening minutes.

In the 7th minute the Lanzarote keeper failed to communicate with his centre back Faruk about the lack of danger as the ball was hoisted towards the edge of the box. Faruk decided to blast the ball away and mishit his clearance straight to Conquense’s striker Oscar Silva. The striker beat the defender and from the edge of the box shot low and the ball travelled tamely under keeper Floro to put his side into a 0-1 lead. The Lanzarote number one will be bitterly disappointed.

Lanzarote winger Toñito had a good effort blocked in the 16th minute but ten minutes later following another good run was tripped inside the area and a clear cut penalty decision was awarded. Surprisingly the man in black did not produce a red card as the Rojillos winger was clean through. The Lanzarote big man Rosmen stepped up and nervously stroked the ball towards the right hand corner but keeper Sebas read his moves and saved. The rebound fell to Ayoze Pérez and from three yards he managed to belt the ball high and over into the neighbouring car park.

Lanzarote were now dominant and great combination play from captain Vladamir and Toñito gave Rúben Rodriguez a chance from ten yards and the midfielder shot accurate but just failed with power as the visitors keeper again saved well.

In the 36th minute Toñito was brought down by two defenders on the edge of the area. Rúben Rodriguez curled the ball around the wall and saw his terrific effort rebound off the woodwork.

The game completely turned on its head two minutes from half time in a double disaster. An off the ball incident involving Lanzarote defender Santi Torres who was adjudged by the referee of elbowing his opponent. The ref awarded a penalty and gave the defender a red card. Conquense striker Santa Cruz demonstrated to the Lanzarote forward how a penalty should be taken by fiercely striking the ball into the left hand corner giving keeper Floro no chance and gave his side a shock 0-2 lead.

If you were to think things couldn’t get worse you would be wrong. Moments before half time a bizarre but fair challenge by two players giving 100 per cent, colliding foot to foot in a knee height challenge saw both somersault, leaving them flat out on the astro turf grasping for air. The Conquense midfielder rose after a couple of minutes but Lanzarote’s playmaker Jotha was still out for the count and stretchered off with a neck and foot injury.

The Lanzarote 10 men came out for the second half inspired. Manager Carmelo Hernández had brought on Englishman Ian Robinson and just
before the hour mark the Barnsley boy had a chance to reduce the deficit but unfortunately his effort from 10 yards was pushed away for a corner. From the resulting clearance from the corner sub José Manuel won the ball and unleashed a 25 yard missile into the bottom left hand corner and gave his side hope with the 1-2 score line.

The Rojillos can be proud of their fighting display but with temperatures in the mid 30´s and a man less, tiredness took its toll. In the 73rd minute a counter attack caught the Lanzarote defence off guard. A low cross to the near post was met by striker Martins inches ahead of the keeper and the Conquense forward chipped the grounded keeper guaranteeing his side three priceless away points and condemned the Rojillos to a morale battering six straight losses.

Nevertheless for entertainment value the game was a spectacle and a bargain at only 10€.

Next week Lanzarote travel to the only club lower than themselves in the league, Cacereño, in an already relegation six pointer