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THE
ROAR may well have been heard sweeping
across the plain to the village
of Llosa de Ranes itself; the relief
was certainly felt from here to Timbuktu.
After almost six weeks of drought, C.D.
Javea not only managed to score a goal,
but also secured maximum points for
the first time in four games - and secure
their first double over an opponent
this season. And with peculiar results
being recorded around the league - the
4-0 defeat of Muro C.F. by struggling
UD Alginet being most notable - the
rojiblancos have moved back to
within five points of the promotion
play-off zone and the campaign is very
much back on.
In
stark contrast to the deluge the previous
week, the late-afternoon sun attracted
some 250 fans who would (eventually)
turn out to support the team. Javea
kicked off in confidence with OCHANDO
returning to the centre of defence after
a one-game suspension and DINO making
his debut on the right-wing after his
return to the club from Pego C.F. Of
particular interest was the performance
of the gangly Nigerian YOOUSSU in midfield
who attracted plenty of praise for his
foresight during the previous game against
U.D. Tavernes.
After
eight minutes the rojiblancos
had taken the lead. After some savage
bustling in the middle of Javea territory,
DINO dragged the ball into position
and drove a low pass into the path of
the advancing ONIEVA, tracked closely
by a defender as he charged on goal.
With strength and confidence, the former
Benidorm striker edged past his marker
and unleashed a low shot past the advancing
goalkeeper and across the face of the
goal to open the scoring as the ball
nestled in the bottom left-hand corner
of the net.
C.D.
Llosa were all over the place as Javea
grew several inches in confidence. Within
minutes of the goal, they almost gifted
the rojiblancos a second when
a defender sliced an otherwise anonymous
attempt at a pass and the ball looped
high over the keeper who back-pedalled
as fast as he could to eventually palm
the dropping ball around the right-hand
upright. The resulting corner from RIBES
came to nothing but the hackles were
up and the home side could sense that
victory was well within their grasp.
However
Llosa were not about to lay back and
allow the confidence of the home side
to sweep over them and they might have
equalised when OCHANDO was beaten under
pressure in the centre of the park and
the two players collapsed in a heap
just inside the area. The referee signalled
for an offence but it was not immediately
clear what offence he had seen. But,
on the far side, his assistant indicated
offside and the home support breathed
slightly easier.
Midway
through the first-half Llosa ground
out another chance to level the scores,
winning a free-kick about 25 yards distant
and striker Javi did well to drive low
through the wall but JORGE was strong
enough to block the stinging effort
and quick enough to pounce on the loose
ball before the advancing opponents
could react.
Javea
needed to get themselves back in control
of the game. The first encounter between
the two sides back in September had
been a victory for the rojiblancos
but also some aggressive scenes from
the host side who seemed almost offended
in defeat. Familar ways returned and
Llosa began to try the age-old tactic
of collapsing to the ground at the merest
hint of a challenge, a plan that infuriated
the home crowd.
Similarly,
Llosa also resorted to stopping their
opponent by any means and, on the half-hour
mark, defender Grik cynically hauled
down ONIEVA on the edge of the penalty
area and received a second caution and
sunsequently his marching orders. The
free-kick came to nothing but Javea
had been handed a distinct advantage
that they needed to capitalise on to
secure the three points.
Just
before half-time some great work from
DINO and RIBES down the right-hand side
resulted in a low cross into the box
but IVARS side-footed his effort just
wide of the right-hand post. The former
La Nucia midfielder was working hard
to try and force the advantage for the
home side and he would be unlucky not
to be rewarded for his effort.
But,
just before the break, Javea were themselves
reduced to ten men when SCOTT received
a straight red card after a tangle with
a Llosa player in front of the tunnel.
The infringement didn't seem any worse
than anything else that happened in
the previous 45 minutes but the referee
pulled out his notebook and sent off
the Javea lad who walked to the tunnel
expressing some confusion as to why
he had been dismissed. It later transpired
that a bit of banter between players
had been misconstrued by the official
as a slight against himself and SCOTT
was judged to have been guilty of ungentlemenly
conduct. A strange decision considering
Llosa would spend the rest of the game
trying to influence the official, surely
the ultimate of ungentlemenly acts.
The
second-half opened with RIBES blazing
a free-kick from 30 yards just over
the bar before Llosa began to exert
their apparent influence on the referee
by flinging themselves to the ground
at every opportunity, clutching various
parts of their body in mock agony. Bookings
increased and ALDO received his fifth
caution of the season.
Javea
had their moments to double the advantage.
On the hour mark, IVARS should have
done better when he was found in space
just outside of the six-yard area after
some great persistence from ONIEVA on
the left but his header dropped just
wide of the left post.The midfielder
was keen to get thimself on the scoresheet
on his return to the club and he would
be unlucky not to open his account.
JUANITO
replaced the tiring DINO with twenty
minutes to go and he would work hard
to try and get that elusive second goal
that might relief some pressure from
the side, although his three attempts
at goal were speculate at best. The
attacking formation was dealt a blow
moments later when IVARS was carried
off the pitch after appearing to twist
his ankle; he was replaced by RUBEN
SERRIO.
YOOUSSU
was once again having a terrific game,
not just in the centre of the pitch
but also, it seemed, on every square
inch of the field. Not afraid to challenge,
he would track back to defend, put in
a crucial block, and then be in position
to receive the ball some 30 yards away
when it seemed impossible that he could
cover that distance in such a short
space of time. Home fans chanted his
name in recognition and he would be
unlucky not to get himself on the scoresheet
some seven minutes from time when his
20 yard effort was saved well by the
keeper.
As
the game drew to a conclusion, PABLO
made a welcome return as substitute
for goal-scorer ONIEVA; the ginger-haired
'assassin' had been out for some time
with injury but had been determined
that he would return in good time to
help the rojiblancos make the
most of their season.
A
late scare from Llosa saw OCHANDO almost
beaten on the left-hand side of the
area but the tall defender did enough
to drive his opponent wide enough to
allow just a vague shot from distance
which slammed into the side-netting.
It would be the last play of the
game as the referee brought the match
to a close, securing C.D. Javea their
first maximum points since the end of
November.
C.D.
JAVEA:
Jorge,
Carbonell,
Ochando, Juanma, Aldo,
Yooussu, Carlos
Ribes,
Dino (Juanito 67m), Onieva (Pablo 90m),
Ivars (Ruben
Serrio
74m), Scott.
Man-of-the-Match:
Yooussu.
Attendance:
250
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