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CD
JAVEA |
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SEASON
2009-10 |
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MATCH
REPORT 2009-10 |
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ALTEA
SNATCH VICTORY A little over a month ago, following the shock departure of coach Kenny Brown, fans were promised that there would be no exodus of players from CD Javea and the appointment of local lad Jose Luis Bisquert as Kenny's replacement seemed to support that assurance. Fast forward to the beginning of November and not only have several experienced players left for pastures new but so has Mark Catlin, the man who gave us that guarantee as president of the club but decided to call it a day a little over a week ago after apparently becoming disillusioned at the lack of financial support the club has been receiving. What the fans have been left with is a patched-up football club that is perching dangerously on the edge of an uncertain future. And so it was that I arrived back from a two-week holiday to find a football club in disarray, The latest player to depart is goalkeeper Vicente Ortolá who had only just returned to the club four weeks ago. The previous day he had been spotted in the stands watching the game between FC Alfaz del Pi and CD Alone and where his next allegience lies will no doubt be made clear quite soon. But his exit has left us with another goalkeeping dilemma, with only a young inexperienced custodian available to coach Jose Luis. Skipper David Ivars and Onieva, who have scored nine goals between them, remain at the club but, listening to their own concerns, for how long will they be loyal to the rojiblancos? And you can't blame them as rumours abound that the players have not been paid. After all, every man needs to earn his bread and if they can't do it at CD Javea, they will have to do it elsewhere, whatever their feelings are about the club. Whatever happens at the club's EGM this week, financial stability needs to be top of the list. The club requires a sizeable injection of cash immediately and it is time for the board to stand up and take on that responsibility. In recent years, the fans have done their bit on the terraces across the Costa Blanca and beyond whilst the players (for the most part) have given their all on the pitch, rain, hail or sunshine. It's now time for the board to show that they care for the club just as much as the fans and the players by stopping the talking, the arguing, and the finger-pointing and putting in the hard work that is required to haul this club back off of its knees. If they are not willing to do so then please stand down. And so onto the football. More departures from CD Javea meant that coach Jose Luis was unable to name a full complement of substitutes whilst the fans had to get used to new shirt numbers as the Valencian Football Federation decreed that squad numbers are no longer acceptable. The diminutive figure of Pedro between the sticks didn't encourage much confidence in the stand but the lad would be determined to make the most of his full debut for the club. For all the lack of confidence in the stands, Javea had the opening chance of the match after less than a minute when a fine powerful long-range shot from Onieva had keeper Javi at full stretch to push the ball around the post; the subsequent corner from Dino produced nothing. The scare produced a strong determination from Altea and they pushed forward with strength to test the patched-up defence of Javea. Youngster Feliu, pushed into the centre alongside the hobbling Brad to cover for the injured Jordi, had a splendid game and would deservedly be declared the unofficial man-of-the-match. Altea might have taken the lead in the 7th minute when Ruben Serrio was penalised for pushing over his man by the woefully poor official who awarded the visitors a free-kick just outside the area in an lmost central position. One could sense the feeling around the stand that a goal was coming but Altea's Antonio chose to blast the ball into the wall rather than take advantage of Pedro's lack of height and the chance ended. However the visitor's would have to wait just three minutes before taking what had become an inevitable lead. Jose Salero won a dubious free-kick close to the corner flag and sent over a fine cross to the middle of the area where Parra acrobatically nodded home high over Pedro. Five minutes later Altea won another free-kick just outside the area but Antonio Juan blasted his attempt straight into the wall. Javea struggled to get themselves back into the game and might have won themselves a route when an arm blocked the ball on the line in a goalmouth scramble, an offence obvious to all but the referee and the linesmen. As most of the Javea players surrounded the referee, Altea managed to scramble the ball away for a corner. Just before half-time, they got the break they needed. Skipper David Ivars skipped into the area on the left-hand side and was brought down by the combined lunges of two defender to be awarded a penalty. David placed the ball and confidentally slotted home into the right-hand side of the goal to score his sixth goal of the season. In the second-half both sides battled for the advantage and Altea's Tato might have done better with an effort from three yards but blasted well over through a crowded box. On the hour mark, David Ivars fired a free-kick powerfully into the wall before Youssoupha fired the rebound well wide whilst a minute later a header from Altea's Antonio was well held by Pedro. On 68 minutes Onieva had a golden chance to put Javea into the lead after connecting with a great pass across the face of the goal by David Ivars but the striker's first touch was a little too hard and the ball ran away from him before he could connect. Altea took an unlikely lead on 70 minutes, a goal that would turn out to be the winner. Jorge Salero shook off some determined tackling from the ever-improving Ruben Serrio to loop the ball across the area to the unmarked substitute Emilio running unopposed into the box to head home over Pedro to make it 2-1. And Altea might have increased their advantage with minutes remaining when Jose Salero fired low and hard from 30 yards but Pedro was able to push the shot around the post for a corner. And that was the last real attack of the game. Javea trudged off the pitch with heads hung low, despite generous applause from fans for their battling approach. Altea, knowing the problems affecting their hosts, took their victory celebrations of their first away win of the season into the privacy of the dressing rooms for they may well know that had the Javea of just a few weeks ago taken the field, the scoreline might have been very different indeed. CD
JAVEA UD
ALTEA Referee: Francisco
Moraleda Santos, 3/10 |