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MATCH REPORT JORNADA 19
Sunday 27th January 2008
CD JAVEA 0 HERCULES CF "B"
Author: Mike Smith
Photograph by Fay Hughes

Another draw means that CD Javea have recorded just one win in the last seven game and the rojiblancos continue to languish some five points adrift of the promotion play-off zone. The side missed the effectiveness of the suspended players Javi and Rubén Serrio as well as the tricky skills of Carlo, still suffering from injury sustained in Pinoso.

As a result, coach Kenny Brown needed to shuffle his cards in an attempt to spark some life into the side. The ineffectual Álex Cuadrado was dropped to the bench in favour of Juanito whilst the dogged Pablo returned to midfield alongside Rubén Pla, moving back into the centre of the park after his spell in defence last week. Some faces made a welcome return: centre-halfs Jorge (injury) and Miguel Ramal (suspension) returned to the side but it would be at the other end of the pitch where much of the current problem would lie during the game.

Earlier in the week tenacious midfielder Javi was handed a four-game suspension for his dismissal last week in Pinoso and he would sit frustrated with the JAVEAMIGOS in the stand as his team-mates tried to carve out an opening against one of this season's strugglers. The performance was a massive improvement on Pinoso but the final ball just isn't arriving anymore and it is these games at home against struggling opposition that the rojiblancos need to be at their very best.

It was the away side, the team struggling at the wrong end of the table, that would go closest to scoring just seconds into the game when the unmarked Kike somehow blasted his attempt into the chest of goalkeeper Ortolá from close-range; to use a very well-worn cliché: it would have been easier to score from such a distance yet the fans breathed a collective sigh of relief as the ball thumped into the body of the custodian. Ortolá would claim another man-of-the-match award for a another stirring performance between the sticks; how long will be it before this young lad is snatched away by a bigger club?

Both Norman and Juanito worked hard enough at the front edge but the ball continued to get lost in the centre of the park and the opposition swamped the midfield. The few occasions that the ball did break loose to either Puncho or Carlos Ribes on the flanks, the Hercules defence did just enough to stem the flow and push the ball and player away from danger. CD Javea had the slight edge but Hercules were more than capable of mounting several dangerous counter-attacks and certainly played way beyond the per-match expectations of the crowd.

The second-half brought more enthusiasm from the boisterous crowd who encouraged the players more than ever to secure maximum points. However it was the same old story as attacks were absorbed and the swept out into safety by the determined visiting defence.

Midway through the second period, coach Kenny opted for a three-man switch to try and lift his side, bringing on club skipper José Luis, midfielder Dani and striker Álex Cuadrado in place of Pablo, Norman and Carlos Ribes. Yet, as the singing continued to grow in strength in the stands, the game continued to splutter on the pitch and, once again, it would be the visiting side who would have the only real chance of the half when Manu raced through with only the keeper to beat but Ortolá kept his nerve and pounced at the feet of the player to claim the ball as his defenders bore down.

Predictably, the game struggled to become a spectacle and, whilst the fans amused themselves noisily in the stands, the players ran out the remainder of the half and a share of the spoils. Four draws in the last seven games have placed Javea amongst this season's draw specialists, but the side needs to start picking up maximum points, starting next Saturday against another struggling side CD Finestrat, kick-off 6.30pm.