REAL SPORTING SAN JOSÉ 0 LANZAROTE 3
REAL SPORTING SAN JOSÉ 0 LANZAROTE 3, 10th Jan 2015
These are unbelievable times for U.D Lanzarote. After going down to 10 men early in the second half the Rojillos overcame adversities with three second half super goals to extend their lead at the top of the league to five points.
The first half didn’t produce much in the way of goal mouth action with both sides being cautious to the extreme. The only notable events occurred late in the first period when the Gran Canarian side came close with an effort from striker Fernando, immediately the Rojillos hit back when Mauri crossed for Javi Melián but the Lanzarote striker was just inches away from connecting to give his side the lead.
The second half began terribly for the Rojillos. Without injured captain Rosmen and the suspended vice captain Toñito it was defender Falo wearing the captains armband. Manager Adolfo Perez´s third captain reacted badly to a challenge and raised his hands to the face of a Real Sporting player. After just two minutes of football being played in the second period Falo was red carded and the Rojillos were forced to play the entire second half with just ten players.
With Lanzarote´s team spirit on an all time high the ten men dug in and began to produce some wonderful football.
In the 61st minute defender Francis shot home from a Marcos Cabrera corner to give his side a 0-1 lead. The home side had no answers against a stout Lanzarote defence and in the 74th minute striker Mauri went on a solo run cutting inside two defenders before unleashing a fierce low drive from the edge of the box which whistled past the keeper into the left hand corner of the net to send the Rojillos 0-2 up.
Four minutes later and midfielder Vladi´s quick free kick was given to Louis Kennedy. The British boy then took one stride with the ball and with confidence sky high let leash from 25 yards with an absolute beauty of a strike that sailed into the top right hand corner to seal a fine 0-3 away win.
Earlier in the day Louis had promised his Mum Jacky a goal for her birthday and was true to his word scoring a goal for his fourth successive match.
Cheering on from the stand was Lanzarote midfielder Brad Cockerill and his Dad Ian. The 20 year old British player heads in for cruciate ligament knee surgery Monday morning but whilst speaking to Ian who gave me a totally unbiased report of the match I could constantly hear Brads excited voice in the background thrilled for his team mates. With an attitude like that it will not be long before the youngster is back playing the game he adores.
Next week Lanzarote will be hoping to close in on their 33 home game unbeaten run record which was achieved in the mid 90´s. Adolfo Perez´s men have now gone 31 games since defeat on home soil and in their way next is CF Unión Puerto. After seven defeats on the bounce the Fuerteventura side have taken 7 points in their last three matches and have moved out of the relegation zone.
Unión Puerto striker and also ex Rojillo Ryan Macphee will be catching up with all of his old friends as Ryan has spent all his childhood in Lanzarote and only a couple of months ago moved over to Fuerteventura signing for the newly promoted club. It would be great to see Ryan score a goal as long as Louis Kennedy bangs in a hat trick. This game has just been confirmed for Sunday 17th Jan at 12 noon kick off.
GOALS
0-1 min 61 Francis
0-2 min 74 Mauri
0-3 min 78 Kennedy
