C.D. TENERIFE B 3 LANZAROTE 1, 4th January 2020,

C.D. TENERIFE B 3 LANZAROTE 1, 4^th January 2020,

The Rojillos begin the New Year and end the first round of games in defeat and take a plunge in what looks like a relegation battle.

U.D Lanzarote´s season has been bitterly disappointing and defeat against the sixth placed Tenerife B team has left the Rojillos just two points off the relegation positions.

Many of Lanzarote´s supporters are in shock that the League´s most supported club could, if results go against them next week be in the bottom three and face a gruelling relegation fight.

What has happened? So many teams have upped their game and with promoted teams over the past couple of seasons occupying three of the top five positions this could be a clue.

Seasoned clubs such as UD Villa Santa Brígida who have spent many past seasons in the league above (Segunda B, Third Tier) and are always fighting for a playoff spot find themselves bottom of this division.

The competition has improved and that there is no doubt about but also funding for certain clubs has intensified and that has obviously attracted players. Because of this, clubs such as Santa Brígida, last season’s second place side CD Mensajero and Lanzarote are now in a fight for survival in Spain’s fourth tier.

This match against playoff chasing Tenerife B began like so many others with the Rojillos looking confident and the better of both sides.

A team never wants to concede a goal but inevitably that will happen. Lanzarote couldn’t have picked a worse time. Going 1-0 down just before the interval from a penalty they then went 2-0 down three minutes into the second half and faced an almighty battle.

Nico González gave Lanzarote hope blasting home a penalty in the 65^th minute and the Rojillos were in sight especially when the Tenerife side had a player sent off so Lanzarote were now just 2-1 down playing against ten men.

Ten minutes before the end substitute Adrían Llanos headed in the third and the Tenerife side moved within four points of the playoffs with this 3-1 victory.

Next Saturday Lanzarote will be faced with the reality of a relegation dogfight when they travel to Tenerife and face CD Santa Úrsula. Lanzarote´s opponents won 4-3 last week but are sitting in the final relegation spot and know victory over the Rojillos will move them out of the danger zone and could easily drop Lanzarote into it.

GOALS