FC Torrevieja 2 - 2 La Nucia

The turning point for Torry came when Burguillos, who had managed only 18 minutes of play, was shown the Red Card for two handball caution offences.

Two-Two: eleven Yellow – one Red and a comical display of screams, shouts and play acting from La Nucia managed to fool the referee, if not the 600 strong crowd was what supporters left the grown talking about rather than a decent game of football played competitively by both sides with Torrevieja being denied the three points only because of a couple of magnificent saves from the La Nucia goalkeeper.

With all the colourful cards given, there was little evidence of any nasty tackles on the night as the game was very evenly fought, with Torrevieja choosing to try and pass on the ground while to opposition, which featured a lot of six-footers, preferring the long ball and hope, game.

What the hundreds of fans must have done en route home was to scratch their heads as they left the Vicente Garcia wondering just how Torry did not manage to win this pulsating last-man-standing face off with perennial play off contenders La Nucia. Chema and his team will analyze this match long and hard in trying to conclude how points slipped through their fingers and fans will be similarly bemused as to how and why the win was thrown away.

Torry started off at breakneck speed and kept La Nucia on the back foot for most of the first half with the majority of action, and most of the opposition’s moments of Oscar nomination glory taking place around their penalty area. While ‘real men’ are playing their hearts out at the Rugby World Cup, in New Zealand, lessons could be learnt from these so called ‘football hard men’ whom many need a little toughening up! 

At the end of the day the day the fans were treated to a four goal thriller that was in doubt until the final whistle. Torrevieja completely dominated the majority of the first half with the first real shot for La Nucia coming in the 32nd minute but this was wide of the mark. Marcos in the La Nucia goal was a busy worker and on 35 minutes he made another outstanding save, conceding a corner following great play between Jorge and Juande. Marcos was beaten though four minutes before the interval when another inch perfect free kick from the left by Carrasco found the head of Diego Meijide who had advanced near post. In what is almost his trademark fashion, he glanced the ball backwards and looped it over the flailing arms of the visiting keeper.

La Nucia emerged for the second period with purpose and threat with their pressure playing off as just before the hour La Nucia silenced the home crowd when Quique rifled the ball through a mass of bodies from just outside of the box to level the score.  Chema the Torry manager responded by bringing Petu to the fray in place of Jorge and within two minutes of his introduction Petu had climbed high to win a ball in the air and send Carrasco through on goal who deftly lobbed the ball over him for goal number two.

The turning point for Torry came when Burguillos, who had managed only 18 minutes of play, was shown the Red Card for two handball caution offences. Maybe his future is with Rugby too! Down to ten men, Torry broke down under pressure and with just a few minutes go, La Nucia scored their equalizer and so ended another fun filled game at the Vicente Garcia.

Keith Nicol