FC Torrevieja throw away more points

Torrevieja unable to score despite numerous chances

Golden opportunities but two points lost

FC TORREVIEJA seem to have lost the plot when it comes to fighting for a play off place as they dropped another two points in a 0:0 draw with Barrio del Cristo on Sunday. Playing against the bottom side of their division, despite having about 70% of possession, they were unable to put away any of their many chances. Torrevieja started the game in typical fast moving style, moving the ball around well and limiting the visitors to a scant amount of possession. Torry had numerous excursions down both wings, but without a centre forward with height to aim for, all their hard work came to nought! Sadly, after the first quarter of an hour, the attacking spark was lost, old ghosts returned and unable to maintain their early pace, at times the torrevejenses just seemed lost as to what to do next!

Things did not improve in the second half! Not once but twice, Captain Córcoles was put through on goal, one-on-one with the Barrio del Cristo goalkeeper. Unable to believe his luck, his first effort saw him trying to place the ball into the corner of the net, only to see it glance off the outside of the post! After fooling an offside trap he found himself one-on-one again but instead of shooting, he took two touches too many, and although going around the keeper, he was unable to bury the ball in the back of the net, hitting it directly at a defender who had rushed back and missing another golden opportunity. Córcoles has his fan club among the Spanish but looks ineffective these days. He is still good at holding the ball, but remains without the finishing skill and touches required even at this lower level.

For most of the second half, Torrevieja’s play resembled that of a Sunday pub team, with no offence meant to them. Totally gone was any thought of pass and move, and the number of times that four or more passes were strung together could be counted on one hand. Torry relied on the long ball game, give it a big boot and run after it! End of tactics, end of style and not even the additional five minutes played for injury time at the end of the game could bring them that elusive goal! Speaking of pub teams, unfortunately, the pitch looks like nothing has been done to it to help fix the issues with the corner areas of the ground, which as in need of draining and a good grounds man! It looks like a local park and not a football pitch and needs the council to come and have a look at it, or else return to Nelson Mandela stadium and play on the faster artificial turf.

One point is better than nothing and the team are still top ten and do have realistic chance of reaching the playoffs, but are not looking nor playing like a promotion prospect at the moment. There are twenty games still to play. It’s half season point and with ten more home games, reaching the play-offs, is still a realistic option but the team are probably in need o another striker to give them some penetration up front.

Torrevieja’s next game in División III Grupo VI is against CD Llosa FC Torrevieja, game number 24, away from home on Saturday January 21, 2012. Last September Torrevieja won 2:0 and in fact have only lost five games all season but poor finishing has probably robbed the team of four wins, a lose of eight points, which would have them fighting for the top spot and a real promotion contender. Torrevieja have ten more home games this season and half-price season tickets are available form the Torry Army HQ in La Siesta or at any one of the home games. More information from the club’s official site on www.futbolclubtorrevieja.net or the Torry Army at www.fctorrevieja.net.

Keith Nicol