Regeneración urgente. By Steve.

CARTAGENA NEED URGENT REJUVENATION

FC CARTAGENA - 1 RECREATIVO HUELVA - 3

BY STEVE HIBBERD

This home league defeat against a physical Huelva side, sees Cartagena drop out of the play off slots, and for the second week running, fell desperately short of the imagination and determination required from a side with promotion aspirations.

Recreativo, wearing a kit of gaudy shocking pink, took the game by the scruff of the neck, going 2 goals up inside 20 mins. Asen scored the first on 14 mins, then 3 mins later Vazquez added a second, leaving Cartagena with a mountain to climb. Although Cala scored a fine headed goal just before the interval to reduce the arrears, it was Recreativo, through Villar on 54 mins, who scored the decisive goal. All 4 goals were from set pieces. Late on, following a foul on keeper Casilla, Botelho head butted an opponent. Up to then, the visitors had picked up 8 yellow cards to the home sides 1, but this unsavoury act resulted in both players being dismissed.

Cartagena, who now lay in 8th place in div 2a on 48 points, must quickly rediscover their form and start picking up much needed points. Next Sat 16 Apr, ko 6pm, they visit top of the table Real Betis. Although there in spirit, I was physically over 10 thousand miles away in Malaysia, having earlier watched top super league side Selangor (Tony Cottee, ex West Ham and Everton, appeared for them in the 80/90s) lose at home to Terrangganu, inside the magnificent 90,000 all seater Shah Alam Stadium.