Los de negro persiguen sombras. By Steve.

MEN IN BLACK CHASE SHADOWS

GRANADA CF - 2 FC CARTAGENA - 1

BY STEVE HIBBERD

No, I'm not talking about the match officials, who incidentally handled this match exceptionally well, sporting a nowadays quite common shocking yellow shirt. Neither was it Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, those intrepid agents who protected the earth from the scum of the universe. Unfortunately, what I'm talking about is a bunch of so called professional footballers, wearing an away kit of all black and performing with the skills of a pregnant hippo!! To say Cartagena were atrocious is a vast understatement. This game was billed as 6th v 5th in div 2a, but if you hadn't known, top v bottom would have been your guess. Still without injured leading goalscorer Toche, manager JIM surprisingly (did he do it for a bet?) started the game with Goiria (he who has yet to score for Los Albinegros, and probably never will), whilst leaving strikers Victor and new boy Riga on the bench.

Granada took the lead after 18 mins. A scything challenge by Txiki resulted in a free kick in a dangerous area, which eventually found its way to an unmarked Geijo (via Mariano whose attempted clearance became an amateur air shot) leaving him with the simple task of sweeping the ball home. It could have been 2-0 after 26 mins, but a linesman's flag ruled out the effort for offside, although video replays showed it should have stood. On the half hour mark, Granada deservedly got their 2nd goal when a superb long range free kick smashed against the post, rebounding perfectly for Geijo to coolly side foot the ball into an empty net. Geijo should have had his hat trick on 41 mins, but his well struck shot hit the upright before bouncing to safety. Just before the break, it was Geijo (can we sign him please?) again who found himself one on one with Casilla, but the keeper narrowed his angle just enough, forcing him to shoot wide.

Only 3 second half minutes had elapsed, when Nyan shot across the face of an open goal and just past the far post, as Granada started as they left off. A half decent daisy cutter from Jose Carlos after 58 mins was Cartagena's first shot on goal, in a match where the home side were permitted to attack at will. A minute later a simple chance was spurned by the ineffective Goiria, who made a pigs ear of a close range header from a pin point Moral centre. Twice within a minute, Granada should have added to their goals for tally, with Benitez the culprit both times. First off, with only Casilla to beat he shot wide, then from close range, he found the side netting. But as so often happens in football, the side who have been totally outplayed, manage to confound the odds and score. With 15 mins remaining, an intelligent pull back from the dead ball line by Botelho, found Moral at the near post to cheekily back heal the ball over the line. It was only the brilliance of keeper Casilla, who thrice denied Granada from recording a scoreline which their dominance so richly deserved. This defeat sees Cartagena drop to 7th place in the table.

FC Cartagena line-up

Casilla, Cygan, Txiki, Clavero (Lafuente), Mariano, Botelho, Moral, Munoz (Victor), Goiria (Riga), Pablo, Juan Carlos

Forthcoming Fixture

On Sat 9 Apr ko 6pm, FC Cartagena have a home div 2a fixture at Cartagonova Stadium against Recreativo Huelva. For further information, please visit www.nosoloefese.es or www.futbolclubcartagenacom