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As the referee blew the whistle for full time I quite expected some fans to turn on the CD Tenerife team for their inept 2-1 surrender to Cordoba but there was a feeling of numbness and the awful realisation that relegation could now be a reality. The talk after the game wasn’t about how we can claw our way out of this mess but more about what teams we will play in Segunda B and which, if any, players are worth keeping at the end of season. There are 12 games left and CDT are 4 points from safety so escape is possible but the players, Nino apart, need to find some balls and some heart.

There were pre game boosts with Nino’s yellow card at Numancia recinded and Sergio reporting fit after his head wound in the same game, on the down side Julio Alvarez pulled out on match day with a muscle strain. Igor started up front with Nino and hit the post in the first minute, Sergio Aragoneses fumbled a save and gave Diaz a reat chance but he blasted wide. Cordoba looked very poor and Tenerife grabbed the initiative after 13 minutes, Dubardier sent in a tantalising cross from the left and Nino met the ball with a great header to make it 1-0.

That was the good stuff but it soon degenerated into gloom, the home side were playing far too deep, Omar looked like an extra full back and worse was to come as Bertran continued his poor form with a stupid tackle that gave Cordoba a free kick. Callejon stroked the ball up and past Sergio to level at 1-1. This was the time to show character but it was nowhere to be seen, maybe in the scorching sun the half time pitch watering would put the skids under Cordoba – sadly no.

Melli got himself involved in a tussle with Diaz 5 minutes into the second half and dragging him back he earned a red card, that left the home defence in a right pickle, they were still adjusting when Alberto made the most of a break to plunder a second goal for Cordoba. The rest of the game was a slow torture, Natalio and Juanlu Hens came on for Hidalgo and Igor but it made little difference. Nino carried the fight to Cordoba with little help, he was unlucky to see his shot trickle wide of the post as Natalio steamed in and when he laid the ball back to Ricardo the third sub blasted his shot high.

Cordoba couldn’t believe their luck, a win would pull them away from the fringes of the relegation zone, they were determined to hang on and didn’t care how they did it, diving and theatrical rolling around all won favour with the weak ref. As the game ticked into injury time Pablo Sicilia got a second yellow card and became the ninth red card of the season for Tenerife. Things could get worse, the scoreboard flashed a 1-0 away win for Las Palmas at Albacete. Depressed? you bet I am, a lot of the players just don’t seem to care and Bertran should be relieved of the captaincy, he doesn’t lead by example and doesn’t motivate his team mates. With 2 away games coming up I’m hoping for a miracle, is that too much to ask?