One more push, one more hurdle, one more game, and CD Tenerife can be back in the Segunda Division. This first leg 1-0 defeat at Ponferradina has left the promotion final finely poised but with a near 23,000 full house in Santa Cruz at noon on Sunday 24 June there can be celebration in the air once more.

Only a harsh hand ball against Pablo Sicilia late in the first half separated the sides when the home top scorer Yuri converted the penalty but they both had enough chances to seize control. After his ridiculous bribery allegations against Tenerife, Orlando was glad to show a safe pair of hands from Zazo’s shot set up by Perona. Mayor risked spoiling his rockabilly quiff by heading wide after five minutes but Tenerife had the best of the first half. Kike Lopez and Chechu (above) were causing plenty of problems down the flanks and a perfectly weighted deep cross from Perona was just beyond Kike with the goal at his mercy.

Chechu put in a cracker of a free kick, Tarantino headed the ball down, sadly noone was there to finish the move. Ponferradina managed an attempt from Isaias that brought a diving save from Sergio, short respite as Chechu flicked a free kick in for Aridane who headed wide. Back at the other end Mayor beat Sergio Rodriguez and was heading for goal, it took a classy intervention from Pablo Sicilia to shield the ball into Sergio Aragoneses arms. With half time looming a waist high ball into the Tenerife penalty area caught Pablo’s hand as he tried to move it out of the way, there was no intent but it changed the flight of the ball and the ref awarded the penalty that Yuri put just out of Sergio’s reach.

The clouds opened for the second half and amid torrential rain Perona lost his footing after Chechu served up a clear chance. Acoran forced a magnificent save from Sergio and just after Loro replaced Kike, Chechu shot wide and Aridane found a Sergio Rodriguez cross a shade too high to reach in front of goal. Mayor was the target man with Yuri feeding off him, Sergio was equal to both of them taking cleanly from Mayor and sliding out to take the ball from Yuri’s feet. Chechu was caught out of his comfort zone trying to defend and had to be rescued by Rodriguez (above) following a poor clearance, Acoran spurned two clear chances putting them both wide as the home team pressed for a bigger cushion to bring to Santa Cruz.

As the puddles grew on the poor quality pitch and the 1,300 blanquiazul fans got soaked Rodriguez showed his worth with a firm tackle to diffuse another home attack. An away goal would have made such a difference for Tenerife but as the final whistle blew the home fans must have wished for more than a slender one goal lead. The Heliodoro furnace awaits, there’s plenty of drama left in this campaign.