The good thing about the noon kick offs at CD Marino is it gives me time to cram more adventures into the day. The top four clash between the Las Americas blues and CD Tenerife B didn’t turn out to be a classic but it was a good chance to see some of the next generation of blanquiazul players.

My memory said the San Sebastian parade of horses had taken place earlier in the week at La Caleta but the pitch at Marino looked like a stampede had taken place on it. All eyes were on 16 goal Murci of Marino and 15 goal Jefte of Tenerife but both had quiet games. Marino had the greater need for a win and were on top most of the time but didn’t push home their superiority. With the constant upward movement of young players at CDT it can’t be easy for the B side, Nano was on senior duty and the promising Jairo was missing in midfield.

Murci had a couple of early pops at Carlos in goal, he was worth pressuring as he kept punching instead of catching the ball. Jefte looked good, big and strong I reckon he is a better bet than Aridane at the moment but even his close skills couldn’t beat Alberto in the home goal. Joshua in midfield was buzzing but the full backs impressed me, the pint sized terrier Verdes on the left and the calm captain Alejandro on the right. It had 0-0 written all over it, Tenerife switched off, happy for a draw and Marino didn’t have enough to breach the visiting defence although Lamine was always ready to have a go.

A quick dash to the bus station and up to La Laguna via Santa Cruz and the tram. The cathedral was open to the public after 12 years and 15 million euros, it was pretty damm impressive even to a sinner like me. The police had a jostle with 3,000 students the day before as Spain’s minister for culture and education did the big reopening. I’m still upset they closed the duck pond outside the cathedral and relocated the feathered friends to a pie shop.

Tram down to the capital to suss out a German navy tall mast ship called Gorch Fock, there were three in port when I arrived, the Alexander Von Humbolt 2, been on that before, and from Norway the Stratsraad Lemkuhl. With my camera topped up with the ships I was looking for somewhere to watch Hercules v CD Tenerife, the Fred Olsen ferry bar had it on so I sat in there with some very drunk old locals and watched CDT go 0-2 up and the have to get a late 2-3 winner after slipping. Well done Carlos Ruiz with a header and Ayoze Perez taking his tally to 9 in 20 games – hope we don’t lose him in the January transfer window. A bus back home and a very satisfying day wrapped up.