The stonking rainbow as we approached Santa Cruz should have ended at Ayoze Perez, CD Tenerife’s pot of gold, but he had lead in his boots and a big money transfer on his mind in the 1-1 draw with Real Zaragoza.
It was cold in the Heliodoro but a great game to watch had the poor 7,180 crowd in good voice as Tenerife shaded the first half. Suso was in dazzling form again and new forward Juanjo had an encouraging home debut, with Cristo, Ricardo, and Aitor Sanz playing well in midfield there was plenty to cheer. Ayoze didn’t look sharp but a brilliant run down the right by Suso ended with a tuck back to Juanjo who powered his header into the net for a 26 minute lead.
Even the biblical rain lashing in couldn’t dampen our spirits and we just needed another goal in the second half to snuff out a good Zaragoza side but missed chances again cost us, Ayoze wasn’t on form and Moyano’s long range dig was the closest to increasing the lead. Roberto had been impressing with quick decisive interceptions but the young goalie made a hash of his timing when trying to punch away the ball and Arzu had an easy headed leveler. Tenerife tried hard at the end but Ayoze missed a tap in at the post and made poor contact with a headed chance while sub Edgar couldn’t find the net with the goalie stranded. A draw was a fair reflection but if only…
Sunday morning a few of us headed to Granadilla to see CD Tenerife B, we got there to find both teams and the crowd waiting outside a locked stadium. With the severe weather alert issued the previous day the local council had decided it would be too dangerous to play the game even though it was a lovely crisp sunny morning. Eventually the fire brigade and Guardia Civil arrived and the firemen went in to inspect the ground and repair a small break in a high fence, the game started 90 minutes late. Hope this doesn’t happen in the World Cup final.
Second placed Atletico Granadilla looked better on the day and eventually won 2-0 against the divisions leaders. It was a bizarre setting with the snow blanketing the hills above the ground while the sun made it a very warm, I definitely felt overdressed in my animal furs and Cossacks hat. The Tenerife B team has lost several key players to the seniors this season and still done really well but Granadilla wore them down and took advantage of a couple of silly errors for the goals to win 2-0 . With Marino winning away the top four promotion play off spots are really cut and thrust.
I thought things couldn’t get stranger but later that afternoon in Los Cristianos I went for a pizza at the Auditorio café, they had new staff and the bloke told me he would have a go at cooking my pizza and I would only have to pay if he didn’t ruin it. Just as well I didn’t order anything more complicated. The pizza was fine but as I ate it an old chap wobbled by juggling on a unicycle – well it was that sort of a weekend.