Team form has been a little brittle lately for CD Marino but striker Balduino is having his best season in the blue shirt and took his tally to 18 goals to fend off their determined 10 man opponents Santa Brigida with a 3-2 home win.
The visitors from Gran Canaria were more direct and always looking to test Sergio Aragoneses while Marino always wanted one more pass before letting rip. Just seven minutes into the game Santa Brigida broke and with some good passing got the ball through to Trujillo who skillfully juggled the ball to beat the advancing Sergio. Winger Javi Marchena was playing at left back and his speed going forward was starting to pressure the yellows, a second trip on Javi resulted in a free kick that wasn’t far shy of the bar.
Marino could have succumbed again when Alvarez flashed a shot across the face of the home goal but this was answered with a quick break that released Nestor, goalie Raul managed to take the ball off him and winded him at the same time. It had the makings of a well matched thriller but the balance changed after 18 minutes when Raul clattered Airam to the ground and got sent off. With no back up keeper on their bench, Fermin was volunteered to go between the sticks and there was a tense wait as the sub donned the shirt and gloves. Balduino wasn’t ruffled and stepped up to beat the replacement to tie it at 1-1.
Javi continued his good work after the break forcing a hasty defensive clearance and setting up Nestor for a half chance that the rookie goalie took well. Marino couldn’t make their man advantage count and never really put the second keeper under pressure, Santa Brigida were still game and Trujillo drew a full stretch stop from Sergio. Marino went close as Nestor’s diving header caught the ball a little low and sent it over the bar. The referee seemed a bit clueless at times, during one Marino attack there were two balls in the penalty area and when a visiting player loudly pointed out the obvious the ref booked him for dissent.
Kevin Castro came on for Barrios on the hour and inspired a speedy attack that found Balduino in the thick of the action and ready to head his team back into the lead. The attacking instinct was still strong in Santa Brigida and with another surge forward they got a penalty after Aridani was adjudged to have handled the ball. Carreno converted the kick to keep all options open for the closing 25 minutes. Defender and captain Aridani tried to redeem himself with a wild long shot and Kevin needed another inch on his leg to reach a tempting cross in front of goal.
There was only one man who could seal the win for Marino and that was Balduino, in the final minutes he was in the right place again to head another fine goal for his hat trick and his team’s salvation. With the win assured the blues managed another couple of late efforts, Nestor looped a shot high, and a Santa Brigida defender made a strong clearance just in front of his net. Once again it should have been much easier but the points keep piling up and Marino still sit two points clear at the top of group 12 of the Tercera division.