Six open play goals, extra time, a penalty shoot out, and two players sent off. But those dramatic ingredients were just tasters of the sumptuous feast of football as CD Tenerife´s Copa Del Rey dream ended in glorious failure, losing 2-4 to Athletic Bilbao on penalties after a 3-3 draw.  Bilbao goalie, Herrerin floored Shaq Moore as he jumped for a high ball just five minutes into the game, and a late VAR call ensured a red card for him and a penalty for his replacement Ezkieta to face. Joselu slotted the ball past the new keeper and ignited the 17,484 crowd that included a good sprinkling of Basque fans mixed with the home supporters.

It was already brewing into a great celebration of the good things in football, and Bilbao striker Inaki Williams received wide spread applause and the chanting of his name during the ninth minute from the home fans as a show of disgust at his racial abuse from Espanyol fans in his last game. The young striker was one of the jewels in the star studded line up from the La Liga team and showed his goal touch after 17 minutes from a Yuri raid down the left. Home coach Ruben Baraja has cultivated a growing resilience among the Tenerife players, it shone brightly just a few minutes later. Elliot found a burst of speed and cut in wide behind two defenders before setting up Joselu to restore the lead.

Even a player short, Bilbao looked a class outfit, they seemed to have more time on the ball, better options, and a willingness to spread the play quickly. Ortola had to make a couple of good saves to guide Tenerife to the break, and he carried on after the restart by tipping another chance aside. A little confusion between a Milla back pass and Javi Alonso´s stretch to intercept the ball, left the door ajar and Inaki didn´t need a written invite to pick out the back of the net to square the scores. It was all finely poised and the atmosphere in the stadium was red hot as the home fans turned up the volume. Extra time was looming, not an ideal situation with vital league games ahead and several key players injured, but the magic of the night swept the players along with it.

So 15 minutes each way was the next hurdle. Dani Gomez was brought on for Undabarrena, a positive attacking swap to show Tenerife´s ambition. Play got more frantic as nerves frayed, Dani got brought down by some sturdy tackles but shrugged them off and continued to battle. Carlos Ruiz got an unwelcome second sending off in consecutive games when his loose tackle on Inaki earned a second booking. The continued threat of Dani Gomez brought its reward, Leicue chopped him down in the box and the ref pointed to the penalty spot. The 21 year old showed nerves of steel to convert the kick with just five minutes to hang on for a momentous victory.

There was more drama to squeeze out. A loose ball outside the home box was crashed in to the Tenerife net by Yuri and the agonising remaining three minutes ebbed away to usher in the dreaded five penalties each ordeal. Bilbao led the way and the alternate shots were finished with precision until Joselu put the ball over the bar. After Vilalibre netted, the pressure was all on Shaq Moore who missed. It was a cruel end but the Heliodoro was bouncing with pride and praise. Tenerife gained so much from their performance and will look to use it as a springboard to continue their improvement and rise away from any relegation threat.

Talk about a slow burner. There were wholesale changes to the regular line ups of CD Tenerife and Real Valladolid and it showed in a half pace first half, but the home side grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck after the break to win this Copa del Rey (Kings Cup) tie 2-1. The Tenerife starting line up was particularly baffling with full back Shaq Moore wandering in a midfield no mans land and surplus defenders Sipcic and Isma Lopez could have put a card in a newsagents window to get a new club, their play was so poor. Ortola started back in goal and was relieved that Sandro hit his early strike straight into his body. Javi Alonso ha a let off when he miss timed a defensive tackle and it was all far from a feast of football. It was a different story in the second half as both sides warmed to their task.

Elliot was getting some good home crosses in, new signing Joselu showed that he would be a real asset up front with his heading ability. Sandro made the break through though with a shot that was only part saved by Ortola, he showed nifty footwork to tuck the loose ball in the goal.  Lopez got adventurous and unleashed a shot that just missed the Valladolid post as belief spread through the home side. Just after the hour, Elliot launched another teasing cross and Joselu rose between the markers to head the ball down and past the goalie. That raised everybody spirits and the arrival of sub Dani Lopez for Joselu cranked up the forward momentum. The 20 year old strikers first chance came when he latched onto a deep pass but couldn´t squeeze it the right side of the post.

Valladolid´s goalie had to be replaced after picking up an injury, his replacement had plenty to keep him busy. Dani Gomez was a real livewire as always, his enthusiasm rubbed off on his team mates and the 8,408 crowd. The cold night air and the glare of the floodlights promised a little bit of magic to come, and it did. Into the final five minutes and the charge was on, Dani was just short of reach to poke a squirming ball past the struggling goalie but the next surge was more fruitful. Sandro had a mixed night for the visitors but his lingering memory will be of his clumsy push on free flowing Dani Gomez that brought a penalty. From the moment the striker put the ball on the spot his determination was clear and he sent the keeper the wrong way to claim the lead and hurdled the boards to milk the fans applause.

The final few minutes were full of celebration, cup success has been elusive in recent seasons so the outpouring of joy went on after the ref had signalled the end of the game. Two home wins on the trot is not to be sniffed at, with the derby at Las Palmas and a possible La Liga giant at home a few days later in the next cup round, the smiles are back among the CD Tenerife fans.

Shackled, blunted, and generally frustrated. Even 18 goal Stuani didn´t get a look in for visiting Girona as CD Tenerife gave a 1-o defensive master class. It took just eight minutes for fit again Nahuel to storm down the left, beat two markers, and side foot the winning goal. The unlucky striker didn´t have time to celebrate as he pulled up injured and had to be replaced. That adversity merely toughened CD Tenerife´s resolve.

Former Middlesbrough striker Stuani soon got the message as Alberto expertly blocked his progress. Back to his inspired best, Alberto and central partner Carlos Ruiz formed a formidable barrier for the Girona team. Luis Perez polished up his own skills as well with four text book interventions in the first half, it was stirring stuff for the 9,454 crowd. Girona arrived with big money backing and big ideas but they counted for nothing against the hard work and pride of their hosts. Surging left back Mojica was a danger with his tricky runs but even he was overwhelmed by the brick wall in front of him.

Diamanka had the only clear Girona chance of the first half, heading wide  from a long threaded pass. Borja Garcia was confident with a turn and shot 10 minutes after the break but Dani Hernandez got his body behind it for a solid save, one of many he contributed to the game. Jozabed saw the big pink goalies gloves swallow his later attempt, Dani  has been enjoying a second lease of life after getting his starting role back. There was no shortage of effort from the home attack either. Dani Gomez led the line with endless running and a nose for a half chance. Coach Baraja arrived in December pledging to make Tenerife hard to beat, his replacement of forward Jorge with holding midfielder Undabarrena underlined that commitment. As the game neared its end, Elliot had a close effort and Dani punched away a desperate Girona attempt. The Tenerife players euphoric reaction to the final whistle showed their pride in a job well done and hopefully a turning point in the season.

Battered and on the ropes, CD Tenerife had good reason to feel apprehensive about 2020 but a vintage display from 34 year old captain Suso and a home start goal for 18 year old Jorge Padilla led the gloom busting in a 4-2 win over Albacete Balompie. Injuries forced changes on coach Ruben Baraja and produced a sprightly start. Luis Milla stung the Albacete goalies hands after a good build up Nadal added a finger tip stop to partly stop a long drive, Dani Gomez flicked the loose ball to the buzzing 18 year old forward Jorge and his cool, clinical finish produced a 10th minute lead.

Albacete´s  Azamourm blasted a shot over the home bar and Carlos Ruiz robbed Fuster with a crunching tackle. Dani Hernandez, back in goal for the injured Ortola, had already looked at ease when guiding a roque Albacete shot wide off his post. Tenerife looked confident and comfortable on the ball, Milla was back to something like his best form and Jorge and 20 year old Elliot Gomez were banging the drum for the clubs youth policy. Milla showed great vision to pick out Dani Gomez with a fine pass, Nadal had to be alert to stop his shot.

Before the game Suso had received an award for completing 300 games in a Tenerife shirt, the total would have been much higher but he had a few years away from his home club, including a year in Fuerteventura where a 7 year old Jorge was just starting out. The captain continued to defy the march of time with another passionate performance highlighted by his powerful run to leave defender Benito in his wake before burying the ball for a 2-0 lead just before the break. Suso had more sparkle to add less than ten minutes into the second half, deep down the right wing he delivered the perfect ball that took out two defenders and found the feet of Dani Gomez to stretch the lead. The skipper nearly worked his magic again when he took the ball into the post and was only denied by Nadal.

Albacete were a poor side but managed a brief fightback. A corner found the head of Rey Manaj who scored despite the attention of several markers. Then a few minutes later old defensive worries returned when Ojedo nipped in front of Carlos Ruiz to tap in a second goal. Tenerife shuffled the pack and brought on the defensive Undabarrena for Jorge, closely followed by Shaq Moore on the right for Suso, both departed to deserved ovations. Alex Muñoz pushed forward from defence to show his attacking qualities, a neat interchange with Dani Gomez didn´t quite work but helped to put the pressure back on the visitors. Javi Alonso was the last home sub replacing Elliot, Javi is another of the rich crop of home grown talent and in just a couple of months has become a fixture in the senior squad.

A big finish would have capped an encouraging return to for Tenerife and they delivered it via an individual pearl from Muñoz who made a swerving run from deep and unleashed a shot worthy of an experienced striker to make it 4-2. It seemed everyone wanted to get in on the act, Undabarrena is known more for his defensive qualities but let rip with a fierce blast that Nadal had to look lively to grab. The victory was a relief after the recent free fall of results and was achieved without injured key players like Ortola, Bermejo and Borja. The January transfer window is going to be a key ingredient to Tenerife climbing away from the drop zone so it was noticeable that Narnanjo, Mierez, Sipcic, Lopez, Dos Santos, and Malbasic didn´t see any action, at least a couple of them should be leaving in the next few weeks.

Like a turkey noticing the sage and onion, latest CD Tenerife coach Ruben Baraja must have been squirming when his world fell apart just four minutes into his first home game. Borja Lasso was on the ball and poised to push forward but Alcorcon defender  Miakushkov came flying in from behind and took his left leg from under him, crunching his ankle in the process. The ref was no help and after consulting VAR decided it was just worth a booking as Borja limped off. That set the tone for the afternoon as two poor sides ground out a 0-0 draw.

Before kick off there was hope of improvement, Alex Bermejo returned from injury to bolster the attack and Munoz resumed his left back role after suspension. The coach was also able to welcome back fit again Luis Milla, initially on the subs bench. Jose Naranjo took over from Borja who needed treatment for his broken ankle at a specialist Seville hospital and will be side lined for the rest of the season. Nothing was expected of forward flop Naranjo and that´s exactly what he delivered, at least Bermejo was keen and his fierce hook shot forced a diving save from goalie Mirales. Alcorcon hadn´t lost away all season but their lack of initiative and ambition showed why they are snoozing in mid table. Stoichkov, their main front man was thwarted by a combination of Alberto and Carlos Ruiz but Luis Perez was struggling with a thigh injury.

Baraja moved Malbasic to help cover Perez at right back, a strange call as it weakened the home attack, holding midfielder Javi Alonso would have been a more obvious back up. The villain Miakushkov threatened on the visitors left with a free kick that Ortola dealt with easily. Naranjo should have made more of a chase for a loose ball but Mirales showed more urgency. With Perez unable to play on in the second half, USA international Shaq Moore filled the void and showed more aggression making a couple of speedy raids down the right. His cross was deflected over the bar and his next set up wasn´t pounced on by Bermejo or Dani Gomez. Alcorcon didn´t punish a weak defensive clearing header from Alberto and a rushed headed rebound cleared the woodwork. Naranjo fired a poor shot into the side netting and a goal less draw looked an inevitable result.

Maybe Luis Milla could unlock the visitors defence after replacing a tired Bermejo. Sadly he sliced a shot off target after Gomez had fed him. Neither side deserved three points, Costa squandered a shot and got no joy with a VAR hand ball call, it clearly struck the home defenders chest. The feel good factor has deserted the Heliodoro stadium along with a drop of 4,000 fans since the previous home game. Calls for the President to resign persisted as despair filled the air. The draw completed the worst ever home streak in the history of the club. Major surgery is needed in the January transfer window but attracting good players to a struggling club isn´t easy, and that´s assuming they can offload the dead wood that is dragging them down.

They say when you drown, all your previous lives flash before your eyes. For CD Tenerife President Miguel Concepcion, the coaches during his 14 year reign paraded past his vision during a 19th minute fans protest in the 1-3 home defeat to UD Almeria. Current caretaker coach, Sesé Rivero, the 19th team selector, followed his opening 0-2 away win at Sporting Gijon with a spirited but defensively flawed loss against the big money second placed team in the Segunda Division. A few days later, Ruben Baraja became coach number 20. But there are bigger moves afoot to wrench the club out of the President´s hands.

On a day with so many personalities worthy of attention, the referee grabbed the early spotlight, ignoring a foul on Dani Gomez on the edge of the box. He then gave a free kick in a similar position against Tenerife at the other end – and booked home goalie Ortola for complaining. There was some satisfaction for the keeper when he turned aside the resulting shot. A strong headed clearance from Carlos Ruiz defused an Almeria raid on 20 minutes but the home defence were tactically poor seven minutes later. Three white shirted defenders got all bunched up on the right and were unable to stop the ball bouncing free to Lazo for an easy tuck in lead.

Just after the half hour, it was the same crime and same scene as three defenders hugged the right side and let an attacker slip through with the ball falling nicely to Lazo for his second goal. Tenerife heads didn´t drop, Gomez forced a corner off the keeper, Suso swung in a perfect ball, and Borja Lasso smashed it in off the post. Aitor Sanz made a slide rule pass deep to Suso that wasn´t finished of, and Almeria goalie Fernando showed encouraging nerves with a soft kick out. There was plenty still to play for at the break. Nahuel had been quiet on the left in the first 45 minutes and was soon replaced by 20 year old winger Elliot Gomez, following in his brief debut at Gijon. The youth player looked strong, confident, and full of running to give Almeria a few problems. Shaq Moore showed a more forcefull side of his nature and helped to keep the visitors in check in the second half.

Ortola made another classy save on the hour and Malbasic arrived for Alberto to boost the front line. However the Serbian´s first touch was his weakness again when Dani played a ball back to tee it up for him and he blasted it over the stand. Borja was busy looking for openings and had big defender Owana tied in knots. Almeria were a good side, and didn´t even use their 8 million euro signing from Notingham Forest, Arvin Appiah. Tenerife were making headway, Almeria goalie Fernando resorted to feigning injury whenever possible to buy time. Rivero will leave a small legacy behind when he drops back into the youth coaching system, Another of his gems, Jorge was a surprise sub and came on in place of Dani Gomez. There was nearly a dream glimpse of the future as Elliot slipped a neat pass to Jorge but he didn´t have the power to take it on or the back up. With five minutes of added time, Munoz made a crude sweep past Fernando and gave him a little body check, he thought he had got away with it but the ref booked him as play switched to the other end, that takes him up to a one game suspension. A last gasp break found Aguza who caught Tenerife napping to wrap up the 1-3 win. Calls for the President to go were louder and more prolonged as the 12,394 crowd filtered away from the stadium.

Aritz Garai Lopez was shocked to be sacked after his patched up CD Tenerife side ground out a 1-1 home draw with Cadiz, the nine points clear top team. Alvaro Cervera, the visiting coach probably wasn´t, he was sacked four years ago after rescuing Tenerife from the doldrums of Segunda B. That´s 18 coaches in 14 years.

Injuries decimated the Tenerife line up. Luis Milla, Luis Perez, and Alex Bermejo, the best players at the club, led the injury parade. Shaq Moore, a left sided defender struggled at right back but even so, veteran captain Suso gave Tenerife a shock 11th minute lead from a Mierez set up. Just before that, home goalie Ortola had saved from Sanchez. Carlos Ruiz, another veteran was at the heart of the home defence, he had been pressed into service due to the poor displays of Sipcic. The Serbian was warming the bench along with Dos Santos, an equally poor defender brought in a year before by the Sporting Director. I´m not trying to make you weep for the departed coach, just enlighten you to why the Tenerife coaching job chews them up and spits them out.

Back at the game, hope was springing eternal, even the return of Honduras striker Choco Lozano, this time in a yellow shirt, wasn´t offering as much threat as was expected. Cadiz did rattle the home crossbar but the midfield pairing of Undabarrena and Alberto slowed their progress and Munoz was playing well alongside Ruiz. Borja was the spark going forward and had two decent strikes at goal. Mierez was picked ahead of Malbasic, he did well holding up the ball but he doesn´t shoot enough and the lack of goals has been one of the main causes of Tenerife´s slump. Just after the half hour Moore was exposed at the post and the ball came loose for Mauro to pop in for the equaliser.
Tenerife didn´t drop their heads, they came out for the second half eager to get at Cadiz. Nahuel looked tired with his socks at half mast but still made his powerful charges like a rhino answering the dinner gong.

Suso was fired up, he roasted his marker and took the ball to the line before hooking it back to Mierez, but he reacted slowly and a defender cleared the danger. Nano, another former Tenerife player came on as sub but didn´t offer much. Negative substitutions is one charge levelled at Lopez, the coach showed ambition this week by adding Dani Gomez for Borja. Alberto picked up a booking, totting him up to a suspension next game, a nice welcome for the new boss. Javi Alonso took over from Undabarrena, and Malbasic entered the attack in place of Suso. Mierez squandered two late chances with a header and a wide strike. In the end a valiant point looked like some sort of platform for the coach to build from. There were no calls for the coach to go from the 9,860 crowd but he had been warned that a defeat would see the end of him, it turned out a few hours later that even a draw couldn´t save him. Terrace calls for the club President to go have been a feature all season, a new takeover bid for the club is gathering momentum and may have played a part in the sacking but patience has never been a virtue at CD Tenerife.

No win in six games, no goals scored in four of those last six games. Home form is woeful, more like an allotment shed than a fortress. The good news is the defence has tightened up and combined well to blunt 4th place Huesca for a 0-0 home draw. CD Tenerife played reasonably in the first half but despite making 10 summer signings, the squad hasn´t got enough depth, especially in the firing line. A sending off for left back Mazan will stretch things further, and every injury or booking must send spasms of despair through coach Aritz Lopez Garai.

Missing midfield kingpin Aitor Sanz, suspended, and live wire left sided forward Alex Bermejo, injured, ripped the heart out of the home side. Dani Gomez started as the central striker, he showed his pace, cutting in from the right and beating the Huesca defender, but his finish into the side netting showed his lack of maturity. Local youth product, Cristo Gonzalez was back in town via Real Madrid B and a summer transfer to Udinese in Serie A, he joined former Leicester City player Okazaki, and Mikel Rico in a three pronged Huesca attack. Luis Perez marked Cristo´s card, robbing him of the ball in his first surge, and saw off another ex home player, Juan Carlos Real a few minutes later.

Malbasic had a home try at goal, he found goalie Fernandez waiting with a helping hand to flick the ball away. A soft header from Sipcic at a corner did little more than tickle the keepers gloves. Huesca looked the more dangerous team, Alberto was back to something like his best form in the midfield holding role, his cool interception on Rico drew an appreciative response from the 9,686 crowd. The best chance of the first half belonged to full back Miguelon for the away side, his long curling strike just cleared the join of the post and bar.

Tenerife fans were hoping for a concerted assault on Huesca after the break but it didn´t come. Ortola was down quickly to save on the floor when the visitors threatened, the ball rebounded out to Okazaki whose hard drive was blocked by the Tenerife centre backs, Sipcic and Munoz. Nahuel was having a quiet game, he managed to make an encouraging opening for Gomez but the ball raced ahead of the young striker. The Tenerife squad has a shortage of home grown talent so it was pleasing to see Adeje 21 year old Javi Alonso take over Alberto´s role after 70 minutes. Hopes of a grandstand finish were crushed when Mazan fouled Miguelon, the ref brandished a second yellow card and he was off. American defender Shaq Moore got a run out for Gomez, that signalled an acceptance to hunker down for the draw. Just into November and frustrated supporters sights are already on the January transfer window as the team stagnates in 17th position.

Attacking flair and great finishing built a 3-1 home lead for CD Tenerife but Racing Santander snatched a 3-3 draw as basic defensive errors undid all their good work. Wearing their pink away kit at home to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Day was a nice gesture from the Santa Cruz club and it matched their blushes as they tormented their fans with their big throwaway.

A big statement of intent was needed to lift the home fans, an early shot from former Tenerife midfielder Kitoko was a warning to not underestimate the third from bottom visitors. Just 12 minutes into the action, a fast, slick build up saw Alex Bermejo drop a well flighted ball over the Racing defence for Malbasic to slip it under goalie Luca Zidane. The 21 year old loanee from his famous fathers club had plenty to worry about as Nahuel showed he was equally at home on the right as on his normal left wing, and Bermejo always looked threatening on the other flank. A long free kick from the Racing full back was taken comfortably by Ortola but Tenerife were enjoying themselves as the heavy rain poured down.

Luis Perez was having another superb game from right back, he had the vision and the speed to reach a lay off from Nahuel and cut it back for Bermejo to give Zidane no chancewith a sweet strike. This was more like it, the 8,525 crowd sensed the chance to kick start the slumping season. Then came the first big lapse, Alberto only had to do kick the ball out of play to stop Lomardo near the post, but he tried to over think it and the striker made him look like a novice as he buried the ball in the net. That gave the half time break a whole different complexion. At least Tenerife regained their superiority five minutes after the restart when Luis Perez was outstanding again, this time scooping a lost ball back from the byline into the path of Borjs Lasso for a bullet header.

Just six minutes later a slack kick out from Ortola was fumbled by Alberto and Lombardo pounced to march through and reduce the arrears. Borja was ploughed down by a Racing player and after a few minutes of discomfort, was replaced by Aitor Sanz. Suso came on for Nahuel, those moves robbed the team of two of the main play makers, and the arrival of striker Mierez for Malbasic weakened the goal threat. Tenerife should have pressed harder, Zidane kept wandering far out of his goal, he needed to be pressured more. It all made for a nervous last 30 minutes. Suso charged inside but was fouled by Olaortua, and that was about the best chance Tenerife had of putting more distance between the two sides. Racing had six players booked, all that card flashing added up to four extra minutes, and it wasn´t pretty.

Luis Milla broke on the left with two players coming up in support, he tried to do too much on his own and lost the ball after running it on too far. Then in the last 30 seconds a gifted Racing free kick sailed over and was headed past a slow Ortola by Yoda. Home fans trudged out with the whiff of a defeat in their nostrils – that´s how it felt. Slipping down to 19th spot, after match talk was of coaching responsibilities, and out of form players like Milla and Alberto.

Home is where the heartache is after two poor defeats at the Heliodoro Stadium in four days for CD Tenerife. It highlighted their worrying Santa Cruz form, especially when compared to a rich vein of wins on their travels. Real Oviedo and Extremadura both made a nonsense of their lowly positions to plunder six points and leave Tenerife’s aspirations in tatters.

Embraced and escorted off the pitch by jubilant team mates, Real Oviedo goalie Champagne had the last laugh for again playing the clown on a visit to CD Tenerife. Home fans would also point to a delayed and disputed VAR penalty denial that played a part in the 0-1 Wednesday night defeat to the win less, bottom placed visitors. Even the long established inability to beat “inferior” teams, and failure to establish winning streaks were mentioned but Tenerife were sloppy, negative, shot shy, and so easy for their orange shirted visitors to wind up.

Coming off a wonderful 1-4 win at Lugo, confidence should have been overflowing but Oviedo had the first decent chance. Barcenas drifted in from the right to slice a shot wide of the home goal. Malbasic and Mieroz were getting in each others way up front for Tenerife and Bermejo was not at his scintillating best of previous weeks. Ortuño was looking dangerous and wasn´t too far off target with his free kick. After 24 minutes there was a near copy of the lone goal in the previous home defeat. A well measured ball from Sangall outstripped Carlos Ruiz and found Barcenas who shrugged off Luis Perez and fired the ball under the diving Ortola.

A quick break and Borja Lasso headed a shot at the Oviedo goal, a defender blocked it with his hand, his reaction and the refs instant point to the spot signalled a penalty. VAR had other ideas, and highlighted a Tenerife offside pass way back in the build up, and after the usual drawn out wait, the spot kick was cancelled. The half time feeling in the stands was still that Tenerife had the fire power (9 goals in the last 3 away games) to stick the form book back together. A sniff of a win was all Oviedo needed, out came the diving, delaying, and disrupting tactics. Nahuel came on for Bermejo, and Suso for Mierez to change the home front line. Nahuel gave a much better account of himself after his dismal debut in the last home game. The Argentinian left winger teased the away defence and opened them up but there were no finishers waiting. Suso worked the ball in from the right and passed it across to Malbasic, his neat back heel was a bright idea but couldn´t find a team mate.

Champagne was having problems with gravity, after several theatrical falls he got booked, it didn´t stop him from gathering the ball from the pending header of Aitor Sanz. The keeper followed that with some early pantomime as he fell to the ground in the shadow of his diving defender, maybe he was just showing solidarity. Dani Gomez was a late replacement for Sanz, Champagne snatched a half chance from Malbasic but even the added VAR time couldn´t yield a home goal, for the third time on the trot.

It was an attack minded line up a few nights later against Extremadura. Naranjo was the surprise recall in a more central role, with Mieroz benched, and Nahuel holding his left wing spot as Bermejo slotted in just slightly deeper. Hope hardly had time to get comfortable before an Alex Diaz high ball into the box, Carlos Ruiz, one of three close defenders, missed a tackle on Zarfino who gratefully tucked the ball into the home net. Luis Perez tried for a quick reply, setting up Bermejo for a wayward header, Naranjo was also wasteful, turning an easy nod in, into a glaring miss. Extremadura were basking in their lead and tested Ortola who produced a late punch clear of his goal. It was VAR time at the other end as Munoz squeezed a Naranjo pass in at the post, as the keeper scrabbled in vain to stop it crossing the line. There was just time to bake a cake or write a novel before technology told the ref to give the thumbs up for the equaliser.

There was no time to relax for Tenerife, Willy was bearing down on the home goal, Munoz showed his quality with a snappy interception to clear the danger. Pastrana was denied by another diving save by Ortola, and Rocha exposed Carlos Ruiz and was grateful to Perez for mopping up. Second half nerves were jangling as Ortola spilled a shot just after the restart but a counter attack saw Bermejo clear the bar from a Naranjo pass. Malbasic was getting involved more even if his shot was too weak to trouble the goalie. On the hour Borja Lasso came on for the subdued Luis Milla, it added some urgency and woke up Nahuel whose pass to Mazan forced some stern defending. Dani Gomez was a straight swap for Malbasic when maybe an extra striker would have been a risk worth taking. Naranjo never fails to depress, he wasted good build up work from Munoz with a weak finish, even his recent weeks of obscurity hadn’t sharpened his appetite.

Disaster followed as Extremadura sub Nono dispatched a penalty, after Carlos Ruiz had held him back with 15 minutes left. The final home change brought Mierez on, he did add a threat in the air but Bermejo giving way for him was a costly sacrifice. Tenerife piled on late pressure but their aim hadn’t improved. Naranjo should have ensured himself another lengthy spell in mothballs after another soft attempt on goal. Gomez was lively but couldn’t convert good positioning into the finished product. Just four minutes of injury and VAR time were added, long enough for Borja Lasso to pull Alex Lopez back and convert a booking into a sending off, his second in just over a month. It was just another blow for the 9,876 crowd as three more home points evaporated into the night air. There are goals in this squad, at least on away soil, but the mental block at home is feeding frustration and the team slipped into 16th place.