Flared tempers, gift goals, and missed sitters, all wrapped up with good creative football. That’s what unfolded as CD Marino drew 1-1 at home to Mensajero, there was even a meltdown by the referee that left the La Palma team fuming.

I knew it was going to be an interesting afternoon when the swifts that swoop around the ground dive bombed me as I clicked away at pitch side. Both teams had plenty of quality so it settled into a tight contest with the reds shading the opening 10 minutes but it was Pibe of Marino who had the first decent sight of goal. The forward got into a good position in front of the net but screwed his shot over the bar. Mensajero launched a counter attack with Iray picking his way down the left before shooting wide. Pibe was cursing his luck again after finding room on the right but his shot twanged a post. Aridani joined in the shooting practice pushing forward from the left back slot to fire another wide effort. In between those near misses Aridani came to the rescue to snuff out a Mensajero raid.

Visiting goalie Kyliam was in a generous mood after 21 minutes, he made a soft pass out that was intercepted by Pibe who teed the ball up for Nestor Trujillo to grab a home lead. At the other end Alberto looked solid with confident takes from two free kicks either side of an acrobatic tip over. Aaron Darias made one of his timely runs from right back, nipping between two red defenders to put a cross over that Pibe was only able to put over the bar. Mensajero matched Marino in creativity and looked odds on to score just before half time but once in the goal area they were looking to create a penalty instead of shooting.

The second half opened with another fine stop from Alberto, this one low down at the foot of the post. Amado replaced Sesma just before Javi Machena had a goal bound strike stopped by Kyliam’s knee. Alberto stood firm again charging out of his goal twice in quick succession to thwart Mensajero – he looked unbeatable. There was a sustained period of pressure from the visitors with just over 10 minutes left and the unthinkable happened. Alberto dived to stop a cross cum shot from Fede but missed the ball and Iray was on hand to level the scores.

A strong reaction was needed from Marino but they couldn’t produce it and Mensajero’s play became desperate as they searched for a winner. The visiting bench was at fever pitch and coach Manuel Cid took his frustration out on the dug out, the ref could have just booked him but over reacted and sent him off. The ref had lost it, he dispatched Eslave for the home side with a second booking and also sent the substituted Jaime from the Mensajero bench to the changing room for doubting his word. There was one final flash point as Alberto raced out to claim an attackers ball, he beat his man and rolled some way outside his area. Furious Mensajero players and the bench claimed it was a foul and screamed for a penalty and a sending off but the ref didn’t want to know and soon after blew for time. It was a frantic end to a fluid game between two well matched sides.

We got pretty much what we had been asking for, a slight improvement in form, and even a well worked goal in a 1-0 home win over Mirandes. Given the winless run stretching back into last season, CD Tenerife desperately needed to break the dam and calm the jangling nerves.

Relegated and then handed a late reprieve, Mirandes were not the strongest side that will visit Santa Cruz this season, but who cares, it was about beating ourselves as much as beating the visitors. Three more of the new signings made their league debuts, Ruso Garcia replaced Aridane up front, Hugo Alvarez filled in for the suspended Carlos Ruiz, and Igor Arnaez slotted in at left back. Early play was nervous but encouraging and after 6 minutes Aitor Sanz showed a flash of determination and skill. The midfielder robbed a Mirandes defender out on the right and set up a straight forward chance for Guarrotxena who made sure he beat former home keeper Razak Brimah.

It was like Christmas Day, fiesta Friday, and free beer Tuesday all wrapped up in one glorious moment of relief. Mind you being a hard bitten bunch we knew it might not be that easy so we prayed and fretted as the first half unfolded. Ruso should have made it 2-0 after 22 minutes, he had a clear sight of goal but couldn’t bury the ball. Mirandes gave us a few scares, basically anytime they got a foot or head on the ball the worries crept up again but Arnaez and Hugo Alvarez looked comfortable in defence and Jacobo had little to deal with.

The second half was just as tense, Aridane replaced Ruso and got another mixed reception but Ruso had looked little more than adequate and a second goal had to be a priority. Davila didn’t show much and was sacrificed for Cristo, at least the clock was running down. There was a big scare as Mirandes broke through after 72 minutes, Jacobo made a great save to block the danger, offside was called but it was quite close enough for our liking.

Thankfully there was just a couple of minutes of added time to endure, the final whistle was sweet music to the 8,175 crowd. A win is a win and the hope is we can push on from here. Valladolid will be a tough nut away next Sunday, inevitably the home clash with the Pios is on everyones mind but there is still a lot of work to do.

Pre match talk had been all about gloves but it was the lethal boots of CD Marino that trampled all over CD El Cotillo for a 5-1 home win. The signing of former CD Tenerife goalie Sergio Aragoneses created a mid week media frenzy but he sat this one out as Alberto kept his place. Sadly many of the reports of the new arrival didn’t go on to mention this home fixture and that showed in the crowd that struggled to break three figures.

The newly promoted visitors from Fuerteventura had made a good start to the season but looked weak and were exposed time and time again by a solid Marino team display. After shaving the crossbar just after kick off, Marino were unlucky when a Nestor Trujillo effort was touched away by the keeper and trickled against the post before bouncing back into his grasp. The clock only showed 8minutes when Sesma took his time to place a cool shot past the stranded stopper to take the lead.

Cotillo tried to rouse themselves, a raid down their left looked promising but was expertly snubbed out by Darias. Sesma was wreaking havoc and a neat headed flick found Pibe but Julio in the Cotillo goal got down to smother the shot. There was a small spark of hope for the opposition when Justin knocked in a weak shot that Alberto should have easily covered. The home response was swift, as a move down the left ended with the ball at the feet of Pibe, his finish was clinical and the advantage was restored.

A Darias in swinger forced a strong punch out from Julio but just before half time Marchena down the left found Pibe whose feed was converted by Nestor to round off a smooth break that ripped Cotillo open. The attacking urge continued in the second half, Darias was in full flight when he was upended in the box and Sesma stroked home the penalty. Alberto looked sharper when making a tremendous full length diving save from a rare Cotillo attack but it was only the stifling humidity and substitutions that prevented Marino from completely destroying the visitors. Nestor had the Cotillo defence in tatters as he constantly probed them, his build up work left Pibe with the simplest of tap ins to make it 5-1.

There was a welcome water break when the ref needed treatment for a knock, Cotillo were in the greater need of the respite. The ref added to their woes when he awarded a second yellow to their main strike weapon Juanjo and sent him off with ten minutes left. A couple of near misses and some desperate defending kept the score as it was, Marino had good reason to be pleased with a performance that marks them out as a firm promotion candidate.

Fireworks ripping through the Los Cristianos sky this week are as good a way as any to mark a two win perfect start for CD Marino. It’s the Virgen del Carmen celebrations to mark the fishing traditions of south Tenerife and the Marino club knows all about tradition and pride.

A quiet revolution has been going on at CD Marino, a raft of new faces has been brought in to build on last seasons promotion play off reaching team. Not many were in place when I saw them lose 1-7 to a strong Las Palmas side pre season but all that was forgotten when they opened their Tercera division campaign last week with a 1-2 win at Estrella. There was a good shape to the side in the latest win,1-0 at home to Atletico Victoria, Amado back for a second spell had the captains armband and marshaled his defence well, as well as making some timely interventions. Pibe led the attack with plenty of pace and old favourites like goalie Alberto, Pablo, and Balduino added a steadying influence to the mix.

Victoria spurned a couple of early chances, Lele looped his shot marginally over the goal but Marino settled quickly and took the game to their rivals from the north. Pibe carved his way through a couple of defenders but stumbled when shaping for a shot, a long high strike from Airan didn’t threaten the Victoria keeper, but a second effort from Pibe deserved better after he turned quickly and blasted just over the bar.

The stocky Joseph caused some trouble at the other end but found Alberto ready for him with a fine take in the air. Marino were testing their guests all the time, Nestor Trujillo was always willing to take the ball wide and challenge the defenders. At the break the blues had to be content with having the greater share of the play. The action resumed with a rare Victoria attack but the home defence mopped it up well. Marchena, another former Marino player lured back to the Antonio Dominguez stadium replaced Kevin Castro and added more bulk to the attack.

Pibe should have passed to a team mate after steering the ball around the defence but he hesitated and the moment was gone. Nestor Trujillo learnt from that and a few minutes later he drew his marker before placing his shot perfectly to grab the lead with 20 minutes to go. This stung Victoria into action, their goalie camped out on the edge of his box to help launch a fight back, Alberto came to the rescue twice with a powerful punch clear and then a dash outside his area to boot the ball out of play. It was a well deserved win and they will be looking for a third next weekend at Santa Ursula.

Man sees Jesus in slice of toast! As much as you want to believe it and strain your eyes it’s just a blur. Now I’m not saying that CD Tenerife’s 1-1 home draw with Albacete marked a moment of divine revelation but something is definitely appearing out of the recent months gloom. Of course it helped having a hallelujah moment when Aridane scored the first league goal in 790 minutes.

Maybe the late night air of Santa Cruz suits us but don’t tell the TV companies, their imposed 10pm kick off is not something we want to make a habit of. The late recruitment of a whole shoal of new players has put CD Tenerife a month behind their rivals but two of the new boys made a big impact on this game. The injured Ifran made way for Cristo Martin, and Aridane played the central striking role, he had great support from Guarrotxena who was strong and went close to scoring after just five minutes. At the other end, Albuzua looked assured alongside Carlos Ruiz in central defence.

Jacobo made a couple of good early saves but repeated his opening day weakness after 32 minutes, Portu put the ball into Diaz in the area and he fired, it was a soft effort and the big goalie should have easily swallowed it but it went straight through him for an away lead. The home spirit was good, Aridane, Ruiz, and Guarrotxena all went close in a hot five minute spell and hope still hung in the air at half time. The second half saw the steady improvement continue, Ruso came on for the busy Cristo Martin and a minute later the visiting goalie showed his generous side after Guarrotxena forced a mistake out of him to present Aridane with the goal we had all craved since April.

The second biggest cheer of the night was for the return of Vitolo after nine years away from his home island. Although clearly a little rusty he slotted in well and another piece of the jigsaw arrived when Maxi came on after 70 minutes. The Albacete goalie and some bad luck prevented a home winner but the build up play was better.

Albizua looked a class act tidying up behind the more prominent Ruiz, in the last ten minutes he stopped a Albacete break and hooked the ball up field to start a Maxi run down the right wing. It was a much encouraged 7,885 crowd that filed out for a midnight cup of cocoa, we had to settle for beer. More of the new signings will be up for consideration for next weeks game at Girona and coach Cervera will have a tough decision to make on the goalie choice but I will be looking for omens in my cornflakes next Saturday morning.

It’s fair to say that CD Tenerife supporters expect a little turbulence during the football season but a full scale cock up before it even begins added a new uncertainty. No wonder the players looked more attentive than usual when they made their annual pilgrimage to the basilica for a blessing from the Virgen de Candelaria.

The LFP, Spanish FA, just about had time to put in their expenses claims from their World Cup jolly before kicking Real Murcia down to the Segunda B for not fulfilling their financial obligations. The trouble was Murcia believed they had met every demand made on them, and a court agreed with this. The LFP had already drawn the fixtures and reprieved relegated Mirandes so there we were with an unworkable 23 team league. A late court hearing saw the judge change his mind against Murcia so they were ruled out and the first weeks fixtures were ready for playing.

The final outcome came just as CD Tenerife arrived by coach at the basilca, I was there ready to start a coastal walk so snapped a few shots. The players were very casual in their white training tops while President Concepcion and his staff were immaculate in suits. Quite a few supporters mingled with the media scrum and the players signed autographs and shook hands. The beggars on the steps looked hopeful but they obviously haven’t seen the club finances, at one point I thought Concepcion was going to tap them for a loan.

Inside the imposing basilica, the players were ushered to the front pews, a church bouncer moved a few devout prayers and the service began. Some wriggled in their seats, some looked very solemn, and some like Aridane seemed to be seeking forgiveness for spurned goal chances. They were in for around one hour, I left them to it when the serious stuff started, it’s too late to redeem me and anyway my church has four floodlights and a bar nearby that serves holy water. Emerging squeaky clean and ready for another campaign the players were whisked away, maybe a few CDT scarves on the statues of the Guanche kings would have completed the scene. It’s now over to the players to turn water into Dorada and a poor pre season into promotion aspirations. Let us all sing hymn number 92.02 Chicharrero de Corazon.

At school I did cooking and metalwork and no one could tell the difference, thankfully CD Tenerife have an expert football chef in coach Alvaro Cervera and he is currently blending his new ingredients together. The 0-2 home loss to Las Palmas in the Copa Mahou was hard to swallow but at La Orotava the mix was much smoother and Espanyol had to work hard for their 1-0 win.

Let’s start with the Las Palmas defeat, I saw the Pios win 7-1 at CD Marino the previous night and although it sticks in my throat, I have to say they looked to have strength and depth. Tenerife offered little up front, Aridane was back to his plodding mode and the only decent home shot all night hit the post. New boys Ifran and Maxi came on late and showed flashes of form and local youth player Jorge Saenz looked comfortable in the heart of defence.

It’s always a balancing act for CDT to make their resources go around, Juanjo and Ayoze Diaz didn’t figure in the Pio game and are on the way out, Abel popped back, picked up a contract extension to 2016 and went off on loan to La Roda, and Nano was lined up for a loan to Hospitalet. The Espanyol game for the Teide Trophy, was a much better performance but again showed we need more firepower, Tenerife looked the better side in the first half and came close with a neat offside tap in from Aridane. I liked the look of our defence, new boy Unai was cool at left back but the big revelation for me was Jorge Saenz who held his place, he was strong, read the game well, and was forging a good understanding with Carlos Ruiz. Fast tracked through from the youth, the brother of ex forward German is highly rated and has just signed a three year contract – I don’t want to curse him, but maybe the new Bruno?

Espanyol were better in the second half and their danger man Caicedo found thee net after 72 minutes from a breakaway. Lots of late subs again, Alberto even got to wear the captain’s armband for a while after Suso and then Aridane had departed. Even better news came after the game with the last two signings announced, both are 26 year olds. Cristian “Ruso” Garcia is from Argentina where he played for Godoy Cruz last season but was previously with Real Murcia. Left sided Honduras international Juan Carlos Garcia arrives on loan from Wigan and will be remembered for a cracking goal v USA in the World Cup. Before the Segunda kicks off on 24 August away to Ponferradina we have Las Palmas away on Wednesday 13 August in the second leg of the Copa Mahou, and Elche at home next Sunday at a time to be confirmed. Unlike any cake I might have a hand in, the season’s hopes are beginning to rise.

It was supposed to be all about new signings and emerging local youngsters but old workhorse Aridane stole the show with four goals in CD Tenerife’s 0-5 friendly win at Ibarra in El Fraile. Earlier in the day it had been reported that he might sit the game out with a knock but he looked charged up and hungry for the new season.

With no friendly against CD Marino this was our big southern gathering for the Armada Sur and of course we converged on a bar just a few strides away from the stadium. The local wild youth were on the prowl and trying to provoke us but we had Dorada and football on our minds and were blinkered to the cause. The Armada Sur Scooter Club popped along and there were plenty of the next generation of our supporters. Our new monster of a goalie Jacabo Sanz started, an early chance to stake his claim over last seasons regular Roberto, but he had little to do.

Aridane probably realizes he has to constantly prove himself to many of our fans so a fifth minute header from a Raul Camara cross gave him a kick start. Ten minutes later he pounced on a defensive error and then completed his hat trick with a neat shot over the home keeper. Suso looked lively, well when doesn’t he, and he set up another header for Aridane’s fourth marker after just 21 minutes. Just to show he’s not just goals, the big man turned provider for Cristo Martin to close the scoring after 25 minutes.

Half time saw wholesale changes on both sides with the young brigade taking over for CD Tenerife. It was a low key second half, just our luck as our hard core of fans were at the end we were supposedly attacking. Jairo showed plenty of trickery and promise, and Nano looked keen to avoid being loaned out but Ibarra played a tighter game and restored some home honour by keeping us at bay. After the final whistle the players stayed on and happily posed for photos, the selfie obsession has taken a firm hold over here, and many autographs were signed. I was a bit disgusted at a parent posing their Barcelona topped sprog with one of our players but it was all good natured and combined a handy work out with a charm offensive.

While I was back in Oxford, CDT slipped in an extra early friendly at Las Zocas, that finished in a 1-2 win with goals from Nano and 16 year old youth forward Cristo Gonzalez. There’s a busy week coming up with more testing opponents and hopefully a few more new players but for now it’s just good to get our fix of live football, it’s that golden time when anything is possible for the new season.

Here we go again on the World Cup finals roller coaster, for me it always brings back memories of Italia 90 and a few days of pure magic. I dug out this report, written pre France 1998, and was shocked to think it refers to 24 years ago when I was a young slip of a lad.
Competitions were always a hobby for me and I had a decent strike rate but even better than the chance of winning a years supply of semolina pudding was a Fiat World Cup competition run with Fox FM, a local Oxford radio station. The questions were easy multiple choice with the answers contained on the entry pack so I had low expectations of winning through the large response. I nearly fell off my office chair when Fox FM rang me at work and asked an easy tie breaker. I couldn’t believe how obvious the answer was and hesitated for what seemed like an eternity before being told “Your off to Italy”. I managed not to swear to their listeners but did cause quite a commotion at work.

The deal was a four day trip to a game involving England or Scotland and the waiting for details was agonizing but a week later the confirmation letter arrived. I was going with a friend to Sardinia to see England v Egypt in the last group game. The flight from Luton was at 7am, so me and Nigel thought it best to go up the day before and stay at a cheap B & B for an early start. We arrived for opening time and toured the area, via many pubs, seeking a cheap place to stay but by 10pm we were still in a pub and gave in to a taxi to the airport and splashed out on a nearby hotel.
The early alarm rudely awoke us for a frantic walk down the road to an assembly point in time to meet the other 50 or so winners to pose for a lethargic group publicity shot. As the plane rose above the clouds we also gradually rose above our hangovers, and the warm sun that kissed us as we disembarked in Cagliari dispelled any lingering after effects. The coach to the hotel complex took the driver half an hour and the brochure we had poured over hardly did it justice. It was just two floors high and spread out among green lawns. A stroll through a super cooled lobby brought us to a large circular bar, half inside and half out facing a large pool. After dumping bags it had to be beer, mmm this could be fun, no cash up front, it would all appear on a room tab before leaving. Onward and out by the pool, over a lawn, through a small gate and there it was, a deserted, private, sandy beach, stretching several miles in each direction and within a few seconds of the bar – absolute heaven.

The next couple of days were a relaxed mixture of swimming, drinking, and exploring. We were fairly isolated but a few hundred yards down the coast was a camp site where many casual traveling fans had settled overlooked by a large contingent of the infamous carabinieri. Stories were circulating about the young trigger happy conscripts blowing away any fans who dared to even breathe heavily – thankfully they were just stories. The England camp was nearby up in the hills but it was hot enough to discourage the curious from paying a social call. Buses passed our slip road packed to the roof so it was a rag tag, strung out procession of England’s finest ambassadors that trailed into town each day along a busy, pavement less road.
Cagliari itself had plenty to offer. On it’s fringes were small shops and bars all awash with ever souvenir imaginable of Italia 90. The locals were, on the whole, pleased to see us as tourism was just about their main income. A few of us went into the heart of the town alongside the harbour and took the long hike to the ground to have a sneak preview. It was fairly new and impressive and it seemed strange to turn a corner only to be confronted by three large BBC outside broadcast vans. The authorities decreed that all bars would close in town 24 hours before the game, a decision, we were told, that was met with anger by the local bar owners. So it came to pass on the last trip to town the return bus was full of clanking bottle and crate laden fans, wisely and openly stocking up for the drought. I was disgusted to find that a bottle I had bought to drink on the bus was alcohol free.
At the hotel our traditional early evening pasta meal was followed by a frantic last drinking session at the bar with the manager, a Basil Fawlty look and behave alike, seeming to keep track of the slips of paper that recorded the ever growing tabs. Then came match day. It was a slow relaxed build up around the pool as we waited for our afternoon coaches to take us to the ground. Before we left the hotel it was time to settle the bills, the printouts showed alarmingly large numbers of Lira but after conversion most were pretty reasonable. However one middle aged couple were having a domestic, she queried the bill as they had only made a few phone calls, hubby looked sheepishly at the floor before admitting he may have wandered down for the odd beer after she had gone to sleep.

We must have looked a frightening sight as we boarded the coaches in our silly coloured shorts and football shirts with regulation blotchy sun burn. We had been given strict instructions not to take things that could be construed as offensive weapons, such as keys, coins, and combs. On arrival at the stadiums far flung car park we were escorted for the 15 minute walk to the gates where we were frisked. The young Carabinieri seemed almost embarrassed by the fuss, many posed for photographs with us and our home made banners. Once inside we found ourselves grouped together in a corner with a great view, a few thousand England regulars to our left were in full voice. Away in the other corner of the ground was a small group of a few hundred Egypt fans complete with their own brass band. Large metallic musical instruments obviously could not cause ass much damage as keys, coins, and combs.
After the formalities, kick off was soon upon us and we proudly joined in the singing with the main body of England fans, even though the game was nothing to sing about. An embarrassing draw was looming but thankfully Mark Wright, an Oxford boy, came to the rescue with a fine soaring header. In one motion he rescued not only our mood, but also our entire World Cup campaign. Suddenly the songs were of celebration and relief. “Let’s all have a disco” they sang, in previous games it had been “let’s go down the disco” as an alternative to watching poor football. It took ages for our escorts to march us to our coach, and even longer to negotiate the traffic out of the stadium. Back at the hotel everyone slipped quietly away only to re-emerge a few minutes later with their secret stashes of hidden, illicit alcohol.

It was party time around the pool, our singing was loud and boisterous and soon attracted the attention of the carabinieri patrolling the beach, wary of the nearby campsite. They arrived, struck a few menacing poses, but soon sat down smiling when offered a drink and a good natured night followed.
My thirst earlier in the day had depleted my stocks and I ran out of beer quickly. However a few with an eye to our prompt getaway the next morning, retired early leaving plenty off spirits which I helped to dispose of. Overcome with emotion, my legs became a bit wobbly and I was helped to the hotel lobby by a couple of kind carabinieri – a photo opportunity too good for Nigel to miss. The next morning was hazy. Barely five minutes after my awakening, I had packed and boarded the coach. Most of the trip to the airport was spent with my head firmly bowed as we passed through the barren countryside. The flight was smooth and punctual and my emergence from the mists coincided with our onward arrival at Reading station. A couple of good English pints in the nearby pub gave me time to reflect and check my souvenirs. More by luck than planning, I had remembered to add them to my case. I just hoped the players had enjoyed themselves as much as I had.

They came by the cart load to see the new football heroines of the south Granadilla Tenerife Sur grab a 2-1 lead over Fundacion Albacete in the first leg of the play off final for promotion to La Liga. The timing was perfect as this was the day of the big local Romeria, we noticed that fact as we overtook a barn on wheels full of party people in full Canarian costume. The traditional homage to San Antonio de Abad was put on hold for a few hours as around 1,000 people enjoyed the free entry to the stadium.

Just inside the stadium gates everyone was given a large crusty loaf from game sponsors Tarteria, I would have been just as happy with a little tart. The sponsors also had a man dressed as a pink cake who spent much of the game being chased up and down the terracing by a man with a megaphone, I think they were local internet pranksters Rudy Y Ruyman.

It was refreshing to see both teams play such good flowing football, it was pretty even early on before GTS cut open the Albacete defence to set up Maria Jose Perez for a neat finish. The cousin of CD Tenerife’s Ayoze was delighted to be back in action after a crunching leg injury in the Canarian Championship final and celebrated with her team mates. The human cake got a bit carried away and ran onto the pitch, the referee had a word with the home officials but wisely didn’t take any further action, come on how would he explain it in his match report.

Albacete backed by a large section of fans, came back strongly and pinned Granadilla down, the defence did well but with five minutes to the break a strong header at the far post tied the score. That left the home coach, Andres Clavijo, plenty to think about at half time as the crowd enjoyed the party atmosphere with the beer flowing and a couple of drummers providing the beat. My loaf was in danger of becoming toast as the sun scorched down, I was still waiting for someone to bring the fishes to go with it. People were sat on vantage points high up on the surrounding half finished buildings and the return of the players was greeted with a roar.

Albacete had ended the first half on top but Granadilla looked determined in the second half as they used the wings well, Reichel, the main striker was a constant threat to the visiting defence as they were kept under sustained pressure. It paid off as a hurried clearance produced a hand ball in the box, the referee didn’t hesitate and pointed to the spot, up stepped Maria Jose Perez to convert the penalty and spark wild celebrations. There was still plenty to do with the away leg to come, the home squad has plenty of depth, they signed three players from Catalan side Sant Gabriel at the end of the regular season and they used their subs well to keep the team fresh. The players collapsed exhausted at the final whistle but the slender lead gives Granadilla an excellent chance to achieve their dream away next weekend.