There’s no shock or shame in CD Tenerife losing 4-2 away to champions in waiting, Numancia, but it is annoying to see them showing the same faults that have dogged them all season.

Canal Plus showed the game live so it was an 11am kick off but within 10 minutes Tenerife fans were choking on their eggy soldiers as they went one down thanks to a blunder by Raul Navas in goal. A long shot from Quero went straight through him, brushing his chest on the way, even the Numancia coach Arconada, winced at that one, but then he was Spains top keeper in the early 1980’s.

Tenerife were at their sloppy passing, half hearted tackling worst, and Numancia showed them up with some crisp passing football. Thankfully Tenerife fans have found one reliable constant all season, and that’s small but gutsy forward Nino. One again he was battling for every ball, despite being isolated most of the time. Just before the Numancia goal, he had found it a stretch too far to reach a Iriome cross and on the half hour mark he latched on to a free kick but couldn’t quite convert it.

Into the second half, and another familiar piece of plot, coach Oltra realised he should add some more punch in attack, and added Longas and Arruabarrena (pic) . Â Moreno made it 2-0 though with a blast into the visitors net but Tenerife hit back, Nino putting the ball into the box for Iriome to tap in. It could have got even better as Arruabarrena was floored for a penalty but Ayoze shot just to the left of the goalie, who saved it.

With 70 minutes gone, Nagore hooked another goal in at the post and Del Pino headed another a little after to make it 4-1. Tenerife staged a late rally, a Bertran break set up a missed half chance for Nino and Arruabarrena pulled one back in the final minutes to end it at 4-2.

Las Palmas drew 1-1 at home yesterday with Castellon to keep them cheaping at out heels, just 2 points behind. Another tough one next weekend at home to Sporting, who need the points for their promotion challenge, hopefully we might blood a few more young players in the last games of the season.Â