SC Torrevieja 2-1 Carrús UD Illicitano
By Chris Peach
Torry welcomed Carrús CD to the Esteban Rosado on Sunday knowing a win was needed to keep the title chase alive. Carrús arrived in poor form, but they are certainly no push overs as shown in the reverse fixture where Torry managed a narrow 2-3 victory with a last-minute winner in a very even match.
Gil picked a very attacking 11 with Anton and Lewis supported by Omar and Dani Muñoz. We also saw Gálvez making his debut in the Torry goal.
With home advantage and a good crowd cheering them on it was no surprise that Torry were quick out of the blocks with a Dani Muñoz strike almost catching out Castillo in the Carrus goal. As the ball swerved it could have gone anywhere, but it struck the keeper on the chest and bounced away to safety.
Lewis was then on target, forcing a great save from the keeper with a low drive at the near post.
As the pressure built on the visitors Torry were in front on 17 minutes. A great Luis Carlos in-swinging corner found Toro at the far post who leapt above the defenders to head powerfully into the top corner.
Omar then tested the Carrús keeper twice in quick succession. First, he was quick closing down the stopper and pinching the ball in the 6 yards box, but was forced too wide to get a decent shot off, then he neatly beat a man before curling towards the far post, but it rolled just wide.
On 30mins we had the 1st chance for Carrús, it’s a 20-yard strike which saw debutant Gálvez beaten, but it hits the bar and goes behind, fantastic effort.
Omar was getting closer to a goal as he nearly doubled Torry’s lead 5 minutes from the break, his curling effort from the edge of the box goes just wide.
As the first 45 came to an end it was Torry in the ascendency and well deserving their half time lead.
Early pressure saw Torry create two good early chances in the 2nd half. Lewis had a shot inside the box well blocked before Muñoz fired a volley over the bar from the penalty spot, but it was Anton who extended the lead with his 1st for the club on the hour mark. José Toro played a long ball forward, allowing Dani Muñoz to break into the box before squaring to Anton who calmly rounded the keeper and passed it into the open goal.
Toro then missed from close range, blazing over the bar, after he got his body shape all wrong and then it was the turn of Abadía who has been very impressive in the midfield. It would have been the goal of the season as he hit a volley from 22-yards. Keeper Castillo can only watch it fly past him, but it crashed off the stanchion and then cleared to safety.
Despite further opportunities Torry were unable to extend their lead. Lewis had the keeper worried from distance and Jorge Carmona was also disappointed to have headed a good opportunity over the bar.
With the visitors refusing to lie down, Carrùs were able to reduce the deficit on 84mins. A freekick into the box saw Saul miss-kick his clearance with the ball falling to a Carrùs striker on the line who taps it in. Torry in for a nervy finish now.
It was a decent debut from Galvéz who, in the 92 minute made the save of the game. Carrùs think they’ve levelled as a shot comes in from only 6-yards out, but debutante Gálvez with fantastic reactions makes an incredible stop on the line to seal the win.
Torry were able to keep up the pace with a thoroughly deserved win against a very athletic Carrús team. For 75 minutes it was the best Torry have played for a while but, although Gil will be delighted with the 3 points he will be disappointed to have lost the clean sheet, which led to unnecessary pressure in the final minutes.
Along with the win it was also great to welcome back some injured players to the squad for the crucial end of the season run-in, with Cristian and Gombo both returning to action off the bench after long periods out.
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