Aljezurense visited Monchique on Saturday knowing a win would probably secure 1^st Division football next year and ensure the home side 2^nd Division Football next.

Having taken three points from Aljezur early in the season the home side have only won 3 games all this term so things looked hopeful, little did any of us know about a certain official dressed in black.

Aljezurense started well enough and some free flowing football and crisp passing made the home team look poor, which they are.  A great move along the left allowed the perfect cross ball to Jardel who headed the ball onto the advancing Andre 20.  He met the ball full on and his volley flashed past the keeper and into the net from 20m, 0-1 and only 4 mins. gone.

Things were now looking good and Aljezurense whipped the ball around and it looked like goals would flow.  However this was all to come to an abrupt end when Andre climbed above the home sides central defender to head a ball clear from a corner, the two players fell to the ground and were scrambling to get up when Andre rose and moved forward the home team player stayed down for some reason.  With the ball still in play the referee blew his whistle and pulled the red card from his pocket, the ball bounced off the side of the pitch.

All hell broke loose and several players received yellow cards for their indication of not knowing what was going on,  but alas Aljezurense were 1 – 0 up with now only 10 men and a penalty to boot.  But no,  the referee gave a throw on, so in his quick judgement he has made an outrageous decision, and bottled the penalty.

Things were to get worse though,  and it appeared that every free kick went Monchiquense way and the referee’s yellow card kept springing from his pocket for innocuous challenges.

Aljezurense were all at sixes and sevens and although the home side were poor,  small gaps appeared when defending and half way through the half the home side were level. A corner on the right looked easy enough for the keeper Luis as he was unchallenged,  but the swirling wind caught the ball and he could only knock it into the path of a forward who scored with ease 1-1

Then something happened that none of the supporters knew about, the linesman went on the pitch to talk to the referee and without hesitation he sent the home team manager off, doing well now 2 reds and 5 yellows.

Monchiquense were bolstered by this and made several attacks on the Aljezurense goal,  but the defence held strong although gaps were showing where Andre played and changes were needed to ensure the best result. Then just before halftime,  a move down the right caught the visitors,  and although looking like offside the linesman waved play on and a cross into the penalty area found Monchiquense’s centre forward who scored with ease, 2-1.

The second half saw some change and Rafael came on to play right back and it appeared that Jardel was sacrificed for this. This change made all the difference.  Rafael blocked the hole and also Aljezurense had the advantage of the long throw expert. Football started to flow from the visitors,  but the punishing final pass went missing. Mid field was being bypassed and Eddy started to miss tackles and pass the ball square,  and Aljezurense were lucky to clear up a few chances made by the home team.

Still the referee was not going to be outdone, and in one single move he showed the yellow then red card to Bruno on the Aljezurense bench and the tally was now 3 red and 9 yellow……(Look at me I am a star!)

Aljezurense played some of their best football in one small patch when Rafael, Lawrence and Dani interchanged passes and Dani’s shot went just wide. Joao who had gone close with free kicks hit a great shot from 25m out but the keeper stretched to the full and made a great save. It didn’t look Aljezurense’s day.

Sam 9 came on as did Carlinhos 2 and at times just after this,  Aljezurense were caught when the defence played too far forward and last gasp defending saved the day.

Aljezurense started to look likely to score,  as the home side made little of the extra man. Some good passing in midfield found Lawrence some 25m out and his crisp shot beat the keeper but bounced off the underside of the bar, Pop was quickest to react and he headed the ball home to make the scores level, 2-2.

Aljezurense were now pressing to win and Dani, Sam and Joao went close but with 2 mins. of injury time left the defence got caught from a corner, the ball was played quickly forward and left the keeper one on one with the attacking forward, his drive was goal bound but Luis made a fantastic save to keep the point safe.

Not the greatest of football matches and a display by a referee who should not be allowed to take part at any level and by far the worst seen by the following support. His collection ended with 3 Red Cards and 14 Yellow Cards, it can only be assumed that he has to write reports for these to the Football Association. They would be worth reading as he would not have a clue what to write.

Andre and Aljezurense were unlucky with the red card as it unbalanced the team and little if nothing until halftime,  was done to sort out the problem. Andre is a fine player and has done well to return from last term’s injury,  and is the sort of quality the team needs. Rafael made the difference second half and was the perfect foil for Andre.

Now we need 2 more wins to ensure safety as it’s still not known if Algarve Utd.  will be included in the bottom 3. If they are, the bottom 2 at present cannot over take Aljezurense but 6 points would defiantly make it safe.

At a time of the season when most championships, promotion and relegation are decided, Aljezurense entertained Quarteira who were in a position to neither win anything, nor get promoted or relegated.

Aljezurense were not in good shape with several players either injured or not available leaving just a bare fit14. No recognised central forward was available, and this showed as they did not have one shot at goal the whole first half.

Quarteira looking like a mid table side, had little more to offer and it was a surprise that they went in front midway through the first half. A throw-in deep in the Aljezurense half on the left, was taken and like many was a foul throw as the player had his back foot raised.  This went unpunished and the Aljezurense defence missed the chance to clear.  The ball fell at the back post, where a visiting forward bicycled kicked the ball into the net 0-1.

Aljezurense rallied a bit but still could not force a shot and the half ended with them behind.

Aljezurense 0-1 Quarteira

 The crowd, looking for a quick start to the second half, were only disappointed that it was not Aljezurense who acted more quickly. The visitors’ left full back who was mediocre to say the least, got space wide on the left and his sliced cross caught the home keeper flat footed, and the ball hit the far post and went into the far side netting… 0-2 with only 3 mins gone.

With Aljezurense needing the points, they rallied and at last started to string a few passes together, Several opportunities were made and João and Pop went close to scoring. Rafael who had made several chances with his long throws was released by a good through pass and his strong run saw him get to the ball in the visitors penalty area and his volley crashed past the goalkeeper       1 – 2.

Eddy 14 who had one of his worst games for the side was replaced,  as was the injured Rafael by Andre 20 and Victor 24.  This improved momentum, and several chances to level the scores went begging.  João had a fine free kick punched over by the keeper and Dani’s cross shot missed the far post by centimetres.  In a final flurry from a João corner, Carlinhos 2 got above the visiting defence but his inability to attack the ball saw him slide it onto the far post and away safe.

Final Score Aljezurense 1 – 2 Quarteira

 Aljezurense needed a point at least to keep safe and they blew the chance.  Noel, Lawrence, Dani and Rafael put in a great effort but the lack of a central striker was the downfall of the side.  Winning next week at Monchiquense and away to 11 Esperãncas on the 20th April will be more than enough to see the side safe from relegation.

Hopefully a more proactive approach to the final games will be seen.  When the ball is played quicker going forward, the players respond much better to this style of play, and the results generally go Aljezurense’s way.

This match was played at Messines due to ground problems at Silves, and saw Aljezurense’s biggest away crowd of the season, as one of the junior teams arrived with the team and were not backward in supporting the visitors.

Windy conditions faced both teams with the wind blowing down the pitch, with Aljezurense facing it in the first half. These conditions were not favoured by either team as the ball ran away from Silves when attacking in the first half,  and held up for the visitors.

The referee was very slack in allowing foul after foul from the home team’s centre forward, who relished in his freedom to kick and block when he liked.  In fact it took eight such fouls before he was finally booked in the second half.

Aljezurense looked the better of the two sides and it was against the run of play when Silves took the lead.  A long ball was misjudged by Eddy 14 and Carlinhos 2 missed his clearance and the home side’s forward struck the ball passed the oncoming keeper 1-0.

Aljezurense were still causing the home side problems and both Rafael 15 and Victor 24 were getting long throws well into the home side’s penalty box, but alas the keeper was better than the visiting forwards.

The first half finished with Aljezurense on top but 0 – 1 down at the whistle.

In the second half Aljezurense were playing with the wind and were the better for it.  Lawrence 8 and Dani 23 were in control of mid field and pass after pass was defended, but generally with some luck as Jardel, Joao and Pop all got chances to level the scores.  However, the long throw was to be Silves’ down fall and from deep in the home side,s half, Rafael launched the ball well into the penalty box only for the home side,s full back to flick the ball over the keeper to level the scores.

Aljezurense were now well on top and it was a strange decision that saw Aljezurense replace both full backs. Whilst it is appreciated that both Tiago 5 and Andre 20 are good players the long throws might well have been Silves’ undoing.

Corners from Joao time after time beat the home defence, but Noel missed the target 3 times, the third smashing against the cross bar and over.

Full Time Silves 1 – 1 Aljezurense

Well done to all in these conditions, 2 points missed but at least Aljezurense played the better football. The midfield played very well and Man Of The Match Lawrence 8 almost turned the match several times. Noel again showed his strength at the back, and hopefully this is another point to safety. Finally, great to have more vocal support cheering on Aljezurense, well done the youngsters.