Antonio Sánchez and Marc Cardona’s first goals for the club saw our unbeaten run roll on to seven games as we overcame AD Alcorcón 2-0 at the Estadio Municipal de Santo Domingo on Matchday 8.
Having previously warned of rotating his starting XI during a hectic October fixture schedule, Luis García Plaza made six changes to the side which was held to a goalless draw at home to Albacete Balompié four days prior. Antonio Sánchez and Aleksandar Trajkovski were handed their first starts of the season, while Joan Sastre, Brian Oliván, Aleix Febas and Lago Junior were selected in favour of Fran Gámez, Braian Cufré, Jordi Mboula, Dani Rodríguez, Amath Ndiaye and Aleksandar Sedlar.
With their previous two fixtures suspended due to health and safety concerns, a fresh AD Alcorcón side’s press pushed us well into our own half as we looked to weather an early storm and take advantage of the space left in behind.
Soon hitting our stride, academy graduate Antonio Sánchez fulfilled what he would later describe in his post-match interview as "a dream" when he latched onto Iñigo Ruiz de Galaretta’s chipped through ball, chested it down, and with the angle seemingly against him, volleyed past Dani Jiménez on the 17th minute to score his first goal for the senior side.
It was a night to remember for our newboys as Marc Cardona then opened his account for the club four minutes later as his outstretched leg managed direct Sastre’s pull back goalwards and into the far corner.
In the ascendancy and two goals to the good, the majority of the remaining first half saw us move the ball at will as Los Alfareros, but we would not head into the break without some late drama as Antonio Raíllo crashed a header against underside of the bar before Oliván skewed his follow-up off target.
Manolo Reina was called into action for the first time on the evening during the opening exchanges of the second half, but the goalkeeper showed good awareness to palm away a flurry of in-swinging crosses as AD Alcorcón transitioned to a more direct style of play.
Raíllo, looking to make amends for his earlier miss, rose highest to meet Trajkovski’s whipped corner just past the hour mark, but could not get his header on target on this occasion.
With little over 10 minutes left on the clock, substitute Abdón Prats attempted a speculative effort from inside his own half having seen Jiménez off his line before later peeling off his marker and firing wide.
A third goal would ultimately prove elusive despite our best efforts, but it was job done in Madrid as we returned to winning ways following consecutive draws. We will now turn our attention to the hosting of Málaga in three days’ time at the Visit Mallorca Estadi.
RCD Mallorca: Manolo Reina, Sastre (57’), Raíllo, Valjent, Oliván, De Galarreta (80’), Febas, Antonio Sánchez, Lago Junior (80’), Trajkovski (70’), Marc Cardona (70’)
Substitutes: Miquel Parera, Cufré, Russo, Alegría, Salva Sevilla (80’), Abdón (70’), Fran Gámez (57’), Dani Rodríguez (70’), Mboula, Amath, F. González, Luka Romero (80’)
AD Alcorcón: Jiménez, Laure, Fernández, León (80’), Carlos, Juanma Bravo (73’), Gorostidi, Fraile, Sosa, Llamas, Arribas (61’)
Substitutes: Mena, Jesús, Escobar, Boateng (61’), Reko (73’), C. Bellvis, V. García, Álvaro Juan (80’), Guito, Edu Viaña, Llario, Aitor G
Goals: Antonio Sánchez, 0-1 (18’); Marc Cardona, 0-2 (22’)
