Real Oviedo 1 Numancia 0

Late goal seals victory for Los Carbayones

Real Oviedo picked up 3 precious points thanks to a late goal from Toche in a game that only really got going in the last 20 minutes.

Generelo made two changes from the Monday night defeat in Bilbao with Jonathan Vila coming in to replace the injured Hector Verdes and Hervias coming in for Borja Valle who dropped to the bench.

The first half was a non-event with even half chances at a premium. Valcarce forced Mino into action on the quarter hour mark but the Oviedo keeper did well. Oviedo's first chance came on 22 minutes from a wonderful through ball from Fernandez for Kone who beat the onrushing keeper but his effort went wide and Kone unfortunately seemed to pick up an injury in his fall.

The next chance didn’t arrive until the stroke of half time when Toche headed a Susaeta corner over the bar.

The second half began like the first with very little in the way of action. Martinez had the first chance of the second half for the visitors but his volleyed effort went wide of the post.

On 70 minutes came the best chance of the game and it came from Numancia sub Nacho. He was played through one on one albeit from a slightly tight angle but Mino pulled off a great save to keep the score goalless. Just a minute later and we saw the first real effects of what was a trigger happy referee who was handing out yellow cards like candy. Unfortunately for the aptly named Ripa he received his second one for a fairly innocuous tackle. In truth it was just another in a series of harsh yellow cards. More about this later.

Real Oviedo almost made their man advantage count straight away when Linares finally produced Oviedo's first effort on target with a turn and shot from the edge of the area. It was a fairly comfortable save though for Juan Pablo.

Oviedo though had clearly upped the tempo after the red card and the decisive breakthrough came on 83 minutes, Susaeta's cross was blocked by a defender and the ball looped up for Michel. He slid a through ball for Toche who controlled and finished expertly to give the home side the lead and send the home crowd wild. It was a superbly taken goal by a striker that seems to improve with each game.

As is often the case though the last word was to come from the referee who handed a second yellow to Susaeta for routine foul really. We will now be without our wide man for next week.

Real Oviedo held on though to record a victory and 3 priceless points especially with other results on the whole going our way.

Next week we travel to face Gimnastic who, like ourselves are having a great season since last year’s promotion.

　

Hala Oviedo!