Tests for graphometal are over. Decisive time came. Now Sporting is not worth competing. It is time to win, … of adding points and sealing the permanence to the Iberdrola Guerreras League. The Riojan team of a comfortable situation in the ‘Play Down’ that begins this afternoon (7:00 p.m.) at the Sports Palace is not part: the green -yellow team begins the series in third position with five points after adding in the regular league the triumphs against Elda and Gijón, and the draw against the morvedre. That is, those of Luismi Ascorbe depart three points from Elda (8 points), two from the Morvedre -rival this afternoon-, and with one of advantage over the Gijón, which has four points. Only the last team descends category.
The team led by the Riojan coach has improved substantially since he took over the Sportinguista bench. The graphometal fell against the Granollers by the minimum (22-23), defeated a Correous Beti Onak who sealed the permanence on the last day (17-16) and lost to one of the candidates of the title like the Bera Bera (23-17).
But the image of the team was very different, with the participation of all the players of the workforce, with one more rhythm march in the game, especially in the counterattles and replicas, unfolding with a more cheerful and colorful handball. Within the sporting core are sure that if this line is permanence it will be a fact.
But for that the green team must begin the ‘play down’ with good foot, winning this afternoon a morvedre that leaves with two more points to its credit. The matches with those of Manu ETAYO in the regular league were equally. In the first round, Sporting conceded at the Palacio de los Deportes a defeat by the minimum (28-29); In the meeting of the second half of course it was draw in Saguntin lands (21-21). Now the Riojan team must park the nerves and start adding to be one of the three teams that continue in the elite.
