The matchday 7 fixture in Segunda Federación between CD Alcoyano and Elche Ilicitano, the reserve team of Elche CF, has been rescheduled for Wednesday 11 November at 19:30 at El Collao after being postponed due to a red weather alert. The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) issued the alert, forcing the suspension of the game originally set for Sunday to prevent damage to the recently reseeded pitch.
Fran Alcoy, the Alcoyano manager, voiced his concern about the pitch condition. "We will see what state it is in," he said. "If it ends up raining or raining heavily as forecast, it could be very harmful for the pitch." The home side had trained for three weeks at the Francisco Laporta sports complex due to the reseeding work at El Collao.
Alcoyano head into the match after losing top spot in the group following a 1-2 defeat to UCAM in Murcia. At home, their record against the Ilicitano reserve side is dominant, with eight wins, one draw and just one defeat in ten meetings. Meanwhile, Elche Ilicitano showed their goalscoring prowess last time out with a 4-1 win over Valencia B, although they had lost 1-5 to the same UCAM side a week earlier.
While their reserve team prepares for this clash, Elche CF's first team faces its own battle in La Liga. The franjiverdes sit 18th with 7 points from nine games, having scored 11 goals and conceded 17. Their next fixture is a trip to 14th-placed Rayo Vallecano this Saturday, 24 October, following a goalless draw with Villarreal. Striker Fer Niño is the team's top scorer with five goals. The team trails league leaders Barcelona by 20 points, and their recent form reads one win, three draws and one defeat from their last five matches, including results such as the 0-0 draw with Celta Vigo, the 1-3 win over Espanyol, the 2-3 loss to Real Madrid and the 1-1 draw with Athletic Club. Also, M. Aguado is currently sidelined through injury.
Alcoyano manager Fran Alcoy reflected on the defeat in Murcia. "It's frustrating because the team did things well, but in football you are judged on what you achieve and not what you deserve," he noted. The postponed match will finally be played in mid-November, altering the calendar for both teams in their push for promotion.
More detail at elchecf.es
