Hound Dogs deal Mons Calpe blow with last minute goal

Hound Dogs played their part this weekend in what proved to be a difficult round for the top four in the Gibraltar Football League.

Both St Joseph’s and Lincoln Red Imps were made to work hard for their victories. St Joseph’s, facing fourth-placed Europa, were only able to find their winning goal late in the match. Lincoln Red Imps, who on paper had a more straightforward fixture, dominated possession but were forced to come from behind before edging past Europa Point by a solitary goal.

Mons Calpe, who faced Hound Dogs on Sunday, were also met with unexpected resistance as the sides went into the break goalless. Despite dominating possession and controlling the game, Mons Calpe struggled to find a way through a disciplined Hound Dogs defence. The visitors’ goalkeeper was kept busy throughout the first half, producing a series of saves to maintain a clean sheet and increase the frustration among Mons Calpe players.

The half-time whistle could not have come soon enough for the red and blacks, who needed to regroup after facing a stubborn opponent sitting at the foot of the table. Having already lost 4–0 to Mons Calpe earlier in the season, Hound Dogs were determined not to allow space, forcing one of the league’s highest-scoring sides, heavily reliant on Toderano, to the interval still searching for a breakthrough.

Mons Calpe came close just after the restart, a ball flashed across goal in the 46th minute seeing Toderano slide in but miss by inches from the goal line. The pressure continued, and in the 50th minute Toderano won a penalty after being challenged as he went to strike. The frustration deepened as the spot-kick struck the post and was cleared, marking the first of two penalty misses for Mons Calpe.

Hound Dogs, offering little going forward, continued to absorb pressure, and keeping the match scoreless beyond the hour mark already felt like a success for the bottom-placed side. However, Mons Calpe finally made the breakthrough in the 56th minute, Ayala heading home to give his side the lead.

The match attracted little interest both online and in the stands, with just 70 viewers registered online at any one time and fewer in attendance. Mons Calpe made three substitutions shortly after taking the lead as they looked to capitalise on their advantage.

Eligible once again for European qualification following the completion of a three-year UEFA sanction, Mons Calpe entered the weekend chasing both St Joseph’s and Lincoln Red Imps while remaining level with Europa in third place. The victory over Hound Dogs appeared set to offer a small boost after Europa’s defeat to St Joseph’s on Friday.

Mons Calpe were awarded a second penalty in the 65th minute following some theatrical play from a forward, but Palacio’s attempted cheeky chip, while sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, sailed over the crossbar. It was the second penalty miss in as many minutes, further compounding their wastefulness.

The woodwork was struck again in the 74th minute after Mons Calpe cut through the defence and beat the keeper, only to be denied once more. Hound Dogs continued to defend deep, relying on long clearances and hoping for a favourable bounce to relieve the pressure.

With little attacking threat from the visitors, Mons Calpe appeared content in the final ten minutes to protect their narrow lead. The referee, however, won few admirers, particularly among Hound Dogs supporters, with several controversial decisions and a perceived lack of protection for the goalkeeper, who was bundled over on multiple occasions without a foul being awarded.

Hound Dogs had a rare opportunity in the 81st minute when a ball slipped through the legs of a defender, leading to a one-on-one situation, but the attacker was adjudged marginally offside, with the keeper making the save regardless.

Mons Calpe introduced two further substitutes in the final five minutes, seeking fresh legs to see out the match. Credit to Hound Dogs, though, who despite enduring nearly 90 minutes of sustained pressure, pushed forward late on in search of an equaliser, even if they lacked the resources to fully capitalise.

Instead, they were almost caught out on the counter, with only another fine save from the Hound Dogs goalkeeper preventing a second goal. Tempers flared on the touchline, with a member of the Hound Dogs technical staff sent off after disputing a decision that saw a Mons Calpe player roll back onto the pitch following an injury.

Mons Calpe were forced to defend a corner in the 92nd minute, their goalkeeper clearing at the back post as the ball threatened to curl in. It was a sign of what was to come.

With four minutes of injury time played, the shock arrived. Playing the advantage after a foul, a long ball found Al Subasi, who levelled the score for Hound Dogs. Wild celebrations followed, with players running on from the bench and picking up yellow cards.

Moments later, Hound Dogs’ small following celebrated what proved to be the biggest upset of the weekend, as Mons Calpe were held to a single point by the team rooted to the bottom of the league.