Mallorca fans stunned after four-one drubbing

The first half was totally dominated by the Palma team, who went ahead with a headed goal from Juan Dominguez after just five minutes, the first goal Tenerife had conceded in 574 minutes. That was the lightning start we required and the 8,500 crowd sat back expecting us to take a commanding lead to equal our supremacy. For the umpteenth time, especially at the Son Moix, we failed to take the game by the scruff of the neck, failed to push home our advantage and failed to come anywhere near doubling our lead. Several times in the first half, Tenerife left two men up when we forced corner kicks, whereas we once again never had any players on the halfway line when we were defending set pieces.

As half time came, the perimeter bars were buzzing as Mallorca fans were enjoying our possession count and quick, crisp passing football. Goals in the second half would surely come; they did – but not for us. Tenerife's Mallorca-born coach, Pep Luis Marti, brought on two players at half-time who completely changed the game. A couple of minutes after the restart and our centre back Raillo got in the way of a Tenerife attack and turned the ball into his own net. Five minutes later and Aaron hit a curler into the top corner from just inside the penalty area past a helpless Cabrero That goal was the fault of Moutinho, who failed to clear the ball allowing Aaron to rob him of possession before pulling the trigger. Things then went from bad to worse. Amath added a third, again scoring with ease. That goal caused a major exodus of local fans who'd seen enough and what few were left finally departed when Yuste bundled over Aaron in the area and he scored the resultant penalty with 15 minutes left.

Summing up: Dark days returned to the Son Moix on Saturday night in a game that was supposed to be a celebration. It saw the end of our official centenary year and it was also a remembrance of our first visit to La Liga in 1960. A planned firework display was hastily cancelled when it became obvious that Mallorca were heading for a thrashing. I've never seen a Mallorca side capitulate so easily in the second half of a game. After a first half of total domination from Mallorca, a rampant Tenerife tore us apart after half time.

As the game finished, a stunned crowd left the Son Moix silent and bewildered as to how the wheels fell off our game so dramatically. When the final whistle blew only around 1,000 fans were left in the ground, the rest had gone home in disgust 15 minutes earlier. For a lot of fans, and I fully understand their frustrations, a hopeless match situation justifies a sharp exit and is also a chance to make a point to the players, coach and management, but it still seems to me like leaving a sinking ship. At the end the crowd waved white hankies, shouted “fuera, fuera” (out) and applauded Tenerife and Marti off the pitch.

On Sunday morning I received an email from an expat fan, John (Boy) Ballard, a lifelong Mackem (Sunderland) fan who didn't mince his words. He reckons our demise stems from lack of leadership both on and off the pitch. “The identity of our team is lost because there is no perceived leader. Too many of our players don't have a passion for the club because it isn't being portrayed from the boardroom downwards. When was the last time you saw a player run towards the directors' box and display any feelings towards them? Directors should have a passion for the club that should infect and motivate the players, not just the hapless incumbent manager. To avoid relegation everyone at Real Mallorca must motivate each other. This isn't happening, there is no heart in the team, it appears there is no belonging at Real Mallorca, this must be addressed now by all.”

I totally agree with all John's thoughts. In my opinion we haven't got an inspirational captain and leader on the pitch like, for example, Olaizola and Nunes were in their playing days. Also questions are asked about our fitness levels, we seem to run out of energy in the second half of games. The local press was full of doom and gloom as alarm bells ring and panic buttons are pushed. Mallorca are in a deep hole with 15 games left to play. Somehow Olaizola has to turn things around, as this present nightmare scenario has to end soon.