San Martín Edge Out Lenense 2-1 at El Florán, Climbing Mid-Table in Tercera División RFEF Group 2

There was nothing routine about Sunday at Estadio El Florán, where San Martín staged a stirring 2-1 comeback victory over Lenense, a match defined by urgency, missed chances, and flashes of quality befitting two sides desperate to vault from the lower half of the table. For San Martín, the result signals momentum restored; for Lenense, it is another stumble in a season struggling to find sustained rhythm.

Lenense arrived in El Florán clinging to memories of their last win on opening day, their season since then defined by dogged draws and a heavy defeat to Covadonga just a week prior. With only six points from five matches and a slide to 11th in the standings, Lenense’s need for a result was as clear as the autumn Asturian sky.

It was the visitors who struck first, silencing the home crowd midway through the opening half. Lenense’s best attacking movement produced a clinical finish, a sharp low drive from the edge of the area that nestled into the bottom corner, rewarding early pressure and giving them a rare lead away from home. For much of the first period, San Martín’s response bordered on the frantic rather than the organized: shots sprayed high and wide, fractured sequences in midfield, and a visible tension reminiscent of their heavy defeat to Llanera last month.

But form is fickle, and matches often hinge on moments that defy the broader narrative. For San Martín, that moment arrived just before halftime. After a period of sustained pressure, they capitalized on a dangerous free-kick whipped in from the right, a flicked header arcing gracefully beyond the Lenense goalkeeper’s reach. The equalizer settled nerves and transformed the mood at El Florán, pulling the hosts level and, perhaps more importantly, reminding them of the attacking fluency that carried them to a 3-1 win over Tuilla only a week ago.

The second half unfolded with the intensity of two teams sensing the match’s significance. San Martín, buoyed by the shift in momentum, pressed forward with conviction. Their reward arrived ten minutes after the restart: a slick exchange of passes down the left freed a winger at the byline, whose low cutback was swept home decisively at the near post. With the 2-1 advantage, the home bench erupted—equal parts relief and belief.

Lenense, chasing the game, committed numbers forward but found San Martín’s defense galvanized. The hosts, whose early-season inconsistencies included a pair of heavy losses, showed resolve in closing ranks and denying Lenense clear looks at goal. A late red card for a Lenense midfielder—dismissed for a second bookable offense after a cynical midfield foul—compounded the visitors’ woes, and ensured they finished the match with ten men, their hopes of late equalizer fading under the weight of numerical disadvantage and mounting frustration.

For San Martín, the triumph is more than just three points. It lifts them to 7th in Group 2, leapfrogging mid-table rivals and signaling a positive response to their erratic start (2 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses). With seven points from five matches, and back-to-back victories suggesting a team finding its stride, they have reason to believe that a push towards the playoff positions is within reach if form holds.

Lenense, now mired in 11th with just one win and three draws in five outings, are left searching for answers. Their defensive frailties—exposed again today—have cost them dearly. The red card in the dying stages was emblematic of the afternoon: moments of competitiveness undone by lapses in discipline and concentration. For a side whose early-season draws hinted at resilience, the recent slide threatens to set alarm bells ringing.

Historically, encounters between these two Asturian sides have often proved cagey—marked more by intensity than by quality. Today was no exception. Yet as whistles echoed and supporters filtered out into the October dusk, the narrative belonged to San Martín: a side rediscovering their form, battling for every point, and, on this evidence, presenting themselves as a team no opponent will relish facing in the weeks ahead.

With the season still young, the implications of Sunday’s result are clear. San Martín have signaled renewed ambition. Lenense must regroup quickly if they are to arrest their slide. The road ahead promises drama; today’s meeting at El Florán offered a timely reminder of just how fine the margins in Spain’s Tercera División RFEF can be.