Second division, day 24

The battle for the promotion spots has opened up after the top two both failed to win this weekend. Leaders Xerez levelled the scores twice against struggling Castellón but ended up losing 3-2, and Recreativo were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Sporting Gijón earlier in the day. Lorca closed the gap with a 0-1 win against neighbours Real Murcia, and they stay in fourth spot behind Levante and a point ahead of Nàstic, who beat Valladolid 3-2.

Almería also kept themselves in the running with a 1-0 win over Hércules, who have not won in ten games, and Albacete maintained their recent good form with a 2-1 victory against Eibar. Ciudad Murcia beat Castilla 0-1 despite ending the match with eight players, and Numancia made it three victories in a row after a 1-0 win over Lleida. Finally Poli Ejido moved out of the relegation spots with a 0-1 victory at Racing Ferrol, who themselves drop down in to the bottom four. (12.02.06)

Only two games in the second division on Saturday evening, with Levante consolidating third spot after a 0-1 victory at Elche. The only goal came midway through the second half when Culebras beat Aragoneses with a long shot, and the locals ended the match with ten men after Rubén Suárez was sent off. Tenerife moved away from the danger zone with a 1-4 win over bottom club Málaga B. Jesús Vázquez put the Canary Islanders ahead early on, and although Pina equalised on the stroke of half time, Cristian Alvarez restored the lead and Maikel added two more late on. (11.02.06)