Second division, day 42

Only one match remained for Sunday, Recreativo winning 0-2 at Hércules to overtake Nàstic and take the second division title. Both goals came in the first half, Rosu starting things off and Xavi Jiménez adding the second close to the break.

Good results for the Canary Island sides in the first legs of the second division B play-off finals, Las Palmas coming away from Linares with a 2-2 draw and Vecindario beating Levante B 2-0. The other two games finished all square, Sevilla B and Salamanca drawing 0-0 and Ponferradina and Alicante ending 1-1. (18.06.06)

Levante took the last promotion spot after beating Lleida 0-1 on Saturday evening. Mané's side return to the top flight just one year after they were relegated thanks to a goal late in the first half from Riga. Mathematicians had worked out that the Valencianos had an 84.1% chance of going up, but two other sides were in with a shout at the start of the day. Ciudad Murcia were the best placed, albeit that they needed Levante to lose, and they gave it their best shot with a 2-0 win over already promoted Nàstic. Second half goals from Luque and Goitom were not enough though as news came in from Lleida. Meanwhile the other contenders Lorca were held to a 0-0 draw by Poli Ejido, and they finish their first season in the top flight in a more than respectable fifth place.

Xerez's season ended with a goal feast, Pedro Ríos scoring a first half hat-trick as the Andalusians beat their neighbours Málaga B 4-2. Next year they will be playing their first team of course after both the Málaga sides were relegated. Numancia rounded off a great second half to the season with a 3-2 win over Castilla to finish eighth, one place behind Almería, who were beaten 2-0 by Castellón in their last match, Raúl Sánchez and Fukuda getting the goals late on.

Nothing else to play for in the other matches either, with Valladolid and Elche ending a disappointing campaign with a 2-2 draw after the hosts fought back from two down, and Sporting Gijón at least finishing in the top half of the table after beating Real Murcia 1-0 with a goal from Calandria. The relegation spots were already tied up, and Eibar and Racing Ferrol waved goodbye to the second division A with a dull 1-1 draw. Tenerife saved themselves last week though, and the atmosphere at the Heliodoro stadium was relaxed as they too ended this year's season with a 1-1 draw against Albacete. (17.06.06)