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Match round-up - Second Division A, Day 2

Five teams ended the second weekend on maximum points, Valladolid and Barça B joining Betis, Rayo and Elche after winning their respective games on Sunday. Valladolid won 0-1 at Granada, a result which leaves the newly promoted side at the bottom of the table (albeit that they had the bad luck to play the two promotion favourites in their opening two fixtures). The visitors took the lead midway through the first half when Calle picked up a pass from Nauzet to beat Roberto with an angled shot, and they held on despite having Guilherme sent off for a second bookable offence twenty minutes after the restart.

Barcelona Athletic are of course ineligible for promotion as B teams cannot play in the same division as their seniors, but Luis Enrique's side are already consolidating themselves at this level after a 2-1 victory over Xerez. With only three minutes gone, Jonathan Soriano opened the scoring after picking up an assist from Nolito to beat Lledó. And although Mario Bermejo levelled the scores just before half time with a shot from outside of the area, new signing Saúl got the winner with a quarter of an hour to go following a corner. The result leaves Xerez down in the relegation spots without a point to their name to date.

Tenerife also find themselves in the bottom four after losing 1-2 at home to Salamanca. The Canary Islanders went ahead on the half hour mark through Natalio after Biel Ribas could only block a shot by Nino. But Moratón headed the equaliser from Sarmiento's free kick after the restart, and with Tenerife down to ten men after David Prieto picked up a second booking, Kike López won it for the visitors after Perico's shot came back off the post with two minutes to go.

Numancia and Celta came in to their second match needing a win after both had lost their opener as well as their cup matches, but it was the Galicians who came away with the points thanks to a 1-3 victory. With only half an hour gone they were already three up, David Rodríguez starting things off after Trashorras put him through. Dani Abalo got the second a few minutes later with an angled shot, and De Lucas made it three from a Dani López cross. Barkero and Alex lópez hit the woodwork at either end after that, and Ibrahima scored a last minute consolation for the locals.

Earlier in the day Alcorcón won the Sunday lunchtime battle between two of the newly promoted teams, the Madrid based side beating Ponferradina 2-0 in their first ever game at this level in the Santo Domingo stadium. It was a real "santo domingo" for the home fans, with Fernando Sales and Borja combining to set up Quini to open the scoring early on. Later in the first half Quini picked up a pass from Borja to lob Mackay for his second of the day, and only a couple of saves by the keeper late on prevented the striker from completing his hat-trick. (05.09.10)

Betis mean business this season it seems, and they stay at the top of the table after a 1-3 victory at Recreativo. Emaná opened the scoring from the penalty spot shortly before half time after Fabricio brought down Momo, and Caffa made it two following an indirect free kick inside the area after the referee ruled that Jesús Vázquez had deliberately passed back to the keeper. With a couple of minutes to go the locals were awarded a penalty themselves after Belenguer was sent off for bringing down Acuña, Vázquez converting the spot kick at the second attempt after his first effort was saved by Goitia. But just a minute later Emaná restored the two goal cushion with a long shot which bounced awkwardly past Fabricio. It was Betis's first win in Huelva in 18 visits and they must already be firm favourites for promotion.

Rayo Vallecano and Elche stay level with Betis after they too won their second games. Rayo Vallecano did it the hard way though, recovering from two goals down against Córdoba to run out 2-3 winners in the last minute. Charles put the locals ahead with a quarter of an hour gone after Cobeño could only push out Arteaga's shot, and Artega got the second himself a few minutes later after Jonathan Sesma set him up. Borja García scored twice in the second half though to level the scores, the first a header past Navas and the second an opportunist goal after the keeper dropped a cross from Armenteros at his feet. Soon afterwards Javi Fuego was sent off for a second bookable offence, but even so Rayo managed to get the winner, Armenteros heading in a centre from Coke in the second minute of injury time.

Elche join the leaders on six points after they beat Cartagena 0-1, their second win in successive seasons in the Cartagonova stadium. Both teams had won their opening fixtures, but it was the visitors who came away with the spoils after Linares ran on to Wakaso's through ball to beat Rebollo with just two minutes to go. Earlier on Caballero had saved from Toni Moral and Toché, but otherwise neither side created many chances.

The top three are now two points above Las Palmas, who followed up their opening victory with a 0-0 draw in Huesca. Despite the result it was a lively game, with both keepers called upon several times. Ten minutes before the break Barbosa saved a Víctór Pérez penalty after the keeper was ruled to have fouled Sastre, and local keeper Cabrero also made a string of saves, in particular from Cejudo and Josico. Both sides ended with ten men afterDani Carril and then Ochoa were sent off later on in the second half.

Nàstic beat regional rivals Girona 2-0 to clock up their first points of the season, although it wasn't until the visitors had José and Moha sent off in quick succession midway through the second half that they turned the game in their favour. Substitute Berry Powel was the man who did the damage, the Dutch forward heading a corner past Dani Mallo with a quarter of an hour to go, and then beating the keeper with another header from a Xisco Campos cross just three minutes later.

Villarreal B also recorded their first victory of the season, Javi Gracia's side beating Albacete 1-0 to leave the Manchegans without a point in their opening two games. The match turned around a two minute period late in the second half, Alfredo having a strike ruled out for a borderline offside, and Airam picking up a loose ball at the other end to lob Keylor Navas and score what was to prove the only goal. The locals came close to saving a point though when Alfredo fired a shot against the post in the last minute. (04.09.10)