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Match round-up - Second Division A, Day 11

Betis maintained their three point lead at the top of the second division after drawing 1-1 at third placed Celta on Sunday lunchtime. The locals started strongly, De Lucas and David Rodríguez wasting early chances, and referee Ceballos Silva turning down two penalty appeals for hand ball in quick succession the Betis penalty area. However the referee then favoured the locals, ignoring another hand ball by Hugo Mallo as he set up Alex López to open the scoring on the half hour mark. The Galicians continued to attack after the restart, with Trashorras hitting the post. But almost immediately the visitors broke down the pitch, and Salva Sevilla passed through for Rubén Castro to equalise. Things slowed down after that, and in the end both sides settled for a point.

The bottom two clubs met later in the evening, with Gimnàstic beating Tenerife 0-2 to leave the Canary Islanders back at the foot of the table. The home side had the better of a dull first half, with Nino in particular failing to convert two or three chances. Ten minutes after the restart though Nàstic took the lead, Eloy turning the ball past Luis García following a corner. Nino and Juanlu both went close as Tenerife pushed for the equaliser, but with four minutes to go Morán put the result beyond their reach with a low shot from the edge of the area. (07.11.10)

Rayo Vallecano are back up to second after a convincing 3-0 win over promotion rivals Valladolid on Saturday evening. Armenteros intercepted a bad back pass by Marc Valiente to open the scoring for the Madrid based side in the twentieth minute. Javi Guerra and Pedro López went close at the other end before the break, but midway through the second half Armenteros sent young debutant Lucas away for him to shoot low past Jacobo. The keeper did well to save a Coke header a few minutes later, but soon afterwards Armenteros won the ball in midfield and ran on to score his side's third.

Barcelona Athletic are having an extraordinary season, and they are now third pending Sunday's games after winning the battle of the "B" teams against Villarreal B. Muniesa started things off with a long shot on the half hour mark, and although Iago Falqué ran through to equalise against his old side three minutes later, Barça were back in front by the break after Jonathan Soriano converted a penalty after Falqué fouled Tello. Nolito added a third with an angled shot a quarter of an hour from the end, and five minutes later substitute Rochina squeezed a shot past Vicente Flor for the final 4-1 scoreline.

Salamanca move up to fifth in the table after a 1-0 victory over Albacete, their first home win in almost two months. There was an emotive tribute to Miguel García before kick off, the player forced to retire from football after collapsing on the pitch two weeks ago, but after that there was little to talk about. Perico picked up a return pass from Brian Sarmiento somewhat against the run of play with eight minutes to go to half time, and Héctor Yuste and Marcos Márquez came close to extending the lead soon after the restart, but that was about it.

Xerez missed out on a chance to move up in to the play-off spots after they were held to a 1-1 draw by regional rivals Recreativo. Oscar Díaz set up Pablo Redondo for him to put the home side ahead in the ninth minute. But with eight minutes to go to half time Mario Bermejo gave away a penalty on Mora, and Aitor stepped up to level the scores from the spot. Recre were left with ten men for the last half hour after Rafita picked up a second booking, but they held on for a seventh draw of the season which takes them off bottom spot pending the fixture between Tenerife and Nàstic on Sunday.

Granada also saw their seven match unbeaten run come to an end when they lost 2-1 at Cartagena. All the goals came in the first half, Víctor starting things off for the hosts in the eleventh minute with a header from Toni Moral's cross. Four minutes later Orellana equalised after combining with Dani Benítez and Geijo, but before the half time whistle Toché restored the lead after picking up an assist from Botelho. The visitors pushed forward after the restart, but even when substitute Iñaki Muñoz was sent off for a hard tackle on Orellana less than a minute after replacing Víctor, there was no way past a well organized defence.

The win takes Cartagena level with their opponents and also Numancia, who beat Alcorcón 2-1 to continue their gradual rise up the table. Juan Carlos Unzué's side took the lead with just over a quarter of an hour gone, Dimas volleying a shot past Raúl Moreno from Barkero's free kick. Garmendia got the second twenty minutes in to the second half after good work by Cedric, but the visitors got one back with a controversial Quini penalty after the striker fell under a challenge by keeper Edu Navarro with ten minutes left to go.

No less than seven teams are separated by one point, with Girona moving level with Alcorcón on 14 points after a 3-0 victory over Ponferradina. Roberto Peragón was the hero of the night with a first half hat-trick, the first after running on to high ball from Tébar to beat Mackay in only the third minute. The veteran striker repeated the trick in the 23rd and 34th minute to put the result beyond doubt, and coach Juan Carlos Granero pulled off his marker Luis Prieto at half time. The defeat means that the visitors stay down in the drop zone for another week.

Córdoba are also level with Girona after a 2-0 victory over Huesca, their seventh game in a row without defeat (albeit that the last four were draws). Díaz de Cerio opened the scoring with a shot on the turn midway through the first half, and Agus headed the second from Arteaga's free kick shortly before half time. Onésimo's side improved after the interval, but they were not able to prevent another defeat which leaves them just outside of the bottom four. (06.11.10)

Elche and Las Palmas shared the points in a thrilling 2-2 draw on Friday evening. The Canary Islanders twice took the lead, Alvaro Cejudo opening the scoring with a lob over the head of Willy Caballero in the twentieth minute. Linares equalised from close to goal early in the second half, but ten minutes later Jonathan Viera restored the lead with an individualist effort. It looked as if the three points were going to the away team until the second minute of injury time, when Jesús Perera got on the end of Ripa's cross to level the scores once again. (05.11.10)