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Match round-up - Second Division A, Day 15

Hércules stay four point clear at the top of the second division despite losing 2-1 to neighbours Elche in the Sunday lunchtime match. The visitors went ahead with an Edu Albácar penalty on the quarter hour mark after Abel Aguilar fouled Mantecón in the area, and Nicki Bille made it two a few minutes later after Etxeita headed on a corner, the first time that local keeper Falcón had let in more than one goal all season. Falcón's opposite number Juan Carlos did well to save from Callejón and Aguilar before the break, but he could do nothing to stop Michel's volley with twenty minutes to go. Pellegrín saved the day though near the end when he prevented Felipe Sanchón from equalising, and although Beranger was sent off for a foul on Tiago Gomes in injury time, Pepe Bordalás's side held on for a win which takes them up to third in the table.

Sabadell and Murcia started their game later in the evening knowing that the winner could make it up in to the play-off spots, but in the end they were both left two points short after the game finished in a 2-2 draw. Visiting keeper Alberto had to make a couple of saves before Lanzarote beat him with a quarter of an hour gone, and Oscar Ramírez almost made it two when his shot from the halfway line bounced off the bar later in the first half. Murcia turned it around though with goals by Pedro and Jorge either side of half time, the first from a Cerrajería pass and the second with a header from Pedro's free kick. But with half an hour still left on the clock they were reduced to ten men when Molinero was shown a second yellow card, and with ten minutes go Baha levelled the scores again after Alberto could only push out a shot from Aarón Bueno. (27.11.11)

Once again the second division is very tight, and pending the big Alicante derby between Hércules and Elche on Sunday, non of the other sides in the top six were able to win. Valladolid hold on to second spot though after they at least picked up a point in a 0-0 draw at Cartagena on Saturday evening. It probably sums things up to say that the most interesting point of the match was the fact that the visitors were wearing pink shirts which their fans had voted for as part of a campaign in support of breast cancer. Djukic's side had not won away since the opening game of the season, and once again they were frustrated, their best chance coming when Oscar hit the bar late on in the first half. Dimas brought a good save out of Jaime after the restart, but the locals failed to win for the fifth game in a row, and despite the point they ended the day at the bottom of the table.

Córdoba's recent good run came to an end after they were beaten 3-1 by Guadalajara, and they stay in fifth place pending Sunday's games. The locals had not won at home in over a month, but they took the lead on the half hour mark when Rodri got on the end of Jonan García's cross to beat Alberto García. Just three minutes later Ernesto lobbed the keeper to make it two, and midway through the second half Anibal wrapped things up with a third. Up to that point local keeper Saizar had made some important saves, in particular from López Silva and Patiño, but with a minute to go he was finally beaten by Pepe Díaz.

Celta have also gone off the boil recently and they fell to a third defeat in a row, this time losing 2-1 at Barcelona B. Last season's top scorer Jonathan Soriano, who has only recently recovered from a pre-season injury, was the man who did the damage, heading in Gustavo's long free kick to open the scoring in the 27th minute. De Lucas got on the end of Orellana's cross to beat Masip on the far post and make it all square early in the second half, but soon afterwards Soriano scored his second of the evening after Rafinha's free kick fell to him off the defensive wall to take Eusebio's team to within a point of the Galicians in the table.

Alcorcón are back up to twelfth, just a point behind Barça B, after a 1-0 victory over Girona. The Madrid based side felt they should have had a penalty when Dani Tortolero handled in the area, but with the first half coming to a close they were left with ten men when Expósito was sent off for a second bookable offence. Ten minutes in to the second half though they took the lead, Tortolero heading the rebound in to his own net after Santamaría pushed out a deflected Sergio Mora Mora free kick, and although Tortolero headed against the bar later on, the Catalans fell to another defeat which keeps them in the relegation spots.

Numancia are level with Alcorcón in the table after they picked up a point in a 0-0 draw at Villarreal B. Natalio went close for the Soria based side with an overhead kick early on, and Kiko missed an easy chance at the other end soon afterwards. Top scorer Joselu almost caught out Edu Navarro with a shot from just over the halfway line after the restart, and Cabrera cleared a lob from Iriome off the line with the keeper beaten a few minutes later. A fair result in the end, and the home side stay three points clear of the drop zone as a result.

Las Palmas drop below Numancia and Alcorcón though after they were beaten 2-0 by bottom club Huesca. The turning point of the game came with just over half an hour on the clock when visiting keeper Barbosa was sent off for bringing down Roberto inside the area, Camacho stepping up to convert the resulting penalty. Roberto himself scored the second early in the second half with a header from Lluis Sastre's corner, and the Aragón based side held on after that for their first win in their "El Alcoraz" stadium this season.

Huesca move above Cartagena, just a point now behind Girona and Gimnàstic, who remain unbeaten under new coach Jorge D'Alessandro after drawing 0.-0 at Alcoyano. Both keepers were in action in the first half, Maestro saving from Viguera and Rubén Pérez keeping out Carrión, Alvaro and Fabiani. After the interval substitute Choco Lozano hit the post, but Vigera replied with a shot against the crossbar near the end. A point each though, which keeps the home side four points above their opponents in the table.

Xerez move five points clear of the relegation spots though after a 1-2 victory at neighbours Recreativo. The Andalusians had not won in eight games, but after failing to convert a couple of chances they took the lead ten minutes in to the second half when Israel got on the end of Bruno Hererro's pass to beat Manu. Three minutes later Tato scored a second for the visitors, and although substitute Sergi Enrich got one back from Javi Alamo's cross, Xerez closed ranks to ensure three important points for Juan Merino's side which takes them two above his old club in the table. (26.11.11)

Deportivo moved up to joint second spot pending the rest of the weekend's games after beating Almería 3-1 in the Friday night game. The Galicians scored twice just a minute or so either side of half time, Guardado converting a penalty after Carlos García pulled back Colotto, and Juan Dóminguez getting the second after Bergantiños set him up. Ten minutes later Lassad made it three with a second penalty after Dani Bautista handled in the area, and Ulloa got a late consolation for the visitors after combining with Goitom. The result takes Depor level with their opponents on points, although they both stay behind Valladolid on goal difference. (25.11.11)