Third placed Valladolid failed to take advantage of Celta's slip up on Saturday, Djukic's side being held to a 1-1 draw by Almería on Sunday lunchtime. Víctor Pérez put the home side ahead from the penalty spot in the twentieth minute, but Ulloa picked up a pass from Goitom to equalise soon after the restart, and visiting keeper Esteban did the rest. Almería stay two points behind their rivals in the table, now six above Alcorcón, who were beaten 3-2 by Barcelona B later in the evening. Kiko Femenía ran on to a long ball to open the scoring in the sixth minute, but local keeper Oier had some important saves to make before Deulofeu passed through for Sergi Roberto to score the second four minutes in to the second half. Roberto appeared to have wrapped things up when he made it three with an hour on the clock, but goals by Montañés and Saúl set up an exciting finish. (18.03.12)
Deportivo are now five points clear at the top of the second division after they beat struggling Alcoyano 3-0 on Saturday afternoon. The Galicians went close a couple of times before Guardado picked up a Colotto assist to open the scoring on the quarter hour mark. Juan Domínguez made it two after Guardado set him up ten minutes later, and Lassad rounded off the scoring with an individualist goal in the dying minutes to make it ten home wins in a row. Celta's run of seven straight wins came to an end though when they were beaten 3-1 by Las Palmas later in the evening. Javi Guerrero put the Canary Islanders ahead early in the first half after good work by Pignol, and Momo scored the second on the stroke of half time with a free kick which took a deflection off the defensive wall. De Lucas hit the woodwork a couple of times for the visitors after the break, but Vitolo made it three with ten minutes to go, and a late strike from David Rodríguez was scant consolation for Paco Herrera's side.
Hércules move up level with third placed Valladolid pending their game on Sunday after thrashing Guadalajara 5-0. The Alicante based side went two up in the first half hour, Michel and Aguilar both scoring following corners. And in the second half strikes by Gilvan, Carlos Calvo and Michel left their opponents just five points above the drop zone. Elche are slipping further away from the play-off spots though after they lost 3-0 at Numancia. Julio Alvarez was the man who did the damage, the veteran flanker scoring twice in a five minute period midway through the first half. The second of those came from a free kick, and Alvarez completed his hat-trick with another some twenty minutes from the end to take his team up to ninth, five points clear of Recreativo who could only draw 1-1 with Sabadell. Berrocal opened the scoring for the Andalusians before the break, but Arteaga equalised soon after the restart to keep the Catalans within a point of their opponents in mid-table.
Further down the table, bottom club Gimnàstic kept their hopes of staying up intact after a 1-3 win at fellow strugglers Cartagena. Braulio put the locals in front from the penalty spot seven minutes in to the second half, but Morán scored twice in the next ten minutes to turn the scoreline around, and Ortíz made sure of the three points with a third goal near the end. Nàstic are now two points behind regional neighbours Girona, who were beaten 2-1 by Huesca. The locals started the day in the bottom four, but Roberto put them ahead early on, and although Tortolero equalised a few minutes later, Roberto restored the lead with his second of the evening just after the interval. Xerez move away from the danger zone though after a 3-1 victory over Murcia. The Andalusians went behind to a strike by Chando, but goals either side of half time by Tato gave them the lead. And after the visitors had Rueda and Nico sent off in the last couple of minutes, Maldonado wrapped things up in injury time. (17.03.12)
Córdoba are up to fourth in the table pending the rest of the weekend's games after drawing 1-1 at Villarreal B on Friday night. Both teams had won their last three matches, but it was the home side who went in front when Fuentes turned the ball in to his own net trying to cut out a Lucas Porcar cross in the eighth minute. The Andalusians levelled the scores though after Airam intercepted a bad back pass by Porcar, Borja García scoring on the follow up after Diego Mariño had saved from the striker. Later on in the game Toribio struck a long shot against the crossbar, and Mariño had to keep out Borja in reply, but in the end both sides settled for a point. (16.03.12)
Reports on remaining games to follow.