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Match round-up - Second Division A, Day 34

Villarreal started their game at Murcia on Sunday lunchtime knowing that a win would take them up to second spot, but in the end they were grateful for a point after they scraped a 1-1 draw in the last minute of injury time. Onésimo's side needed a win themselves though after results elsewhere earlier in the weekend left them down in the relegation zone, and both teams had chances before Kike García put them ahead on the stroke of half time, the forward heading the ball past Juan Carlos after a shot from Saúl came back off the bar. The locals were left with ten men when Matilla got himself sent off ten minutes in to the second half, but they held on until the sixth minute of time added on, when Trigueros got on the end of a Jaume cross to equalize. The top six had opened up a six point gap over their followers after Saturday's games, but Ponferradina closed that to three points after a 0-1 victory over promotion rivals Córdoba. It was a disappointing start for new coach Juan Eduardo Esnáider, who took over from Rafa Berges last week, Yuri running through to get the winner for the visitors late on after their keeper Santamaría had saved from Xisco and Pedro.

Later in the evening Elche extended their lead at the top of the table to twelve points after coming from behind to beat bottom club Xerez 2-1. The Andalusians surprised their hosts at first, David Prieto heading Rueda's free kick in off the crossbar with a quarter of an hour gone. And they could have increased their lead when Alvaro Rey hit the bar and Bodipo fired a shot just wide either side of half time. Chema had to keep out Angel and Xumetra though, and midway through the second half Xumetra equalized with a long shot which went in off the post. Pelayo and Carles Gil tested the visiting keeper after that, and with five minutes to go the locals were awarded a penalty when David Prieto was sent off for stopping Coro's header with his arm, and Edu Albácer stepped up to convert the resulting spot kick. Prieto's anger was clear when he kicked a hole in the dug-out, and there were red cards too for his manager Carlos Ríos and a few minutes later for Alvaro Rey as Xerez sink ever close to the regional second division B.

Huesca still have hopes of saving themselves however, and they are only a point away from safety after a thrilling 4-3 victory over Sabadell in the last match of the weekend. Jorge D'Alessandro's side went two up at the break, Pacheco beating Nauzet with a shot from the edge of the area, and David López turning in a Llamas cross ten minutes before the interval. Soon after the restart Abraham Paz headed in a corner, and Moha made it all square with a low shot across Luis García. Luis Helguera restored the lead with a header from Pacheco's corner in the eightieth minute, but Longás made it all square again after combining with Ulises Dávila, and the game appeared to be heading for a draw before Camacho headed in another Pacheco corner in the third minute of injury time. (14.04.13)

Girona moved up to second in the table pending Sunday's games after beating Racing Santander 0-1 on Saturday evening. Neither keeper was particularly troubled in the first half, but after the restart Felipe Sanchón and Acuña went close, and Dani Mallo have to save from Koné at the other end. Soon afterwards though Sanchón headed what was to prove the winner after Mario could only palm out a shot from Eloi, and the Catalans held on for a win which left Alex Menéndez's side back in the bottom four. Alcorcón stay a point behind Girona in the table after they too won 0-1 at Lugo. The Madrid based side had lost ground on their nearest rivals after three games without a win, but Nagore gave them the three points, forcing the ball in on the far post after Angel's cross was only partly cleared. The Galicians came close to saving a point though when Victor Díaz headed against the post late on.

Almería drop down from second to fourth though after they were beaten 1-0 by Mirandés. Díaz de Cerio got the only goal of the game with just under half an hour on the clock, forcing his way past Pellerano to fire a shot past Esteban, giving his side three points which takes them above Racing out of the relegation zone. Las Palmas stay sixth, now three points below Almería, after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Hércules. Local keeper Barbosa saved from Braulio in the first minute and Eldin after the break, and Canary Island striker Thievy hit the post in the second half, but otherwise the main point of interest was an injury to the referee in the first half which required the fourth official to take over. The draw takes Hércules out of the bottom four pending Murcia's game on Sunday.

Sporting Gijón are closing in on the play-off spots after putting their bad start to the season behind them, and they moved to within 6 points of Las Palmas after a 3-0 win over Guadalajara, their sixth victory in eight games. Sangoy gave the Asturians an early lead with a free kick which Razak could not prevent from entering the net, but it was not until twenty minutes from the end that Bilic scored the second from the penalty spot, Barral getting himself sent off in the incident after picking up a second booking for handling in the area. That ended any hope of saving a point for the visitors, and with three minutes to go David Rodríguez wrapped things up when he rounded Razak to score a third for José Ramón Sandoval's side.

There were wins for the two B teams on Saturday, both of whom are now relatively safe. Barcelona B beat Numancia 0-1 to move back up to seventh in the table, a first victory for Eusebio's side in five games. Visiting keeper Masip had to save from Cedric and Julio Alvarez before the break, but Biel Ribas had to keep out Deulofeu as well, and Gus Ledes hit the bar before substitute Araujo ran on to Masip's long clearance to lob a shot over Ribas with twenty minutes to go. Real Madrid Castilla also returned to winning ways after four away defeats in a row, Alberto Toril's side beating Recreativo 1-3. All the goals came in the second half, Mateos opening the scoring following a corner, and Jesé making it two from a Cheryshev assist. Substitute Brozek got one back, picking up a Matamala pass before lobbing keeper Andrés, who had replaced the injured Mejías after the restart, but Oscar Planas made sure of the three points after getting on the end of Juanfran's cross to score his side's third with five minutes left on the clock. (13.04.13)