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Match round-up - Second Division A, Day 35

Leaders Elche are starting to falter as the end of the season approaches, and their gap over third placed Alcorcón has been reduced to ten points after they lost 1-0 to the Madrid based side on Sunday lunchtime. Keepers Manu Herrera and Manu Fernández were both in action in the first half, the former saving from Juli early on and the latter from Mantecón a few minutes later, but the locals took the lead five minutes after the interval following a corner, Babín heading in a Fernando Sales cross. Nagore came close to a second later on, and Elche's hopes of saving anything from this match ended when Angel was sent off for a second bookable offence with five minutes to go. The win takes José Bordalás's side to within a point of second placed Girona in the table.

Elche's big lead should be enough to see them over the finishing line, but the second of the automatic promotion spots is still wide open, Villarreal staying a point behind Alcorcón after a 1-0 victory over Racing Santander later in the evening. Moi Gómez got the only goal after good work by Uche immediately after the restart to extend his side's unbeaten run to thirteen games, and although Gai Assulín went close in injury time, the Cantabrians couldn't prevent another defeat which leaves them further down in the drop zone. Fifth placed Almería drop two points behind Villarreal though after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Numancia. The visitors went in front in only the second minute, Juamna heading past Esteban following a Julio Alvarez corner, and although Soriano headed the equalizer from another corner ten minutes later, visiting keeper Biel Ribas and the woodwork stopped the locals from taking the three points.

Further down the table, Hércules climbed out of the relegation spots for the first time in seven months after a 1-0 win over Córdoba. Braulio opened the scoring for the Alicante based side following an assist by Eldin with ten minutes to go to the break, and Eldin came close to a second before half time. The Andalusians could have saved a point had Falcón not kept out Abel and Rennella near the end, but they are now eleven points off the play-off spots after a third defeat in a row, the second under new coach Juan Eduardo Esnaíder. Hércules move a point above Murcia, who drop back in to the bottom four despite a 1-1 draw at Barcelona B. Dongou latched on to a loose ball in the area to give the youngsters the lead on the quarter hour mark, but ten minutes in to the second half Kike García deflected Mauro's header past Masip following a corner to save a point for Onésimo's side.

Real Madrid Castilla rounded off the weekend programme with a crushing 6-1 win over Mirandés, a result which took Alberto Toril's team safely up to mid-table and left their opponents just a point above the relegation spots. It took them some time to get going, Iván González heading the first after Moquera headed on a corner shortly before half time, but the floodgates opened after the restart, Morata firing a shot in to the top corner of the net and Borja getting on the end of Jesé's cross to make it three. Morata added a fourth with an angled shot and Cheyshev headed the fifth from Juanfran's centre, and Jesé got in on the act after Lucas set him up with a quarter of an hour to go. Goiria got a late consolation for the visitors from the penalty spot after Morata blocked Morán's free kick with his arm, but by then the contest was more than over. (21.04.13)

Girona consolidated second spot with a convincing 4-0 victory over Lugo on Saturday evening, opening up a four point gap over their nearest rivals pending Sunday's games. The Catalans went two up in the first twenty minutes, Gerard Bordás lifting a Jofre cross in off the far post, and Tébar beating José Juan for a second time after a corner fell to him close to goal. The only reply from the Galicians was a looping header by Belfortti which Dani Mallo tipped over the bar, and Richy and Felipe Sanchón could both have increased the lead before Bordás made it three after running on to a pass from midfield some four minutes in to the second half. Two minutes later Jofre scored a fourth with a shot from outside of the area, and Acuña could have scored a couple of times before he had to go off with a dislocated shoulder.

Las Palmas kept up their push for a place in the play-offs, and they made sure of sixth spot after a 1-2 win at bottom club Xerez. Christantus gave the Canary Islanders the lead against the run of play after running on to Momo's through ball to beat Chema on the quarter hour mark, and Dani Castellano came close to a second when he headed against the post a few minutes later. Five minutes before the break though Rueda equalized from the penalty spot after Momo brought down Maldonado inside the area, and although Pignol hit the post again soon after the restart, Bodipo had a strike disallowed for a previous foul and then fired a shot just wide of the post. Soon afterwards however Christantus scored his second of the evening on a quick counter-attack, and Barbosa made a couple of important saves after that to leave the Andalusians even closer to relegation after 23 games without a win.

Ponferradina remain just three points behind Las Palmas though after they beat Sporting Gijón 1-0. The Asturians started the day just three points behind their hosts in the table after a string of good results, but Cuéllar had to save from Saúl and Juli as the home side had the better of the first half. Bilic fired a shot just wide and then hit the post soon after the break, but midway through the second half Alan Baró got the winner after Acorán played in Saúl's short corner. Further down the table Guadalajara moved a step closer to safety after a 1-0 victory over Huesca. The visitors needed points to get out of the relegation spots, but despite having two penalty appeals turned down and Pacheco hitting the post, they found themselves behind when Alex Ortíz ran on to an Alvaro Antón through ball to beat Luis García. Tariq headed against the post again after the restart, but after Llamas got himself sent off with seven minutes to go for a second bookable offence, the Aragoneses gave up the fight. (20.04.13)

Sabadell and Recreativo kicked off the weekend with a 1-1 draw on Friday night which left both teams safely in mid-table. The locals were left with ten men when Samu was sent off for a foul on Chuli as he advanced on goal midway through the first half, but they still took the lead when Anibal headed in an Oscar Ramírez cross with ten minutes to go to the break. Just two minutes later Jonathan Valle equalized with a shot from outside of the area, but although the Catalans had to play the last half hour with nine players after Juanjo was shown a second yellow card, Nauzet and his defence held on after that for a valuable point. (19.04.13)