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Match round-up - Second Division A, Day 6

The second division has had a new leader every week this season, and the top spot will change once again this weekend after Sporting Gijón were beaten 3-0 by Alavés on Sunday lunchtime. The locals were still looking for their first win since being promoted in the summer, but they went ahead on the quarter mark when Cuéllar misjudged a deflected cross, and Bernardo, standing right behind him could only head the ball in to his own net. Viguera lobbed a shot against the crossbar soon afterwards, and with less than half an hour gone Ion vélez got free of his marker and passed across for Guzmán to score in to an empty net. Visiting coach Sandoval didn't wait until the break to make his first two changes, and for a short while things improved. However with three minutes to go Toti headed in Viguera's cross to hand the Asturians their first defeat of the season.

Later in the day none of the top teams managed to win though, leaving Recreativo as the new leaders. Ponferradina are up to second however, their highest place ever in the second division, after a 5-1 victory over Hércules. It was a display of effective football, the locals scoring five from only seven shots at goal, whereas the visitors got one from twenty. Jonathan Valle volleyed Barragán's side in to the lead in the fifth minute, Acorán added a second on a quick counter-attack, and Fofo made it three after Yuri set him up midway through the first half. Ten minutes in to the second half Acorán cut in from the wing to score his second of the evening, and although Azkorra got one back after an effort by Eldin came back off post, Javi Lara completed Ponfe's biggest win at this level later on.

Girona missed out on a chance to join Recre at the top after they were beaten 0-2 by Las Palmas. Visiting keeper Barbosa had to make a couple of important saves as the Catalans had the better of the first half. However with ten minutes to go Mayor put the Canary Islanders ahead on a quick breakaway, and with the final whistle approaching Apoño converted a penalty after Juncà fouled Adrúbal to give Lobera's team their second win in a row. Later in the evening Córdoba were held to a 0-0 draw by their struggling neighbours Jaén, leaving them level on eleven points with Ponfe, Murcia and Sporting in a group of twelve teams only separated by two points. The visitors had the better chances with Abel and Xisco hitting the bar, but they ended with ten men when samu picked up a second booking near the end.

Deportivo and Mallorca must be grateful that nobody is pulling clear at the moment, and both confirmed their albeit timid recoveries with 1-0 victories on Sunday evening. Deportivo had lost both their home games in the Riazor stadium, but they beat Alcorcón by a single goal to move up level with their opponents in the table. Juan Domínguez scored what was to prove the only goal on the quarter hour mark following an assist by Juan Carlos, but Lux was kept busy after that, and Fernando Vázquez ended with a five man defence to protect the result. Mallorca also suffered before beating Mirandés by the same scoreline in the Iberostar stadium, and they too went ahead in the first half, Ximo and Gerard combining to set up Víctor Casadesús. Pablo Infante hit the post after the break though as the visitors threatened to equalize. (22.09.13)

Murcia were the only one of the top six to play on Saturday, and they moved up to third in the table pending Sunday's games after a 0-0 draw at Eibar. Although one of the favourites to go down after only saving themselves from the drop last season in the back office, they came in to this match on the back of consecutive away wins at Mallorca and Deportivo. However neither side really carved out any clear cut chances throughout the game, and in the end they both settled for a point. Lugo closed to within a point of Murcia after they won 0-1 at Tenerife. The Canary Islanders were looking the better side until they had Aitor Sanz sent off for a second yellow card on the hour mark, and a few minutes later substitute Sandaza got what was to prove the only goal after Aragoneses failed to clear a high cross. The defeat leaves Alvaro Cervera's side in next to bottom spot.

Numancia are up in to the top half of the table, just a point behind Lugo, after a 3-1 win over Sabadell. The locals lost Vicente to an injury in only the second minute, but just three minutes later his substitute Palanca headed the opener from Del Pino's centre. Gato made it all square with a controversial penalty on Edgar following a corner which should not have been given, but with twenty minutes to go the Catalans had Cristian sent off for a second bookable offence, and Regalón got on the end of resulting free kick to restore the lead. The result was in doubt though until the fourth minute of injury time, when Víctor Andrés set up Natalio for the third on a rapid breakaway.

Zaragoza are also safely up to mid-table, a 1-2 victory at Real Madrid Castilla leaving the youngsters without a point from their first five games. On loan Manchester United striker opened the scoring for the visitors in the fifth minute on the rebound after Alvaro headed a Montañés corner against the upright, but Leo Franco had some saves to make before Burgui equalised with a low shot with just under an hour on the clock. However Paco Herrera eventually turned to Víctor Rodríguez, who had been suffering from a virus infection recently, and he got the winner with fifteen minutes to go with a shot on the turn which Pacheco was unable to keep out. (21.09.13)

Recreativo top the second division, at least for the next 24 hours, after beating Barcelona B 3-0 in a match brought forward to Friday evening. All the goals came in the second half, Jonathan Valle beating the offside trap to run on to a headed pass and volley a shot past Masip to start things off. Montoro made it two with a spectacular first time shot from the edge of the area following a corner, and Linares turned in a long cross to wrap things up with a quarter of an hour to go. (20.09.13)