Deportivo recorded their third away win of the season, beating Hércules 0-2 on Sunday lunchtime to move up in to the play-off spots pending the rest of the day's games. Borja Bastón put the Galicians ahead midway through the first half after Juan Carlos set him up, and the on-loan Atlético striker got his second of the game a few minutes later with a shot which his namesake Borja Gómez deflected in to the net. The locals had a chance to get one back when they were awarded a penalty after Alex Bergantiños handled inside the area, but Dioni blasted his spot kick over the bar. Local coach Quique Hernández made three changes at the break after that, and for a few minutes they started to get back in to the game. However with a quarter of an hour to go Escassi got himself sent off for a foul on Luis (who had just come on after Borja Bastón was stretchered off), and that was about it. The defeat left the Alicante based side down in the bottom four.
Later in the evening Recreativo returned to top spot after beating Zaragoza 1-2. The Andalusians had been bumped out of first place after Sporting won the day before, but with eight minutes to go to the break they took the lead when Ruymán headed in a corner, albeit somewhat against the run of play. Henríguez got on the end of a Paco Montañés cross to equalize soon after the restart, but a few minutes later Linares restored the lead on a rapid counterattack to leave the Maños just two points above the drop zone. Recre's neighbours Córdoba are up to second, the Andalusians moving ahead of Sporting on goal difference after a 2-0 victory over Girona. The turning point of the game came ten minutes in to the second half when Ramalho was shown a second yellow card after giving away a penalty on López Silva which Xisco transformed. With twenty minutes to go Xisco got his second of the evening after good work by Germán Pacheco, and the visitors were left with nine men when Juncà was shown a red card in the last minute.
Murcia's brilliant start to the season continues, and they are just behind Córdoba in third spot after a 2-1 victory over Numancia in the last match of the weekend. Julio Velázquez's side are only playing at this level after a last minute reprieve, but they are riding high this year, and they went in front on the stroke of half time when Mauro headed in Saúl Berjón's free kick. Saúl himself made it two from the penalty spot after Antonio Tomás handled in the area some ten minutes in to the second half, but Juanma set up a nervous finish when he got one back with three minutes to go. Last week's second placed side Ponferradina drop right out of the top six however after they lost 1-0 to Mirandés. Claudio Barragán side had the better of the first half against their bogey side, Fofo and Yuri rattling the woodwork and local keeper Dani Jiménez having to make a string of saves. However midway through the second half Goiria passed through for Pablo Infante to beat Santamaría, and the home side held on to move above their opponents in the table.
Further down the table Mallorca moved away from the danger zone with a 0-1 victory at Barcelona B. The Balearic islanders started the weekend just a point above the bottom four, but they dominated the first half, Gerard, Ximo and Nsue all wasting chances. With just under an hour on the clock though Víctor Casadesús got was to prove the only goal with an angled shot after Gerard won the ball back on the wing, and after that Eusebio's side were unable to prevent their first home defeat of the season. Only one goal scored as well in the duel between the bottom two clubs, Tenerife winning 1-0 against Real Madrid Castilla to leave their opponents without a single point from their first seven games this season. A poor first half ended with the Canary Islanders having a strike by Chechu ruled out for the positional offside of a colleague, but five minutes after the break the persistence of half time substitute Ayoze resulted in him getting past Pulido and Pacheco to score. (29.09.13)
A Scepovic hat-trick in a 3-2 victory against Eibar on Saturday evening took Sporting Gijón back to the top of the second division. The Serbian striker headed the Asturians in front in the fifth minute from an Isma López cross, but Yuri set up Capa to equalize for the visitors on the stroke of half time. Scepovic restored the lead though from the penalty spot early in the second half after Yuri fouled Barrera in the area, and he made it three a few minutes later after good work by Barrera and Isma López, his eighth of the season to date. However Urko Vera put the Basques back in the game with six minutes to go, and Cuéllar had to make a last minute save from Vera to ensure the three points for his team.
Lugo are up to third in the table pending Sunday's games after they beat a depleted Las Palmas 3-0 on a rainy night in Galicia. The locals went two up in the first half hour, Pita combining with Iván Pérez to net the first, and Pérez setting up Rennella for the second a few minutes later. The Canary Islanders were left with ten men when Aythami picked up a second yellow card with twenty minutes to go, and Víctor díaz wrapped things up following a corner with seven minutes left on the clock.
Alcorcón are back up in to the play-off spots after a 2-0 victory against Alavés. The Madrid based side had dropped out of the top six after three defeats in a row, but they went ahead in the sixth minute when Sergio Prendes picked up a Christian Alfonso assist to beat Goitia. The heavy rain made play difficult, but five minutes in to the second half Alfonso put Iribas through for him to score his team's second.
Sabadell are also just a point outside of the top six after they beat struggling Jaén 3-0. Local keeper Nauzet had a couple of saves to make early on, but otherwise the Catalans were on top, and Raúl Tamudo opened the scoring on the stroke of half time after Dani Torres gave the ball away to Anibal Zurdo. Anibal himself got the second from the penalty spot on the hour mark after Gato was fouled in the area, and Tamudo completed the scoring with his second of the evening near the end. (28.09.13)