Sporting Gijón are back up in to the play-off spots after a 1-3 victory at Lugo on Sunday lunchtime. The locals started the weekend in third spot, and after a couple of early chances they took the lead, Seoane beating Cuéllar with a shot from outside of the area in the sixth minute. For a few minutes that took the Galicians to the top of the table for the first time in their history, but with half an hour gone Luis Hernández forced home the equalizer with his knee following a corner, and five minutes later Lekic headed the Asturians in front following a Nacho Cases free kick. Cuéllar had to make important saves from Pablo Sánchez and Sandaza either side of half time, but eight minutes in to the second half Scepovic connected with an Isma López cross to turn a shot past José Juan and wrap things up.
Deportivo are the new leaders of the second division though after they beat Ponferradina 0-1 later in the evening! Culio got the only goal of the game from the penalty spot after Luisinho fell under a challenge from Carpio on the half hour mark, and second division top keeper Lux did the rest with saves in particular from Yuri and Acorán.It was a sixth win away from home for Fernando Vázquez's side, and they move above Recreativo, who lost 1-2 at home to Eibar. Gallegos set up Montoro to give the Andalusians the lead in the first minute of the second half, but Navas equalized with a direct free kick on the hour mark, and Morales got the winner four minutes later with a shot which deflected in off Ruymán. The locals could still have saved a point late on when they were awarded a penalty after Navas was shown a second yellow card for handling in the area, but Irureta saved the resulting Linares spot kick to take his side up to fourth. Recre have now only taken one point from their last four games, and the big lead they built a a few weeks ago has now disappeared.
Córdoba drop right out of the play-off spots this week after a 3-1 defeat at Mirandés. The Andalusians went in front in the twelfth minute, Armando getting on the end of an Abel corner to beat Dani Jiménez. But a quarter of an hour later Pablo Infante connected with Iriome's centre to make it all square, and with the first half coming to a close Mújika scrambled the ball in to the net following another corner. Any hope the visitors had of a comeback ended when Armando got himself sent off for a second booking with six minutes to go, and Muñiz completed the scoring with an injury time penalty after Caballero fouled Ríos in the area. Murcia also missed out on a return to the top six after they were held to a 0-0 draw at Alcorcón in the last match of the weekend. In the absence of goals (Alcorcón's fourth such match this season), referee Medié Jiménez took centre stage with no less than five red cards, sending off local defender Nagore early on, his team mates Mora and Antonio Martínez and coach Miguel Alvarez near the end, and visiting keeper Casto midway through the second half.
Further down the table Hércules climbed to within a point of escaping the drop zone after a 3-0 win over fellow strugglers Sabadell. All the goals came after the interval, Portillo scoring twice and Japan's Sugi coming on to get the third late on. The Catalans have lost five of their last six games, and coach Javi Salamero may be history very soon. Zaragoza and Tenerife move clear of the relegation spots though, both winning their respective games to join a group of five teams on nineteen points, four above Hércules and Sabadell. Zaragoza beat Girona 1-0, Alvaro scoring a controversial goal after controlling the ball with his arm following a late corner to take his side level with the Catalans in the table. And Tenerife won 2-1 against Jaén to make it six games in a row without defeat, Ricardo transforming a first half penalty after Suso was brought down in the area by Servando, and Iñigo Ros heading the winner from a Quique Rivero corner with a quarter of an hour to go after Hugo Alvarez had levelled it with a header from Jozabed's free kick. (24.11.13)
Las Palmas are up to third in the table pending Sunday's games after beating Barcelona B 1-2 on Saturday evening. The locals had lost their last four home games without scoring a single goal, but they went ahead in the twentieth minute when young Paraguayan striker Sanabria latched on to a loose ball in the area to beat Barbosa. However ten minutes in to the second half Nauzet made it all square after a good run by Chrisantus, and just five minutes later Vicente Gómez intercepted a bad back pass by Ilie to give the Canary Islanders the lead. Substitute Sandro wasted a couple of chances after that to save a point, and the game ended in disarray, with red cards for Las Palmas players Aythami and then Apoño, who could be facing a lengthy ban after he threatened the referee following his sending off.
Mallorca have yet to show the form expected of them this year, although they moved back up to the top half of the table after a 2-1 victory over Alavés, a first win in five games for José Luis Oltra's side. The visitors held their own until early in the second half, when Gerard Moreno opened the scoring after Víctor stepped over Kevin's long pass. Soon afterwards Nsue beat Goitia for a second time on a quick counter-attack, but with ten minutes to go second division top scorer Viguera got one back to set up a nail-biting finish. Alavés stay in the bottom four after a sixth match in a row without a win, still seven points above bottom club Real Madrid Castilla, who drew 0-0 at home to Numancia. C team coach José Manuel Díaz was in charge for the first time after Toril was fired midweek, and he drafted in young Colombian striker Juanjo Narvaez, who went close a couple of times. In the end though Spanish under 21 keeper Pacheco had to make the save of the night from Juanma near the end to ensure a point for his team. It was a second goal-less draw in a row for Numancia, who are now fifth pending the rest of the weekend fixtures. (23.11.13)