A hat-trick from Michel gave Getafe a 3-1 win over neighbours Rayo Vallecano on Saturday evening, taking his side up to fourth pending Sunday's results and ending the visitors' run of three wins in a row. The ex Rayo striker (known as Michel II in his days at Vallecas) was a nightmare for his old side on a rainy night in Madrid, getting on the end of assists from Uranga to put his team two up midway through the first half, and adding a third after the break. Idiakez got a late consolation for D'Alessandro's side with a well struck free kick.

Alavés missed out on the opportunity to move up into the top three when they were beaten 0-1 by relegation candidates Terrassa. The Vitoria based side had the chance to take the lead when visiting defender Besora handled in the area early on, but Morales saved Téllez's spot kick. And then the locals were left with ten men when Kiko was sent off on the stroke of half time for striking Juan Carlos. It looked as if a draw was on the cards though until Maikel got on the end of Monty's cross in the fourth minute of injury time to steal away the three points.

It was not a good day at all for the three relegated sides from last season, with Recreativo Huelva being held 0-0 by Xerez, their eleventh draw of the season in fifteen games. Both sides had changed their managers recently, but nothing seemed to have changed as they ground out a dull match. The only chances came near the end, Merino shooting wide for the locals and Cachorro replying with a free kick which was turned away by keeper Toño for a corner.

In the other match on Saturday night, Salamanca beat Las Palmas 2-0 to move back to the top half of the table. Raúl Sánchez had a couple of chances early on for the locals, but it was Tuni who finally beat Orlando from Escoda's pass. David Cañas got the second from a free kick which took a deflection off Raúl Sánchez to put off the keeper. The nearest the visitors came to scoring was a shot from Jotha which hit the post in the final minutes. (06.12.03)

Sporting Gijon beat leaders Numancia 1-0 on Sunday lunchtime to move up to third place in the table. The Asturians had to play for almost the entire game with ten men when Cristian Díaz was sent off in the third minute for a foul on Jaime Molina. But Bilic got on the end of Juan's cross to head the only goal of the game two minutes in to the second half. Both sides hit the woodwork later on, Rosu for the visitors and then Ismael for the hosts. This was Sporting's fourth home win in a row, and the result took them above Almería on goal average.

Málaga B were held to a 1-1 draw by Elche in their midday kick off game, and with other results going against them later in the day, they ended the weekend in next to bottom spot. The muddy conditions from recent rainfall made play difficult, but Nacho put the locals ahead midway through the first half. However Darmon equalised on the stroke of half time, and neither side was able to add to the score in the second half. (07.12.03)

Levante held on to second spot after drawing 1-1 at Córdoba, both goals coming in the last three minutes of the game. Congo appeared to have given the visitors the victory when he beat Jauregi near the end, but almost straight from the kick off Nico Olivera equalised with a shot from the edge of the area, only the fifth goal that Mora had let in all season. Up to that point the two keepers had been on top, Jauregui saving from Rivera and Carpintero before the interval and Mora frustrating Pulpo González twice either side of half time at the other end.

Almería dropped out of the promotion spots after losing 1-3 at home to Leganés, and they have now gone five games without a win. Although the Andalucians were on top early on they couldn't get past Leyenda, and the visitors took the lead on the counter-attack when Borja connected with Calandria's cross to score. Rodríguez made it two after the restart when he got on the end of Txiki's free kick to beat Cano, but the locals got back in the game when Leganés full back Vitali was sent off and then Juan Jesús scored past Leyenda. However with Almería throwing everything forward, Calandria made it three from a rapid breakaway.

With results going in their favour earlier in the weekend, Cádiz and Eibar also had a chance to move into the top three. However they cancelled each other out in a 0-0 draw, and ended the weekend a point adrift of Sporting. Again the heavy conditions slowed the game down, and although the locals had the better chances early on, Cuevas hit the post for the visitors on a quick breakaway. Visiting keeper Basauri had to save from Sesma after the break and Obiorah wasted a couple of opportunities, but with the locals down to nine men for the last ten minutes after Velázquez was given a second booking and Quevedo left the field concussed, they were happy to settle for a point.

Meanwhile Algeciras sank further down at the bottom of the table after they were beaten 0-1 by fellow strugglers Poli Ejido. Both sides were under new management, Julian Rubio having taken over at Ejido a few days ago and Iosu Ortuondo even more recently joining the home side, but neither had time to settle in and there was no visible improvement from either side in a dull match. One goal was always going to win it, and as luck had it, it fell to the visitors when Sierra took advantage of a defensive mistake to beat Julio Iglesias midway through the second half. Poli ended the game with ten men when Paco García picked a second booking right at the end.

Ciudad de Murcia manager Juan Manuel Lillo was expected to be the next to go after being criticised by his president during the week, but he held on to his job for the time being after his side drew 1-1 at Tenerife. The visitors took the lead against the run of play in the second half when Camuñas set up Héctor Font, but Keko equalised in the last minute with a free kick which took a deflection off the defensive wall. It was the ninth draw of the season for both sides. (07.12.03)