Alavés threw away a chance to move to the top of the table pending Sunday's games when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Leganés. The Vitoria based side were up against it from the ninth minute when a visiting defender deflected a free kick from Pablo Gómez inside the area with his arm. Pablo protested to referee Paradas Romero, but when he didn't award a penalty the Alavés captain insulted a linesman and got himself sent off. Leganés failed to take advantage though, and the locals had two or three chances before Palermo finally headed home a cross from Coira put them ahead. But Macanás equalised with the visitors' first effort at goal, again a header from Kuhl's corner. The second half was a scrappy affair, but again the home side had the better chances and Mustafá had to clear off the line from Sariegi with the keeper beaten near the end. But the Madrid based side held on for their eight draw in a row, keeping them out of the bottom four by the smallest of margins.

Fourth placed Sporting Gijon failed to take advantage though, falling to a 0-2 defeat at the hands of Tenerife. The Asturians had to put out a makeshift side due to suspensions and injuries, but even so they dominated the first half, with Miguel wasting a couple of good chances and then hitting the bar on the stroke of half time. Keko and Martín Posse could have put the visitors ahead on a breakaway after the restart, but Ismael missed another opportunity and Bilic had a penalty appeal turned down ten minutes from the end. Almost immediately though Corona headed Hidalgo's free kick past Roberto to put the Canary Islanders ahead, and before the game came to an end Jesús Vázquez headed a second goal from a corner to virtually ensure that his side stay up.

There were two late goals for Málaga B as well, both coming from Geijo in the last five minutes as they beat Ciudad Murcia 2-0 to pull way from the danger zone. The Andalucians started the weekend just two points behind their rivals, and both were looking for a victory to ensure their places in the second division for next season. But there was little action from either side until Geijo went close either side of half time. The visitors came back after the restart, Héctor Font and Godino both missing the target. But Geijo finally beat Alberto Cifuentes with a low shot and added a second two minutes later with a long lob which caught the keeper off his line. (29.05.04)

Getafe moved into contention for a first ever place in the top flight after they came from behind to beat third placed Numancia. A 2-1 victory was enough to take them level with the Soria based side on points, and also give them a better head-to-head record against their opponents. All the action came after the break, with Mario Cotelo hitting the post for the locals on the hour mark and Fagiani replying with a free kick which struck the crossbar five minutes later. Fagiani put the visitors ahead five minutes after that from the penalty spot after referee Castillo Estévez ruled rather harshly that Belenguer had brought down Pineda, and it should have been two soon afterwards when keeper Sergio Sánchez stopped Pineda's shot over the line, neither Castillo nor his linesmen spotting the fact. The referee further upset the visitors when he allowed Craioveanu to carry on after he had taken the ball over the by-line, his subsequent pass setting up Miguel Angel for the equaliser, and then awarded another hotly disputed penalty two minutes from the end after Alberto fell under Velasco's challenge, Miguel Angel converting the kick for the winning goal. Numancia host Alavés next weekend, a match which may well decide who goes up this year.

Levante took a big step towards promotion to the first division with a 0-3 win over Cádiz on Sunday evening, and they are now four points clear at the top with only three games to go. Alexis headed the first from Rivera's cross following a corner on the quarter hour mark, but Mora had to be at his best on the stroke of half time to keep out Iban Espadas with the most of the visiting players still claiming a penalty on Rivera at the other end. Sérvulo made it two though with half an hour to go from Rivera's pass, and Aganzo and Congo could both have added to the lead before Aganzo headed the third from Sandro's free kick in the last minute.

Down at the bottom, Algeciras are the first side to be mathematically relegated to the second division B after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Elche. The South coast side had been prolonging the agony with a run of four games without defeat, and they started well when Armentano got on the end of Dani's pass to head them in front in the twelfth minute. Benja levelled the scores but José Marí restored the lead before the break, again both headed goals, but a dubious penalty which Nino converted midway through the second half was enough to see them finally down.

The other three relegation spots are still up for grabs with fourteen teams not yet clear, but after the five sides above Algeciras all drew it appears that they are the prime candidates. Las Palmas stayed in next to bottom spot, five points away from safety after drawing 1-1 with Xerez, and they really need to win their three remaining games to have any chance of staying up. Canito got on the end of Calle's cross to put the visitors ahead near to half time, and Calle almost got a second goal soon afterwards. The canary Islanders fought back, Tomás, Bogliacino and Changui all going close before Pedro Vega headed Martel's cross past Unanua for the equaliser. By then Xerez were playing with ten men after Mendoza was shown a second yellow card, but Carmelo and Rubén both missed opportunities to win the game for the home side late on.

Rayo Vallecano are also in deep trouble after drawing 0-0 at Recreativo, and they ended the weekend only a point above Las Palmas, with one foot already in the second division B. The Madrid based side did their best, with Luis Cembranos having a shot cleared off the line by Enguix in the first half and Cembranos and Peragón both shooting wide after the break. Recre's first chance didn't come until the second half when Manu del Moral hit the post and Arteaga brought a good save out of Saja a few minutes later, but even with Rayo down to ten men after Ricardo Cavas was sent off for a second bookable offence, the locals were unable to make any inroads.

Three sides are level on 43 points, with Poli Ejido still occupying the last relegation spot on goal difference behind Leganés and Córdoba after drawing 0-0 against a poor Salamanca, who themselves are not totally clear of trouble. The locals were the better side though, with Raúl Gañan almost catching visiting keeper Kike off his line with a shot from the halfway line a quarter of an hour into the match and Lupidio hitting the bar with another long shot before the break. Kike was unbeatable after that though, and when David Cano did get past him Urbano was there to clear off the line. The poor run of results cost Ejido's coach Julián Rubio his job though, a record 21st manager to be given the sack in the second division this season.

Córdoba have not won at home now in three months, and once again they were held to a draw, this time 2-2 by Terrassa. All the goals came in the first half, with Villa putting the home side in front with a low shot in the tenth minute. The Catalans were ahead before the half hour mark though, Maikel heading the equaliser from Quique Martín's free kick and then heading on a cross from the same player for Molist to crash the ball past Valero. Txiki made it all square with a deflected free kick before the interval though, and the locals seemed to be on their way to victory when Héctor was sent off for the visitors ten minutes after the restart. But even though Montenegro hit the bar and Nico Olivera had a goal disallowed without reason, they were unable to get the winning goal they so desperately needed.

Almería moved four points clear of the drop zone with a 1-0 win over Eibar, and they appear to be safe for another season. After an eventless first half local manager Alfonsín brought on Luna to join Francisco up front, and the ex Hibernian striker made the difference, testing Basauri with a spectacular effort soon after coming on and getting on the end of Galca's free kick to score the only goal of the game a few minutes later. Brit went close a couple of times as the Basque side came looking for the equaliser, but their challenge ended ten minutes from the end when Cuevas was shown the red card, and a minute later Kortina had to go off with all three changes already made. (30.05.04)