Alavés moved back up into the top three after a 2-0 victory over Lleida on Saturday evening. Rubén Navarro put the Vitoria based side ahead in the eighth minute after Bodipo stepped over an Angel Sánchez cross to leave the striker free, and Bodipo rattled the crossbar with a shot later in the half. The visitors have the best away record in the league though, and Txema and Sergio Rodríguez both went close either side of half time before Bodipo was brought down in the area by keeper Eduardo, Nené converting the resulting penalty for his side's second goal and their first win in four games. Dmitri Piterman's side ended the day four points above the Catalans, who dropped to eighth by the end of the weekend.

Celta missed out on a chance to close up on the top spots after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Tenerife, the sixth time they have had to share the points in the Balaidos stadium in eight games. Once again Fernando Vázquez put out a defensive line up, but they found themselves behind ten minutes beofre the break when under 21 international Vitolo beat Pinto with a low shot. Gustavo López came on at the break and had a hand in the equaliser, his cross being played on by Jonathan for Oubiña to score. But they could do no more, the closest they came to scoring when Jandro had a goal disallowed for offside ten minutes from the end.

Recreativo did move up the table though after coming from behind to beat Pontevedra 2-1. The Galicians are struggling down in the relegation zone, but they surprised the locals with a goal in only the second minute through Capdevila. Rosu equalised ten minutes later, but otherwise the visitors were the better side, Canabal and Navarro both wasting chances before the break and Canabal, Charles and Cabrera all going close after the restart. The locals were left with ten men when Rosu picked up a second booking on the hour mark, but even so Viqueira picked up a pass from Uche to strike the winner near the end. (04.12.04)

Cádiz are the new leaders of the second division after they beat fourth placed Elche 3-1 on Sunday lunchtime. Both sides came into the match on top form, but it was the visitors who took the lead in the fifth minute, Moisés picking up a pass from Peragón to beat Armando. Jonathan Sesma had come close to scoring for the locals in the first minute though, and three minutes after Elche's goal, Dani Navarette levelled the scores after Oli had won the ball in midfield. Sesma went close again soon afterwards, but it was not until midway through the second half that he finally put his side in front, running on to a high ball from Fleurquín to head past Unanua. The visitors were left with ten men for the last twenty minutes when Alfredo picked up a second caution, and Manolo Pérez took advantage to score a third goal in the final minutes and make it five straight wins in a row for his side.

Bottom club Córdoba are in further trouble after they lost 3-2 to local rivals Málaga B, also on Sunday at midday, and they still have only picked up five points in their first fifteen games. Usero headed the home side in front from Diego Castro's corner close to half time, and Geijo got the second after the restart, just a minute after having a goal disallowed for offside. Bilic pulled one back after Francisco set him up, but Calderón picked up a pass from Perico seven minutes from the end to restore the two goal gap. A late header from Villa set up an exciting last couple of minutes, but it was not enough to prevent the locals from recording their second win in a row. (05.12.04)

Last week's leaders Eibar drop to second on goal difference after losing 2-1 to Almería. Both teams were undefeated in their last eight outings, but the hosts came out on top thanks to a goal in each half from new signing Roberto Nanni. The Argentine striker put his side in front in the tenth minute after Iban Espadas set him up, and Espadas and Lozano both had chances to increase the lead a few minutes later. But Valerio had to be at his best to keep out Quique Mateo later on, and before half time Mateo had equalised after picking up a pass from Llorente. The keeper saved another effort from Mateo after the restart, but with a quarter of an hour to go Nanni was there again to collect a ball in from substitute Rios and beat Iraizoz for the winner.

Almería move up to seventh, just a point behind Valladolid who won 2-3 at Racing Ferrol. Sergio Kresic's side seemed to be on the way to an easy victory when they went three up in the first hour, Hornos putting them in front in only the eighth minute after Aduriz set him up. Aduriz got on the end of Ricchetti's free kick to make it two, and Oscar brought a good save out of Bello Amigo later in the first half before Hornos got his second of the night, again after good work by Aduriz. But Mario Bermejo narrowed the gap with a free kick and scored again from a De Palmas cross to put the Galicians back in the game, and they could have saved a point had the referee not turned down an appeal for a penalty on Flavio near the end.

Xerez drop down to sixth after losing 1-0 at Gimnastic Tarragona, a hotly disputed Pinilla penalty near the end enough to give the Catalans the three points. The visitors had come to Catalonia looking for a draw, and their only effort was a first half shot from Mena just a couple of minutes after the referee turned down a penalty appeal for a foul on Codina at the other end. But the locals were unable to break down a solid defence, and hardly created a chance before Bolo was brought down by Cuéllar in the dying minutes. Pinilla converted the kick, and was immediately substituted by Fernando, who got himself sent off only three minutes later for a reckless tackle. And Xerez came close to saving a point when Juanjo saved a header from Moreno in injury time.

Poli Ejido failed to win for the eighth week in a row, their 1-1 draw at Salamanca leaving them down in eleventh spot. The locals had only won once at home this season, and they found themselves behind in the eighteenth minute when Corona took advantage of a defensive mistake to beat Tom. Aurelio had a chance to level the scores from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time after the referee ruled that Kike had fouled Robert, but he put his shot over the bar. But Deaus saved a point soon after the restart when he chipped the keeper, and José and Arpón both wasted chances near the end to give the home side a much needed win.

Down at the bottom of the table, the first ever meeting between city rivals Real Murcia and Ciudad Murcia ended in a 2-2 draw. The locals had the better of the first half, Iván Alonso hitting the post and Javi Fernández saving from José María and Munteanu. But Gibanel put the visitors ahead on the stroke of half time with virtually their first shot at goal, and it was not until a quarter of an hour from the end that the hosts equalised Acciari scoring on the follow up after Toni González cleared from Cuadrado. Güiza restored the lead for Ciudad just three minutes later, but substitute David Karanka, making his first appearance after a two month lay-off for injury, squared the match again five minutes from the end, a result which leaves both sides still in the relegation zone.

Terrassa are now only one place above the bottom four after a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Sporting Gijón. The Asturians took the lead with a quarter of an hour gone when Ismael headed home a cross from Juan, and the striker could have added a second when he headed against the bar soon afterwards. Substitute Monty struck the woodwork at the other end after the interval, but Arthuro came on for the locals and, after having a strike ruled out for offside, volleyed home a second goal near the end. (05.12.04)