In the play-offs for promotion to the second division, Real Madrid B and Hércules both won the first leg of their respective finals away from home and are close to going up. Real Madrid B beat Conquense 0-2 thanks to strikes by youth internationals Soldado and Jurado, the first in the sixth minute after Paredes set him up, and the second on a quick breakaway in injury time. Visiting keeper Diego López had to make a couple of first class saves beforehand though to stop the Cuenca based side from getting back in the game.

Hércules won 1-3 at Alcalá in a game which was overshadowed by serious crowd violence between the two sets of supporters. The visitors took the lead midway through the first half when Kiko took advantage of a hesitant defence to beat Leal, and Cámara got the second with a well struck free kick soon after the restart. Roberto Izquierdo set up Alvaro Del Moral to pull one back though and Esaú missed a sitter before Nano wrapped things up from the penalty spot near the end. (18.06.05)

Real Unión, one of the ten founding clubs of the Spanish league, are close to promotion after a 1-2 first leg win at Lorca. The side from the border town of Irún have been languishing down in divisions 2B and 3 in recent years, but having beaten Rayo Vallecano in their semi-final they are now a game away from going up. De Carlos put them ahead from the penalty spot a few minutes before the break, but Perona made it all square just three minutes after the restart. Substitute Sukía got the winner though just a couple of minutes after coming on a quarter of an hour from the end, and keeper Otermin kept out the locals after that.

The other final is delicately poised after Zamora beat Castellón 2-1. The visitors were on top in the first half, Molist hitting the bar before Héctor opened the scoring in the twentieth minute. But they were left with ten men after the break when Marcos picked up a second booking, and soon afterwards Aiert levelled the scores with a penalty. And with the game coming to an end Curiel struck home the winner to take the Castilla-León side close to a place in the second division A for the first time in their history.

Elsewhere the relegation play-off between Talavera and Mirandés ended without goals, the local defence holding their own to prevent their opponents from scoring the all important away goal. (19.06.05)