Xerez followed up their midweek win at Hércules with a 2-1 victory over bottom club Eibar, taking them up to fourth. Dani Pendín opened the scoring in the twelfth minute from Granero's free kick, and after Fagoaga headed wide at the other end, Geijo made it two after Camuñas won the ball back in midfield. Tete had to be at his best to save from Iñigo though before the break, and Azkoitia pulled one back when he headed home Magallanes's free kick after the restart. And the Basque side almost saved a point when substitute Iván headed against the post near the end.

Levante lost ground on the leaders after a 0-0 draw at neighbours Castellón, who nevertheless remain in the relegation zone despite picking up a point. Visiting keeper Cavallero had to save from Héctor early on, but the best chances fell to the visitors, N'Diaye testing Oliva with a long shot and Etiien hitting the bar on the stroke of half time. Both sides had penalty appeals turned down before the interval, and Congo got the ball in the net near the end only for the strike to be ruled out for a borderline offside.

Levante drop to sixth, and they have now been caught by Ciudad Murcia, who won 1-0 against Sporting Gijón to make it four victories in a row. Abel Resino's side dominated for most of the game, and only an excellent display by visiting keeper Roberto prevented a bigger scoreline. Luque went close with a couple of free kicks early on and Roberto did well to keep out Curro Montoya before the break and Falcón a couple of times in the second half. Calandria thought he had won a penalty for the Asturians until the referee changed his mind, but with twenty minutes to go Piti picked up a loose ball to strike home the winner.

Meanwhile Real Madrid Castilla move up to ninth with a 1-0 win over Racing Ferrol. The youngsters came up against Racing's new keeper Mauro Nanni in the first half, Soldado, Valero and Negredo all being foiled by first class saves. Juan Carlos hit the post at the other end in the Galicians only attack, but things swung in their favour when Soldado was sent off for a hard tackle on Aira on the stroke of half time. However the home side continued on top, and twenty minutes in to the second half Jurado got the only goal of the game with a shot from outside of the area. (08.04.06)

Recreativo consolidated their lead at the top after a 1-0 victory over Real Murcia on Sunday lunchtime. The Huelva based have not lost at home all season, although they almost went behind when Diego Alonso hit the post after Tato set him up in the opening minutes. Midway though the first half though Uche and Aitor combined for Cheli to get what was to be the only goal of the game, and after that they didn't look back. Cheli had a penalty appeal turned down after the restart, and a well ordered defence did the rest.

Third placed Almería were beaten 1-2 by local rivals Poli Ejido in their midday kick off derby match, and they could be out of the promotion spots by the end of the weekend if Lorca win later in the day. Luna headed them in to the lead in the first minute, and their opponents hardly troubled Valerio for the rest of the first half. But Carlos García deflected a cross by Toedtli in to his own net on the hour mark, and with the locals throwing everything forward, Toedtli beat the offside to score the winner and give the visitors a much needed win. (09.04.06)

Gimnastic Tarragona made it thirteen games without defeat after beating Albacete 4-1 to stay level with Recreativo at the top of the table. Pinilla gave the Catalans an early lead when he headed in a Buades free kick in the fourth minute, and Morales made it two ten minutes later with a volley from the edge of the area, his first goal since joining from Espanyol in the winter. Parri pulled one back with a long shot before the break, but Ismael restored the two goal cushion in the second half after Rubén Martín could only push out a previous effort and Buades wrapped things up, beating the keeper from outside of the area a few minutes later. The Manchegans have not won now in eight games, and they ended the weekend just two places above the relegation zone.

The two leaders opened up a five point gap over the rest, where six teams are battling it out for the third promotion spot. Numancia are the latest side to join the fray, and they are now only three points behind Almería after a 1-0 win over last week's fourth placed side Lorca. Chances were few and far between, with only Azkorra for the home side and Isaac for the visitors going anywhere near in the first half. Lorca keeper Jauregui did well to stop a Moreno free kick and Otxoa had a headed goal disallowed after the break, but Montenegro struck the winner from a wide free kick near the end to make it seven home wins in a row for Andoni Goikoetxea's side.

The fight to avoid relegation is also hotting up, with Tenerife inching out of the bottom four with a 2-2 draw against fellow strugglers Lleida. Cristian Alvarez headed the Canary Islanders into the lead somewhat against the run of play on the half hour mark, and César Belli could have scored a second when he headed a corner against the post. The Catalans equalised though with a Bilic penalty after Sergio was fouled by Kirian on the stroke of half time, and Santos put them ahead when he beat Bernardo after the restart just minutes after Fagiani had hit the post again for the locals with a free kick. Cristo Marrero saved a point for David Amaral's side though when he headed home a corner near the end.

Hércules moved six points clear of the drop zone after beating Valladolid 2-0, a result which virtually takes Alfredo Merino's side out of the promotion race. Kiko Ratón opened the scoring for the hosts in the sixth minute after Carlitos set him up, but the visitors should have equalised soon afterwards when Tote missed a penalty after Schiavi brought down Llorente. Keepers Moso and Bizzarri were in action before Ratón hit the post just before the break, but Quique Mateo finished things off with a shot from the edge of the area midway through the second half.

Málaga B have little chance of staying up though after losing 1-3 to Elche, and they ended the weekend eight points away from safety. All the goals came after the interval, with Nino starting things off an hour in to the match with an angled shot from Gomis's cross. Raúl Ivars latched on to a loose ball to score the second a few minutes later, and Cachorro got the third with a late free kick. Pina got a consolation goal for the home side when he beat Unanua from outside of the area, but by then it was all over. (09.04.06)