Six matches in the second division on Saturday, with leaders Xerez saving a point at Real Madrid Castilla with a 1-1 draw. The youngsters dominated the first half, Borja Valero and Adrián both going close before Negredo put them ahead from the penalty spot after Valero was fouled by Castaño. And visiting keeper Julio Iglesias had to be at his best to stop efforts from Mata and Negredo after the restart. However Michel's side were left with ten men when De la Red was sent off with ten minutes to go, and Camuñas nipped in past a hesitant defence to head the equaliser from a Pedro Ríos cross just three minutes before the final whistle.

Albacete stay in third spot pending Sunday's results after a dull 0-0 draw at Castellón. The only action in the first half was when Xavi Moré fired a shot over the bar from Castell's cross on the half hour mark, and when local keeper Oliva saved an effort from Parri at the other end three minutes later. There was even less to talk about after the break, and both sides eventually settled for a point.

Tenerife are now level with Albacete on points after a last minute 1-0 win against Ciudad Murcia. After a slow start, Xavi Jiménez went close for the visitors and Sicilia headed against the bar for home side, and both keepers had work to do after the restart. In particular Ciudad's Jaime saved well from Angel Rodríguez and Ayoze near the end,, but he could do nothing when Angel connected with Ricardo's pass to score the only goal in injury time.

Sporting Gijón lost ground on the leaders after a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Almería. Ortíz put the locals ahead after Bermejo and Mané combined to set him up with just under a quarter of an hour on the clock, and Ortíz and Corona both hit the woodwork as Unai Emery's side pushed for a second goal. The Asturians came out strongly in the second half, but Corona got on the end of Michel's cross to beat Roberto for a second time. And although Congo and Jony both went close later on, the locals held on for a fourth home win in a row which takes them safely up to midtable.

Hércules are out of the bottom four after beating Alavés 3-1, a first victory for new coach Josu Uribe. It was the visitors who took the lead though, Aloisi heading Toni Moral's cross past Sergio Aragoneses, and the keeper did well to push another effort from the Australian striker on to the crossbar soon afterwards. Schiavi had a goal disallowed for the locals soon after the restart, but Benítez levelled the scores with a shot from outside of the area on the hour mark. Tote finally gave his side the lead after Bonano could only parry a shot from Diego Mateo, and Moisés got the third after the keeper failed to hold on to another effort from Mateo near the end.

Managerless Vecindario are further in trouble after a 0-4 thrashing by Poli Ejido. Sporting director Toni Dumpiérrez took over provisionally whilst the Canary Island club look for a replacement for Pacuco, but his side were two down with just over half an hour gone after Tena got on the end of Pedro Vega's corner to open the scoring, and Vega himself got the second after winning the ball off an opponent. Toedtli headed the third a few minutes in to the second half, and Ortíz wrapped things up with an angled shot later on. (28.10.06)

Salamanca secured third spot after a controversial 1-2 victory at Ponferradina on Sunday lunchtime. Referee Paradas Romero upset the local fans, sending off Jotha for a second bookable offence shortly before half time and then ruling that a long Quique Martín free kick had crossed the line before being cleared. Braulio picked up a pass from Zé Tó to put the visitors further ahead ten minutes after the restart, and although Raponi scored from a free kick late on, it was not enough to prevent his side from dropping their first points at home all season.

Real Murcia moved two points clear at the top of the second division after beating Las Palmas 3-1 later in the evening. Antoñito put Lucas Alcaraz's side ahead with less than a minute on the clock following a corner, and Tato added a second after Pedro León set him up on the half hour mark. Before the second goal Notario had made a couple of good saves from Viyuela, but he could do nothing to stop Darino beating him with a header three minutes before the break, the first goal he had let past him in over five games. Abel restored the two goal cushion from a free kick midway through the second half, and the visitors missed a penalty later on which had to be taken three times, Notario saving the third kick from Maric after the referee had ordered the first two to be repeated.

Málaga decided to sack their manager Marcos Alonso after a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Valladolid left them in fourteenth place in the table, Juan Carlos Añon taking over as caretaker for the time being. The Andalusians were under pressure from their opponents right from the start, Sisi heading against the bar and Capdevila shooting just wide of the target in the first half hour. And although Llorente was sent off for a second bookable offence close to half time (and his coach Mendilibar for protesting), the numbers swung the other way after the restart when Morales (two yellow cards) and Salva (straight red) also received their marching orders. Alvaro finally got the only goal for the visitors twenty minutes from the end with a shot in to the top corner of the net, and not long after the final whistle club president Fernando Sanz announced that Alonso would be on his way.

Cádiz coach Oli held on to his job though, for a little while longer at least, after a narrow 1-0 win over Numancia. Nano got the only goal of the game with just under a quarter of an hour gone thanks to some slack defending, and Fleurquín had an effort cleared off the line by Nagore soon afterwards. Del Pino came close a couple of times at the other end, but the visitors were left with ten men when Boris picked up a second booking with an hour still to go. Even so Goikoetxea's side could have saved a point when Belenguer hit the bar after the restart, and the home fans whistled their players off the pitch at the end despite the victory.

The defeat means that the Soria based side drop into the relegation zone after Lorca moved above them following a 0-2 win over fellow strugglers Elche. Isaac put the Murcia based side ahead with an angled shot in off the post in the seventeenth minute, but Lukasiewicz had an effort cleared off the line by Jauregui at the other end before the interval. The locals couldn't break down a well ordered defence though, and Kiko wrapped things up with a lob over keeper Caballero in the fourth minute of injury time. (29.10.06)