Xerez moved back to the top of the table pending the Murcia derby on Sunday after beating bottom club Vecindario 1-0. Ríos, Geijo and Camuñas all tested Keleman early on as the Andalusians got off to a flying start, and Mendoza got the only goal midway through the first half, beating the keeper at the second attempt after Luque put him through. But with Castro Santos on the bench for the first time the Canary Islanders put up a good fight after that, Ekpoki going close and Goñi bringing a good save out of Julio Iglesias before the final whistle.

A new manager as well at Málaga, Juan Ramón López Muñiz starting off with a 2-2 draw at Lorca. All the goals came in the first half, with Isaac starting things off in the tenth minute after Jurado set him up. The visitors turned the scoreline around, Sandro taking advantage of slack defending to beat Jauregui with a low shot, and Hidalgo making it two with a shot from outside of the area. But Lorca equalised with a Ramos penalty three minutes later after Javi Rodríguez was fouled in the area, and that was how it stayed.

The result of the day though was surely Sporting Gijón's 5-4 win over Cádiz. The visitors went two up early on, Jonathan Sesma starting things off after Roberto parried a shot from Nano, and César getting on the end of Nano's corner to score the second. And it could have been three had Abraham Paz not missed a penalty after De Paula was fouled in the twentieth minute. But the Asturians turned the scoreline around before the break, with Barral heading Diego Castro's cross past Armando and Castro beating the keeper with an angled shot, and Gerardo making it three on the follow up after another save by the Cádiz number one. Sesma levelled the scores once again a couple of minutes after the restart after good work by De Paula, but Congo headed the locals back in front three minutes later. Almost immediately Paz made it all square again from the penalty spot after Acuña was brought down, but Jorge headed on a free kick for the winner a few minutes later. The defeat left visiting coach Oli out of a job as he was fired the following day, and took the hosts to within a point of the promotion spots.

Albacete drop a place to fifth after losing 0-1 to Hércules, their first defeat at home all season. The locals had the better chances in the first half, Parri heading wide, Barkero bringing a good save out of Aragoneses and Ferrón having a penalty appeal turned down. Moisés tested Valbuena a couple of times at the other end, but with a draw on the cards Buades failed to clear a cross, and substitute Calandria took advantage to score the winner and take new coach Josu Uribe's unbeaten run to four games.

Las Palmas beat Almería 3-1 to move to within a point of escaping the drop zone, new signing Trashorras getting two of their goals. The midfielder had had spells with both Barcelona and Real Madrid's B teams, and he celebrated his debut heading his side in to the lead after Nauzet's early free kick. Marcos Márquez made it two on the hour mark, but the although the visitors had Corona sent off, Michel got one back from the spot after Víctor gave away a penalty. Trashorras wrapped things up though with a shot in to the top corner of the net in the final minute. (04.11.06)

Real Murcia join Xerez at the top of the table after drawing 1-1 against their city rivals Ciudad Murcia on Sunday lunchtime. The rainy conditions made play difficult, but Ciudad went ahead in the tenth minute when a clearance by Notario hit his own player Paco Peña and rebounded in to the net. But Aranda equalised for the visitors soon afterwards with a header from Abel's free kick, and the visitors could have taken the lead had Iván Alonso's strike not been ruled out for a borderline offside after the restart. Both sides had chances after that though, and a draw was a fair result. (05.11.06)

Salamanca consolidated third place with a 3-0 win over Alavés, a result which left Dmitri Piterman's side down in tenth place. With less than a minute on the clock Carlos Vela had given the locals the lead with an individualist goal, and Tete prevented Pablo Casar from equalising soon afterwards. The Mexican youngster got his second of the night just two minutes in to the second half after good work by Zé Tó, and Braulio added a third a minute later with another solo effort. Ogbeche put Tete to the test again, but Roberto, Arpón and Vela all had chances to increase the lead later on.

Valladolid are in fourth spot, only two points behind Salamanca, after a 4-0 win over Real Madrid Castilla. Despite missing several key players, the visitors held their own throughout the first half. But they were left with ten men just before the break when ex Madrid defender Santacruz was sent off, and Víctor took advantage to head his side in to the lead just four minutes after the restart. After that the floodgates opened, and Capdevila, Llorente and Toché added three more before the final whistle.

Tenerife could have joined Valladolid if they had won at Poli Ejido, but in the end they lost an exciting game by 4-2. Ortíz opened the scoring for the hosts midway through the first half, but Raúl equalised from the penalty spot a few minutes later after a foul by Arano. Before half time though Usero had restored the lead, and the ex Málaga midfielder set up Ortíz for his second and his side's third after the restart. Angel fired one back, but Salas wrapped things up near the end to take his side above the Canary Islanders in the table.

Down at the other end of the chart Numancia moved out of the bottom four after beating Castellón 2-1. all the goals came in the first half, with Julio Alvarez starting things off from the penalty spot after Aurelio was sent off for bringing down ex Castellón forward Kenji Fukuda. Nakor levelled the scores a couple of minutes later after getting on the end of Zamora's cross, but Fukuda put the locals back in front, and substitute Fran Moreno could have got a third when he hit the bar near the end.

Ponferradina and Elche did themselves no favours with a 1-1 draw, a result which leaves the home side just a place above the drop zone and the visitors still in next to bottom spot. The locals took the lead when Risso headed home Fran's corner in the tenth minute, but Alfredo got a controversial equaliser early in the second half after the linesman changed his mind about an offside ruling. Tempers flared after that, and Fran and his coach Pichi Lucas were shown red cards, visiting defender Juanfran joining them in an early bath after being booked for a second time in the last minute. (05.11.06)