Real Murcia ensured second spot at the half way stage of the competition following a 1-1 draw at Tenerife on Saturday evening. Cristo gave the Canary Islanders a second half lead after Sicilia headed on a Sergio Torres corner, but Antoñito equalised a few minutes later after Iván alonso set him up on a rapid breakaway. Lucas Alcaraz's side could have won it in the end though when Juanma headed against the bar in injury time.

Cádiz moved up to fifth pending Sunday's games with a 0-1 win at Real Madrid Castilla. New signing Pablo Hernández got the only goal with a low shot past Codina in the twentieth minute to extend their unbeaten run to ten matches. It was a fourth defeat in a row for Michel's side, who are now just one place above the drop zone. Some 800 Cádiz fans turned up to witness the presentation of an award before the match as the best supporters of last season.

Hércules fell to their first defeat in six games after losing 2-0 to local rivals Elche, another good result for the home side's new coach David Vidal. Fajardo and Casas combined to set up Miguel for the first ten minutes before the break, and Trotta got the second after the restart, following up after Alfredo's shot was blocked. Visiting keeper Sergio Aragoneses was the visitors' best player, although he must now leave the squad to undergo further treatment after doctors detected the reappearance of the cancer he suffered last year. (20.01.07)

Xerez are back in the fray a 3-1 win over Sporting Gijón on Sunday lunchtime, their first victory in two and half months. Barral put the visitors ahead from a free kick midway through the first half, but strikes from Arruabarrena and Pedro Ríos either side of half time turned the scoreline around. Mendoza wrapped things up from the penalty spot later on after Barral had been sent off for a second bookable offence to take the pressure off local coach Pepe Murcia. (21.01.07)

Leaders Valladolid are going from strength to strength, and they followed up their cup victory against Villarreal with a 2-0 win over Numancia on Sunday evening to move six points clear of Murcia. The visitors caused some problems though before Iñaki Bea connected with Borja's headed pass to open the scoring midway through the first half. But top scorer Llorente volleyed home Alvaro's cross four minutes from the end for his thirteenth of the season, making it twenty games in a row without defeat for Mendilibar's side.

Almería consolidated third spot with a 0-1 victory at bottom club Vecindario, and they are now just a point behind Murcia. The only goal came in the eighth minute, when Atxabal put through his own net, and after that the home side were unable to break down a well ordered defence. The Canary Islanders ended the weekend eleven points away from safety.

The top three have opened up a four point gap over the rest though, with Ciudad Murcia taking advantage of poor results from the teams above them to move up to fourth after beating Salamanca 1-0. Saizar got the winner midway through the second half after Cristian headed on a corner, but local keeper José Juan had some work to do, and the visitors had a goal disallowed in injury time.

Only three points separate nine sides from fourth to twelfth after Alavés won 0-2 at Ponferradina. The locals played well but threw the game away, Robles giving away a silly penalty which Rubén Navarro converted in the twentieth minute, and Bornes deflecting a shot from Wellington Paulista into his own net eight minutes after the restart. Visiting keeper Porato did the rest.

Las Palmas stay down in the bottom four after drawing 1-1 at Poli Ejido, although for a while they were out of the drop zone after Darino put them ahead following a long throw on the stroke of half time. Robusté had struck the post for the locals a minute earlier, but Usero saved them a point in the end when he headed home a corner midway through the second half.

Lorca are now just a point behind Las Palmas after beating Albacete 3-0, ending a run of ten games without a win. Diego Alegre put through his own net to give the Murcia based side the lead on the half hour mark, and local keeper Jauregui saved a second half penalty before De Carlos and Jorge Sánchez scored two in the last five minutes.

Málaga and Castellón are still not safe after they cancelled each other out in a 0-0 draw. Despite the result it was a lively match, Salva hitting the post for the locals in only the second minute, and Mario Rosas striking the crossbar for the visitors after the half time interval. Málaga are thirteenth and Castellón fourteenth, although only four points separate the Andalusians from the relegation spots. (21.01.07)