Second Division - Day 8
Cartagena moved back to first place in the table pending Sunday's games after drawing 1-1 with Celta on Saturday evening. Víctor gave the newly promoted side the lead from the penalty spot after Clavero was brought down with just under half an hour gone. But Abalo levelled the scores shortly after the restart with a cross-come-shot, and the Galicians held on despite having Michu sent off for a second bookable offence with half an hour still to go.
Rayo Vallecano are up to second despite being held to a 2-2 draw by Cádiz, Rubén Castro latched on to Michel's pass to open the scoring shortly before the break, a club record fifth match in a row that he had found the net. Ogbeche equalised early in the second half though, and although Michel restored the lead soon afterwards, Ogbeche headed his second of the evening to save a point for the visitors.
Betis missed an opportunity to return to the promotion spots though after they lost 1-0 to bottom club Castellón. "Tintin" Márquez was in charge of the home side for the first time after Claudio was sacked midweek, and he saw his team take the lead when Emaná turned the ball past his own keeper after Goitia had blocked a shot from Gari Uranga with a quarter of an hour to go. Márquez was sent off though in injury time for protesting.
Recreativo moved back level with Betis after a 2-0 victory over Las Palmas. Jorge missed a first half penalty for the visitors after Raúl Cámara fouled Cejudo, but Javi Fuego converted one at the other end on the hour mark after Dani López handled in the area. And Troest wrapped things up with a header from Emilio Sánchez's free kick a quarter of an hour from the end to give the Huelva based team their first points in four games.
Salamanca are also up with the two Andalusian clubs after beating Huesca 2-1. Hugo Leal set up Azkorra for the opening goal ten minutes in to the second half, but substitute Rubiato equalised after Reinaldo's header came back off the post. Hugo Leal got the winner though three minutes from the end with a shot which took a deflection off a defender, and the visitors finished the game with ten men after Rubiato was sent off.
Down in the lower reaches of the table, Villarreal B move out of the bottom four thanks to a 0-1 win at Real Unión. Both sides had chances earlier on, but Marco Rubén scored the winner with a shot on the turn seven minutes from the end. The result ends a run of three games without defeat for the Basque side, who are now a point behind their opponents in the rankings. (17.10.09)
Hércules also failed to take advantage of the poor results by the teams above them, a 1-1 draw with Murcia on Sunday lunchtime ending their 100% home record and leaving them outside of the promotion spots. Tiago Gomes put the Alicante based side ahead after Tote set him up a couple of minutes before half time. But Natalio took advantage of slack defending to equalise just two minutes in to the second half, giving his team their seventh draw in a row.
Cartagena hold on to top spot after last week's leaders Real Sociedad were beaten 1-0 by Levante on Sunday evening. Igor got the only goal from the penalty spot after Rivas handled in the area at the start of the second half to hand the Basque side their first defeat of the season.
Numancia were one of the big winners of the weekend, a 3-1 victory over Girona taking them back up to within a point of the promotion spots. Del Pino gave the Soria based side the lead, and although Kiko Ratón equalised before the break, strikes from Barkero and Palacios wrapped things up after the restart.
The other two games on Sunday ended all square, with Arteaga scoring for Córdoba near the end to save a 1-1 draw against Gimnàstic. Rubén Navarro had given the Catalans the lead a few minutes earlier.
Albacete and Elche drew 2-2, Samuel and Jandro twice putting the away side in front before Stuani and then Salva equalised. (18.10.09)
