Second Division - Day 38

Goals galore in the second division on Saturday, and none more so than in the match between the third and second placed sides, where Cartagena were beaten 3-5 by Levante. Robusté got on the end of a Rubén Suárez free kick to put the visitors ahead in the fourth minute, but two goals in quick succession on the half hour mark by Mariano and Víctor turned the scoreline around. The locals were left with ten men though when Txiki picked up a second booking two minutes after the restart, and Levante rapidly took advantage to go back ahead with strikes from Rubén and Robusté. Javi Guerra added two more in a two minute period a few minutes later, and although Juanfran was also sent off and Toché netted a third for the home side, the game was already over. Levante move level with leaders Real Sociedad pending their game on Sunday, now four points clear of their opponents in the table.

Cartagena could be out of the top three by the end of the weekend though if Hércules or Betis can win, and they are now only a point ahead of Elche after the East coast side beat Girona 4-0. The woodwork and good goalkeeping by Jorquera kept the locals at bay in the first half, but two minutes after the restart top scorer Jorge Molina picked up a pass by Trejo to open the scoring. Generelo added a second soon afterwards, and Molina made it three from the penalty spot after he himself was fouled. And with the game in injury time Acciari scored a fourth to put his team back in the running for the promotion spots.

There were another seven goals at Irún, where Real Unión moved out of the relegation spots for the first time in several months after a 4-3 victory over Numancia. Things were not looking good for the Basque side when Asier and Dimas put the visitors two up at the break. But strikes by Gorka Brit and Abasolo levelled the scores early in the second half, and Brit got two more to complete his hat-trick before Goiria completed the scoring in injury time. A hat-trick as well for Stuani as Albacete beat Córdoba 3-0 to move clear of the drop zone. The Uruguayan striker headed in a Fernando Sales cross in the twentieth minute, and he scored two more in the first ten minutes of the second half to make it nine games without defeat for David Vidal's side.

With a month or so to go to the end of the season the relegation battle is still very tight, and only nine points separate ninth placed Recreativo from next to bottom Murcia (both play tomorrow). Celta are now level with Recre after a 1-0 victory over Las Palmas, who themselves are now only four points off the relegation spots. The game swung in favour of the Galicians in the twentieth minute when Pignol was sent off for giving away a penalty on Dani Abalo, Trashorras converting the spot kick. But the Canary Islanders could have saved a point had local keeper Falcón not saved a Miguel García penalty soon after the restart. Castellón look doomed though after they lost 1-2 to Huesca, and they are now ten points away from safety. All the goals came after the break, Moisés hitting the bar before putting the visitors ahead. Ulloa equalised with a header from a Diego Reyes free kick, but Sastre got the winner later on. (22.05.10)