Celta and Rayo Vallecano are absolutely neck-and-neck at the top of the second division after both won their respective matches by the same scoreline. Rayo Vallecano kicked off a rainy weekend with a 3-0 victory over Villareal B, their fifth win in six matches. All the goals came after the interval, Javi Fuego opening the scoring with a well struck free kick. Amaya hit the bar before Aganzo made it two, lobbing the keeper after good work by Trejo. And after the visitors had full back Jaume Costa sent off for a second bookable offence, Aganzo won himself a penalty which he himself converted to complete the result.
Later in the evening Celta matched Rayo with a 3-0 win over Alcorcón. Roberto Lago picked up a Joan Tomás assist to put the Galicians ahead midway through the first half, and De Lucas came close to a second when he hit the post before the break. Just a minute after the restart through David Rodríguez ran on to a Joan Tomás pass to make it two, and Tomás scored the third himself with just over an hour gone to ensure another three points for Paco Herrera's side.
Betis drop down the table to third though after they were held to a 2-2 draw at Las Palmas. Jonathan Viera gave the Canary Islanders the lead after Guayre set him up midway through the first half, and they were unlucky not to go two up when Vitolo had a goal ruled out for the positional offside of Guayre a few minutes later. Ezequiel equalised for the visitors though just two minutes after coming on, and although Emaná was sent off for a second bookable offence, the Andalusians turned things around with a strike from Rubén Castro following a corner. In the end though Sergio Suárez saved a point for the locals with a well struck free kick with the game already in injury time.
A 2-2 draw as well between Cartagena and Gimnàstic, the first point that the Catalans have picked up in five games. The locals went ahead in only the seventh minute when Botelho turned in a corner on the near post, but Rodri levelled the scores with a header from Gerardo's free kick soon after the restart. Berry Powel appeared to have given Nàstic a much needed win when he curled a shot past Casilla with a quarter of an hour to go, but a long shot by Muñoz in the last minute of the match made it all square in the end.
Elche move up safely to mid-table after they beat Albacete 1-0, their first victory in four games. Perera, Pelegrín and Wakaso all failed to covert chances for the locals in the first half, but just four minutes after the restart Xumetra ran through to beat Keylor Navas with an angled shot. Navas had to make two or three good saves after that, but a red card for local defender Etxeita with ten minutes to go set up an exciting finish. (09.10.10)
Tenerife's terrible start to the season continues, and they remain firmly anchored to the bottom of the table after a 3-1 defeat at Barcelona Athletic on Sunday. Things could have been different had Hidalgo not had a goal disallowed in the opening minutes for a borderline offside, but soon afterwards Nolito set up Jonathan Soriano to open the scoring. Nolito got the second himself shortly before the break, but Mikel Alonso pulled one back just three minutes after the restart, and the Canary Islanders came close to equalising before Carmona connected with Abraham's cross to wrap things up later on.
The win takes Barça B up to fourth, ahead now of Salamanca who were beaten 1-2 by Granada. The locals actually went ahead when Juanjo headed past Roberto after the keeper could only parry a shot by Quique Martín, but just a minute later Geijo ran through to level the scores. Salamanca were left with ten men when Moratón was shown a second yellow card with ten minutes to go, and Geijo took advantage to head his second of the evening from Carlos Calvo's cross soon afterwards.
With Barça B not eligible for promotion, Valladolid occupy the last of the play-off spots after a 1-1 draw at regional neighbours Ponferradina. Both goals came after the break, with Javi Guerra opening the scoring for the visitors from what was probably an offside position. Keita could have finished things off when he hit the bar a few minutes later, but Gaizka Saizar saved a point for his side with the equalising goal eight minutes from the end. The game was marred though by vandalism by a group of visiting supporters before kick off.
Valladolid climb above Xerez, who's four match winning run came to an end after a 1-3 defeat to Huesca. Roberto opened the scoring for the visitors midway through the first half with a shot from outside of the area, and ten minute later the striker got his second of the evening after Luis Helguera set him up. Héctor Font got one back with twenty minutes to go after a free kick fell to him, but David Bauzá beat Lledó for a third time following a corner to give his side a first win which takes them out of the bottom four.
Numancia and Córdoba stay clear of the drop zone after sharing the points in a 1-1 draw. The home side were looking for a second win in a row, and they took the lead when Ibrahima and Barkero combined to set up Dimas with just under half an hour gone. Tena made it all square though with a header from a corner just three minutes after the restart, and although Barkero hit the post and visiting substitute Oriol was sent off, the Andalusians held on for a valuable point.
Recreativo stay down in the bottom four though after they could only draw 0-0 at Girona. Both teams came in to the game needing a win, the locals after three defeats in a row and the visitors after three defeats and three draws. But keepers Santamaría and Fabricio were mere spectators throughout, and the only chances worthy of note were a couple of efforts from Girona's Chechu and Migue after the interval. (10.10.10)