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Second Division - Day 15

A dull start to the weekend, with Xerez and Ponferradina sharing the honours in a 0-0 draw on Friday night. The visitors had clearly come to Andalusia looking for a point, although the best two chances fell to their veteran striker De Paula either side of half time. The home side went close though when José Marí's header was kept out by Mackay later on, but in the end both sides had to settle for a point which leaves Xerez still outside of the play-off spots, and their opponents just one point above the drop zone pending the rest of the weekend's fixtures. (03.12.10)

Betis made sure of another week at the top of the table after a 1-2 victory at Numancia in the first game on Saturday evening. The home side started well on an icy pitch, Barkero hitting the bar before Nano got on the end of his free kick to open the scoring in the ninth minute. Emaná had already hit the post though, and the Camerooni midfield levelled the scores from the penalty spot in the twentieth minute after Pavón was sent off for bringing down Jorge Molina in the area. A few minutes later Rubén Castro took advantage of slack defending to put Pepe Mel's side ahead, and after that they shut up shop to make sure of another three points.

With the teams above them playing on Sunday, Barcelona Athletic and manager-less Valladolid came in to their match with a chance to close up on the leaders. However in the end they had to make do with a point apiece after the game ended without goals. Nolito tested Jacobo in the only real chance in the first half, but after the restart Javi Guerra and César Arzo both hit the bar for the visitors. Jonathan Soriano responded with a free kick which Jacobo pushed on to the post and then brought another good save out of the keeper late on, but the scoreline remained unmoved.

Cartagena stay level with Valladolid in the last of the play-off spots, although they will be less than happy with a 1-1 draw against bottom club Albacete, especially as the Manchegans played more than half an hour with ten men after Kike picked up a second booking early in the second half. The visitors went ahead in only the second minute, Verza converting a penalty after Cala fouled Toni in the area. Longás equalised twenty minutes later with a low shot following Víctor's corner, but despite dominating the second half the locals couldn't find a way through a well ordered defence.

Albacete's point takes them off the bottom above Gimnàstic, who lost 1-2 at home to Villarreal B. All the goals came after the break, with Marquitos giving the visitors the lead from the penalty spot after Hernan Pérez was sandwiched between Medina and Mairata. Rodri got on the end of a deflected cross from Xisco Campos to make it all square on the hour mark, but just a couple of minutes later Hernan Pérez restored the lead with a shot from a wide angle which Rubén could only deflect in to his own goal. The defeat leaves local coach Luis César on the brink of destitution.

Huesca move away from the danger zone though after a 3-1 victory over Alcorcón. The Aragón based side had not won at home all season, but with only a quarter of the game gone they were already three up. Camacho started things off from the penalty spot after Bermúdez was sent off for handling in the area, and the midfielder added a second soon afterwards from Roberto's cross before Gilvan made it three. Rubén Sanz got one back for the Madrid based side on the half hour mark, but the goals dried up after that.

Recreativo also stay out of the bottom four after an action packed 3-3 draw at regional neighbours Córdoba. Aarón gave the visitors an early lead, but Pepe Díaz equalised just a minute later and Oriol Riera put the locals ahead a few minutes after that. Rafita levelled the scores though on a quick breakaway midway through the second half, and Kepa got ahead of Raúl Navas to put Recre back in front eight minutes later. Riera saved a point for Lucas Alcaraz's side though after getting on the end of Callejón's cross to beat Fabricio with a quarter of an hour to go. (04.12.10)

Celta moved up temporarily to second spot after beating Las Palmas 2-0 on Sunday lunchtime. Paco Herrera's side took the lead in the thirteenth minute when Aythami turned a De Lucas cross in to his own net under pressure from David Rodríguez. However the result was in doubt until three minutes from the end when Joan Tomás linked up with fellow substitutes Iago Aspas and Dani Abalo to beat Barbosa for a second time. The result leaves the Canary Islanders a point outside of the play-off spots.

Later in the evening though Rayo Vallecano moved back above the Galicians after beating Girona 2-0. Movilla went close for the locals a couple of times before the break, and three minutes after the restart Trejo fired them in to the lead after picking up a through ball from Piti. Just a minute later Trejo scored his second of the night after Migue only partly cleared from Movilla, and Peragón missed a chance to get the visitors back in the game when he fired a shot over the top following an indirect free kick near to goal.

A five point gap has opened up between the top three and the rest though after fourth placed Salamanca were beaten 3-1 by Elche. Juanjo gave the visitors the lead after connecting with a Kike López cross midway through the first half, but Palanca (who had the hit the post early on) equalised with a shot from outside of the area soon afterwards. And a few minutes after the restart Generelo set up Linares for a second and then scored a third himself to give his team their first win in six matches.

The other game scheduled for Sunday evening between Tenerife and Granada was postponed though due to the air traffic controllers strike. No date has been set as yet for the fixture to take place. (05.12.10)

Tenerife and Granada drew 2-2 in the last match of the first half of the season, rescheduled from early December due to the air traffic controllers' strike. Antonio Tapia was in charge of the Canary Islanders for the first time after Juan Carlos Mandía was fired at the weekend, and he saw his side fall behind to a Dani Benítez free kick on the quarter hour mark. Antonio Hidalgo equalised though a few minutes later after Julio Alvarez set him up, and when Orellana was sent off for a second bookable offence and then Alvarez scored a second for the locals with just over half an hour gone, Tenerife looked set for a much needed win. However Carlos Calvo levelled the scores again midway through the second half, and the visitors could have won it had Mikel Rico not failed to convert a late chance. (26.01.11)