If you are not a member yet, you can sign up here

Second Division - Day 10

This season's two revelation sides, Guadalajara and Sabadell, met on Friday evening, with the locals winning 1-0 to move to within two points of their opponents in the table. Both sides had chances in the first half, Anibal rattling the crossbar for the locals and Saizar having to save from Héctor Simón at the other end. The only goal though came when Ernesto beat De Navas with a well struck free kick eighteen minutes in to the second half, and Saizar pulled off some good saves after that to ensure the three points and a third place for the home team. (21.10.11)

Hércules extended their lead at the top of the second division to three points after beating Gimnàstic Tarragona 0-1 on Saturday evening. The Catalans were looking for their first win of the season, but other than an effort over the bar from Powel they didn't cause too many problems for the visitors in the first half.Ten minutes after the restart Mora got on the end of a Callejón corner to head past Rubén Pérez on the near post, and Carlos Calvo almost caught out the local keeper with a free kick soon afterwards. In the end though Nàstic were unlucky not to save a point, Falcón pushing a Luna free kick on to the post and then producing another good save from Eloy Gila near the end.

Valladolid are starting to look good for a return to the top flight, and they moved up to fourth after a 2-1 win over Numancia in the first match of the afternoon. Javi Guerra hit the post in the first half as the locals had the better chances early on, but the visitors went ahead with twenty minutes to go when young debutant Felipe turned the ball in to his own net after a cross from Natalio came off the upright. Ten minutes later though Javi Guerra set up Jofre to equalise, and with four minutes left on the clock Manucho ran the ball in to the net after Guerra chipped a shot over visiting keeper Edu Navarro.

In the long run though Deportivo must still be the firm favourites to go up, and they took a big step towards consolidating their position with 0-2 victory over Córdoba. The Galicians started the day two points behind their opponents in the table, but Riki and Ayoze brought good saves out of Alberto García before Salomao picked up a pass from Valerón to round the keeper and score. The Andalusians improved in the second half, but with ten minutes to go Riki made it two, handing Paco Jémez's side their first defeat in the Nuevo Arcángel stadium this season.

Depor's neighbours Celta are also starting to recover the form they showed last season, and they are now only a point away from the play-off spots after a 4-0 win over Huesca. Paco Herrera's team had not won in the Balidos stadium all season, but they went ahead in the twentieth minute when a long shot from De Lucas deflected off Rivas to wrong-foot Bernardo. Joan Tomás made it two early in the second half after the keeper could only push out a shot from Bermejo, and De Lucas set up Iago Aspas for the third a few minutes later. Two minutes after that Tomás won himself a penalty put fired the spot kick over the bar, but Iago Aspas rounded things off, beating Bernardo with an angled shot soon afterwards.

Celta stay level with Alcorcón, who confirmed that they are a side to be reckoned with as well after beating Recreativo 2-1. The visitors started strongly, Juan Villar hitting the post before Pablo Sánchez headed in a cross from Javi Alamo midway through the first half. However Quini equalised with an acrobatic kick from a Fernando Sales cross, and before half time Babín headed the Madrid based side in to the lead. And the locals could have won in the end by a bigger margin, Manu saving a Quini penalty early in the second half after Zamora was sent off for bringing down Miguélez in the area.

Murcia moved up to within sight of the play-off spots as well after a 3-1 victory over Villarreal B. Oscar Sánchez headed the hosts in front in only the second minute, and although Airam levelled the scores later in the first half, Oscar restored the lead on the stroke of half time after Chando's shot came back off the bar. Murcia were left with ten men when Iturra was sent off for a second bookable offence with twenty minutes to go, but even so Emilio Sánchez scored a third goal for Iñaki Alonso's side with a well struck free kick near the end.

Further down the table, Barcelona B moved out of the relegation spots after a 1-4 win over Alcoyano. Choco Lozano put the home side ahead in the ninth minute, but shortly before half time Jonathan Dos Santos equalised from the penalty spot after Fernando Martín fouled Rafinha inside the area. With twenty minutes to go Carmona put Eusebio's team in front with a well struck free kick, and after Paco Esteban was sent off in the last minute of ordinary time for insulting a linesman, Rafinha and Tello added two more in time added on.

Barça B's place in the bottom four was taken by their regional neighbours Girona, who lost 0-2 at home to erstwhile bottom club Cartagena. The visitors dominated the first half, but luck was not with them as they failed to convert four or five chances. Five minutes after the interval though local keeper Santamaría pushed the ball back in to play rather than tipping it over the bar for a corner, and Chus Hererro gratefully headed it back in to the net. And twenty minutes later a slip by Tébar close to his own goal allowed Collantes to score the second. A first win for Cartagena, who move off the foot of the table to the detriment of Nàstic. (22.10.11)

Only two matches on Sunday, with Elche getting themselves back in the promotion race after a 1-0 victory over Xerez on Sunday lunchtime. Pepe Bordalás's side had only picked up two points from their last six games after leading the table at the start of the season, but they went ahead ten minutes before the break after Luque won the ball back in midfield and sent Angel away to score. A minute before that Tato had had a goal disallowed at the other end for a non-existent offside, but the visitors were unable to make any inroads after that, and they drop two points below their opponents in the table.

Almería started their game against Las Palmas later in the evening knowing that a win would take them back up to third, but in the end they had to settle for fifth after the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Local keeper Esteban had to be at his best to save from Viera and Randy before the break, but just a minute after the restart Aleix Vidal got on the end of a Dani Bautista cross to beat Barbosa. And it looked as if the locals were on for the three points until the fourth minute of injury time, when Laguardia took advantage of a Viera free kick to equalise. It was the third time this season that Lucas Alcaraz's side had dropped points in the Mediterraneo stadium in the dying moments of the match. (23.10.11)