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Second Division - Day 26

Hércules got their promotion campaign back on track with a 0-1 victory against Barcelona B on Friday night. Two defeats in a row had left them on the brink of dropping out of the play-off spots, and for a while they were on the back foot as Deulofeu led the Barcelona attack. However midway through the first half Armando turned Gilvan's cross in to his own net, and after that the Alicante based side grew in confidence, with Tiago Gomes and Michel both firing shots against the post before the half time interval. After the restart both teams had their chances, but despite having Peña sent off for a second bookable offence late on, the visitors held on for a much needed win. (24.02.12)

A surprise defeat for Deportivo on Saturday, the second division leaders losing 1-0 at Sabadell. José Luis Oltra's side had won a record nine games in a row, but they were unable to find a way through a well-ordered defence, and hardly managed a shot on goal in the first half. Hidalgo headed a good chance wide for the locals though, and with the first half coming to an end Lanzarote scored what was to prove the only goal of the game, beating Aranzubia with a direct free kick. The Galicians pushed forward after the restart, De Navas having to make a string of good saves from Riki and others. But Aranzubia had to keep out Ezequiel later on, and Depor's challenge ended when Zé Castro was sent off for cutting out an attack with his hand a couple of minutes from the end.

With Celta and Almería playing each other on Sunday, Valladolid had a chance to move up in to the direct promotion spots. However in the end they drop a place to fourth after a 2-0 defeat at Murcia. The locals needed a good result after four defeats in a row, and although Alberto had to keep out Marquitos midway through the first half, left back Oscar Sánchez fired them in to the lead against his old team just a few minutes later. Manucho and Sisi went close in reply, but Oscar popped up again ten minutes in to the second half to head his second of the afternoon, and although Sisi and Nauzet did their best after that, there was no way back.

Elche were looking to bounce back after their defeat to Celta in the Martínez Valero stadium last week, but they were beaten once again at home, this time losing 0-3 to Recreativo. Angel went close for the hosts early on, but with ten minutes to go to the interval Berrocal got on the end of a Corcoles cross to put the Andalusians ahead, and before the half time whistle Berrocal scored his second of the evening on a rapid counter-attack. Manu had to save from Kike Mateo and Héctor Rodás just failed to find the target following a free kick, but Pablo Sánchez wrapped things up for the visitors in the eightieth minute, beating Juan Carlos with an angled shot after good work by Javi Alamo.

Elche stay in sixth spot, but Alcorcón are now only two points behind them after a 1-0 victory over Cartagena. Juan Antonio Anquela's side had already gone seven games without defeat, and after a dull first half they took the lead on the stroke of half time when Quini connected with a Fernando Sales cross to fire a shot past Juanma. The visiting keeper had to make important saves from Borja and Oriol after the restart as the locals looked to add to their scoreline, but the Cartagena forwards didn't respond, and they ended the day still down in the bottom four.

Numancia lose ground on the teams above them after a 2-0 defeat at Girona, and the Soria based side are now six points off the play-off spots. The Catalans had only picked up one point from their last seven games, but they went in front four minutes before the break when Juanlu got on the end of Acuña's cross to beat Zabal. And eight minutes in to the second half Acuña set up Jandro for the second, giving coach Josu Uribe his first win since taking over six weeks ago.

Girona move three points above Gimnàstic, who are now firmly anchored to the bottom of the table after losing 0-1 to relegation rivals Xerez. Old boy José Marí did the damage, heading the only goal past Rubén Pérez with ten minutes to go to half time. Before that though Nàstic had a chance to take the lead when Barber handled in the area, Doblas guessing correctly to save Peragón's spot kick. An angry Jorge D'Alessandro replaced the forward before the break, but with top scorer Berry Powel out of the club for disciplinary reasons, there was nobody left to get the goals.

Xerez's third win in a row takes them away from the danger zone, and Villarreal B stay just above the bottom four after a 0-2 victory at Guadalajara. The locals had lost their last three matches, and they wasted a chance to take an early lead when Diego Mariño saved an Ernesto penalty after Pablo Iñiguez fouled Anibal in the area. Moi Gómez opened the scoring for the youngsters though after a mistake by Barral shortly before the break, and with twenty minutes to go David Fernández put through his own net with a mis-directed back pass to keeper Saizar.

Villarreal B are now level on points with Alcoyano, who themselves are only a point above Huesca after losing 0-3 to the Aragón based side. Roberto scored twice for the visitors in the first half, the first after picking up a back-heel pass from Cacho, and the second on a quick breakaway. Local coach David Porras threw on all of his fire power in the second half, but substitute Tariq finished them off with a third goal after Omar and Jorge combined to set him up. (25.02.12)

Second placed Celta opened up a gap of four points over third placed Almería after beating their promotion rivals 4-3 on Sunday lunchtime. Second division top scorer Ulloa gave the visitors an early lead following a quickly taken free kick, his nineteenth goal of the season. Two minutes later De Lucas equalised after Esteban had blocked a first effort, but Juanma Ortíz put Lucas Alcaraz's side back in front on the half hour mark with a low shot, his fourth goal in a row since returning to the club this winter from Rangers. However after the break Bermejo headed in a De Lucas corner, and substitute Joan Tomás got on the end of a Roberto Lago cross just minutes after coming on to put the Galicians ahead for the first time in the match. With ten minutes to go Bermejo headed his second of the day, and although Aleix Vidal pulled another one back, any hope of a comeback ended when Ulloa was sent off for a second bookable offence near the end.

Later in the evening Córdoba beat Las Palmas 1-0 to move above Elche to sixth. Both sides had chances before the visitors were awarded a penalty after substitute Fede Vico blocked a free kick with his arm inside the area midway through the second half. Alberto García saved Vitolo's spot kick however, and just four minutes later Vico set up fellow substitute Patiño for him to head the only goal of the game past Barbosa. The Canary Islanders tried their best after that, but their frustration got the better of them, and Jonathan Viera got himself sent off in injury time for head-butting an opponent. (26.02.12)