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Second Division B - play-offs, day 2

Mirandés and Real Madrid B (known as Castilla) are promoted to the second division after they won through their group champions play-offs! Mirandés made a name for themselves this season after their historic cup run which saw them reach the semi-finals, and the team from Miranda de Ebro go up for the first time in their history after coming from behind to beat big-spending Atlético Baleares 1-2 on Sunday morning. The Mallorca based side cancelled out their opponents' first leg lead when Angulo beat Nauzet ten minutes in to the second half. But the cup's top goalscorer and daytime bank manager Pablo Infante equalised from the penalty spot after Mantovani was sent off for bringing down Lambarri in the area with eight minutes to go. It was a vital away goal which meant that their hosts would have to score twice to turn things around, and with the game in the last minute it was all over when David Sánchez turned the ball in to his own net under pressure from Alain.

Castilla were already close to promotion after beating Cádiz 0-3 in the first leg, and they finished things off with an impressive 5-1 victory in the return match. Youth international Jesé returned early from under-19 duty to start things off in the eleventh minute, and although Joselu missed a penalty after Camille brought down Morata, Mosquera made it two with a well struck free kick shortly before half time. After the restart Joselu made up for his mistake with a third goal, and although De Coz got one back for the Andalusians following a quickly taken free kick, Mosquera and Morata added to more to complete the rout. A return to the Liga Adelante for the youngsters after an absence of seven years, and their battles with the Barcelona B team will be closely watched next season. Real Madrid Castilla and Mirandés still have to play off for the honorary tile of second division B champions.

Atlético Baleares and Cádiz still have a chance of going up though however, and they go in to the quarter finals of the play-offs for the other two places with the six survivors from the previous round. Two of those games took place on Saturday evening, with Albacete and Lugo making it through. Albacete had work to do after a 1-1 draw at home to Orihuela, but they beat the Alicante based side 0-1 in the away leg to keep alive their chances of an immediate return to the second division. The only goal came on the half hour mark when Fleky deflected Calle's strike in to his own net. Fleky cleared off the line from Tete soon afterwards, but after that the locals were unable to find the goal they needed to take the tie in to extra time. Lugo meanwhile drew 0-0 at Eibar to go through thanks to their single goal win last Sunday. The Basque side had failed to win promotion for the last two seasons, and once again they missed out after Diego Ribas and his defence held fast for the Galicians.

Tenerife and Ponferradina are looking to return to the second divison at the first attempt, and both won their respective ties on Sunday. Tenerife had drawn 1-1 at Badalona in the first leg, and a 3-1 victory in the Heliodromo Rodríguez López saw them through to the semi-finals. Víctor Bravo opened the scoring with shot from outside of the area shortly before the break, and Aridane headed the second four minutes after the restart. Ceballos got one back though, and local keeper Sergio Aragoneses had to make a couple of saves before Chechu wrapped things up with ten minutes to go. Ponferradina will also be in tomorrow's draw after they beat Jaén 2-0. Mateo put the locals ahead with an angled shot midway through the first half and Yuri added a second after the break. But Jonathan Ruíz was sent off with a quarter of an hour to go, and the Andalusians came close to getting the goal which would have taken the tie in to extra time.

The other two teams who qualified for the next round were both from the Southern regional group IV, with Linense coming from behind to beat Amorebieta 2-1. Muniozguren chipped Pagola to give the Basque side an early lead, and when local defender Carlos Guerra was sent off, things looked bad for "La Balona". But Ocaña levelled the tie with a shot from outside of the area five minutes before half time, and with twenty minutes to go Alaña brought down Bello in the area, and Ocaña tucked away the resulting spot kick. Lucena are also in to the last eight after they beat Huracán Valencia 4-2 on penalties. As in the first leg, the match ended without goals, and after thirty minutes of extra time it was Germán who converted the winning penalty after ex Nàstic striker Berry Powel missed his.

The relegation play-offs also took place on Sunday, with Zaragoza B and Palencia saving themselves. Zaragoza B had no problems seeing off Conquense 0-3, Fernández and Carreño scoring in the first half, and Montero getting the third near the end. Palencia had more problems though before winning 2-1 on aggregate against Lorca Atlético, Jonathan Carril making it -1 on the night in the ninety-fourth minute after a Campillo penalty on the stroke of half time had cancelled out the visitors' first leg lead. Elsewhere nine teams won through the champions play-offs from the third division to win promotion to the second division B, including Arroyo, Caudal, Constancia, SD Logroñés, Loja, Marino, Noja, Ourense and Prat. Nine more places are still to be decided over the next two or three weeks. (27.05.12)