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Second Division - Day 14

Another disappointing night for Sporting Gijón, a 2-3 defeat at the hands of Ponferradina on Friday evening leaving them just two places above the drop zone once again. The Asturians twice went ahead, Sangoy opening the scoring with an early free kick which took a deflection off the defensive wall to loop over keeper Santamaría. Five minutes later Acorán took advantage of some slack defending to equalise, but just a minute after that David Rodríguez restored the lead after he got behind the defence to turn in another Sangoy free kick. Ten minutes after the restart however second division top scorer Yuri levelled the scores again from the penalty spot after Juan Muñiz blocked a free kick with his arm, and although Ponferradina were left with ten men when Samuel was shown a second yellow card, Nano scored an injury time winner on a quick breakaway to take the León based side ahead of their hosts in the table. Sporting have only taken one point now from their last three games, and the Sandoval magic appears to have already worn off. (16.11.12)

Girona moved to the top of the table pending Elche's game on Sunday after a 1-2 victory at Lugo on a rainy Saturday evening. The Catalans took the lead in the eighth minute when Acuña headed Jandro's cross past Yoel, but after that the locals were on top, Pablo Alvarez and Rubén Durán going close before the break, and visiting keeper Dani Mallo having to make several saves before Iago Díaz finally beat him midway through the second half. Seven minutes later though Luso headed in a corner to restore the lead, and the visitors held on to make it eight games without defeat. Earlier in the day Villarreal beat a struggling Racing Santander 0-3 to move back up to fourth spot. There were serious protests from the local fans before, during and after the match, and Fabri's side hardly put up a fight as the visitors dominated throughout. Trigueros opened the scoring on the half mark, beating Dani Sotres with a shot from the edge of the area, and Uche made it two a few minutes later after good work by Jaume. Gullón tested Mariño for the first time shortly before the interval, but Uche headed home his second of the day from Cani's cross after the restart, and although Koné hit the post later on, Hernán Pérez wasted a couple of chances to increase the lead near the end.

Murcia are just a point away from the play-off spots after they beat Barcelona B in their Nueva Colomina stadium. The early chances fell to the locals, and Matilla put them ahead after Kike García set him up following a corner with half an hour on the clock. Local keeper Javi Jiménez had to make saves from Dongou and Luis Alberto either side of half time, and Araujo hit the bar in the second half, but Siviero closed down the game to ensure three points which takes his team a point above their opponents in the table. Las Palmas and Xerez are now two points behind Murcia after they cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw. The two teams came in to the match on a roll, the locals after four wins in a row and the Andalusians after six games without defeat, and although honours were shared early on, the Canary Islanders went ahead when Javi Guerrero headed in Nauzet's corner for his fifth goal in as many games. However soon after the restart Redondo headed the equaliser from a Marquitos cross following a quickly taken free kick, and only a couple of last minute saves by Barbosa from Bruno Herrero and Tato prevented Esteban Vigo's side from coming away with a victory. (17.11.12)

Elche are back on top of the table after a 1-0 win over fourth (now fifth) placed Alcorcón on Sunday lunchtime! Fran Escribà's team had been temporarily displaced overnight by the on-form Girona, and after only picking up one point from their last two fixtures (albeit both away from home), there were some doubts as to whether their good start to the season had come to an end. Alcorcón coach José Bordalás was returning to his old hunting ground, and he put out a defensive line-up which prevented either side from creating any real chances before the break. However the introduction of Berry Powel in the second half livened things up, and within five minutes of coming on the Dutch striker headed Albacar's corner past Manu to keep up Elche's 100% record in the Martínez Valero stadium this season. Almería stay in third place, although they lost ground on the two leaders after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Numancia later in the afternoon. It was a dull match, with the locals if anything creating most of the chances, although the best of the lot fell to Casquero, who rattled the crossbar after the break.

There were two more matches at mid-day on Sunday, with Sabadell moving back up to sixth after a high-scoring 2-5 victory at Recreativo. Jonathan Valle put the locals ahead in the twentieth minute, beating Nauzet with a shot in to the top corner of the net, but Lanzarote equalised from the penalty spot a couple of minutes later after Fernando Vega was sent off for handling in the area. Hidalgo rounded Alejandro to score a second before the break, and although substitute Chuli made it all square again some twenty minutes in to the second half, Ulises Dávila put the Catalans back in front almost immediately. The hosts were left with nine men when debutant Pardo was sent off for giving away a second penalty which Artega converted, and Dávila hit the bar before completing the scoring near the end. The win takes Sabadell above Recre and also Córdoba, who saw their four match unbeaten run come to an end after a 1-2 defeat against Hércules. The Alicante based side started the day at the bottom of the table, but with only nine minutes on the clock Cabrera headed them in to the lead from an Edu Bedía free kick. And although the Andalusians equalised later in the first half when Juanra turned a Fede Vico past his own keeper, Adrian Sardinero got on the end of another wide Bedía free kick to win it for the visitors with ten minutes to go.

Later in the evening Huesca moved out of the relegation zone to the detriment of Racing Santander after beating bottom club Guadalajara 2-1. Antonio Calderón's side had not won in nine games, and their home fans were yet to see a victory in their El Alcoraz stadium. And it looked like more of the same when Azkorra headed the visitors in to the lead in the twenty-fifth minute. However substitute Tariq levelled the scores after Espín gifted the ball to him soon after the restart, and Nacho Novo got the winner with an individualist goal on the hour mark. Unfortunately though the ex-Rangers striker was sent off for making a rude gesture after scoring (he claimed he was just showing off his tattoo!), and Huesca had to hold on for 30 minutes after that. Mirandés stay in the bottom four, although they move two points clear of Guadalajara after a 0-0 draw against Real Madrid Castilla. The locals were on top until Caneda was sent off for bringing down Jesé as he advanced on goal midway through the first half. But after that they sat back to defend, with Castilla's new Russian international Denis Cheryshev in particular testing Goitia and his defence a couple of times after the break. (18.11.12)