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Second Division - Day 16

The week sixteen fixtures kicked off with a 0-0 draw between Murcia and Real Madrid Castilla, a result which left the locals a point away from the play-off spots, and extended the visitors' run without a victory to seven games. Despite the scoreline however it was an action packed match, with Kike García and Matilla both rattling the woodwork for the locals, and Denis Cheyshev hitting the post at the other end late on. Keepers Javi Jiménez and Tomás Mejías were the busiest men on the park, Cristian García had a strike ruled out for a previous foul, and both teams had penalty appeals turned down, for a possible foul on Morata and a hand ball by Derik. However a point apiece was probably a fair reflection on how the game panned out in the end. (30.11.12)

Barcelona B consolidated their sixth place in the table with a 1-2 victory at Lugo on Saturday afternoon. The locals had only picked up one point in their last three games, but they took the lead in the twentieth minute when Pablo Alvarez combined with De Coz to beat Masip. The visiting keeper had to save from Oscar Díaz before the break, and Rubén Durán and De Coz both failed to find the target either side of half time. But substitute Sergio Araujo equalised after good work by Lobato, and after Tonetto had a strike ruled out for a dubious offside, Araujo fired home the winner with seven minutes to go.

Córdoba and Las Palmas made it through to the last sixteen of the cup midweek, but both sides paid the price of their exertions after they were held to draws in their respective matches. Córdoba could only draw 0-0 at home to neighbours Xerez, leaving the Andalusians still a point off the play-off spots, and their opponents two points behind them in the table. Neither keeper was particularly bothered, and although substitute Pepe Díaz did hit the bar for the locals later on, any hope of a win ended when Cristian was sent off for a second bookable offence with eight minutes to go.

Las Palmas did a bit better though, a 1-1 scoreline at Sporting Gijón keeping them a point above Córdoba in the rankings, albeit that they stay below Sabadell on goal difference. The Canary Islanders came in to the game with five wins and a draw in their last six league games, and they took the lead on the half hour mark when Vitolo won the ball in midfield and ran on to beat Juan Pablo. Bilic had already looped a header on to the crossbar for the locals though, and they equalised a quarter of an hour in to the second half after Carmelo's shot came back off the bar, Barbosa saving Mandi's follow up but David Rodríguez on hand to turn in the rebound. The result takes the Asturians three points above the drop zone pending Sunday's games. (01.12.12)

Two matches on Sunday lunchtime, with second placed Almería closing to within a point of leaders Elche pending their game later in the evening after a nail-biting 3-4 win at struggling Racing Santander. Charles opened the scoring for the visitors in the eighth minute after Aleix Vidal set him up, and although Jairo made it all square from the penalty spot after the midfielder was brought down in the area, Charles scored two more from Gunino and Carlos Calvo assists to complete his hat-trick with just over half an hour gone. The Cantabrians came back after the break, Oscar Pérez bundling the ball over the line soon after the restart, and with a couple of minutes to go Jairo levelled the scores with another penalty after Marcelo Silva fouled Koné. However with the game in injury time Ulloa played a long Esteban clearance on for Soriano to fire home the winner, and the long-suffering home fans registered their protests at the end.

Ponferradina seem to be consolidating their place in the second division at last after a couple of failed attempts, and they move up to within a point of the play-off spots after a 0-2 victory at Recreativo. Midway through the first half Córcoles had to clear an effort from Acorán off the line with the keeper beaten, and a couple of minutes later a good team move ended with Acorán passing across for Iván Moreno to put the visitors ahead. After the restart Brozek headed a good chance wide, and soon afterwards the Polish striker got himself sent off for a hard tackle on Moreno. And with the game in injury time Yuri wrapped things up with a second goal on a quick counter-attack, taking his side level with their opponents in the table.

Later in the evening leaders Elche restored the four point gap at the top of the table after a 1-0 win against Villarreal. It was a tactical match though between the local rivals, and the only real chance in the first half came when Fidel cut through the visiting defence only to come up against Diego Mariño. With twenty minutes to go Coro got was to prove the only goal with a little bit of fortune, Edu Albacar's pass deflecting to him off a defender, and his shot also hitting Musacchio to wrong-foot the keeper. Villarreal's best chance to equalise came in the last minute, when Manu Herrera had to keep out Cavenaghi, but a defence that has only let in eight goals in sixteen games held on to maintain their club's 100% home record this season. Julio Velázquez's side ended the day eleven points behind their hosts in the table though, and the coach needs to turn things around quickly if he is to hold on to his job.

Alcorcón move above Girona to third place in the table after a resounding 4-1 victory over the Catalans in the Santa Domingo stadium. The Madrid based side had won their last six home games, and they went ahead in the twelfth minute when Laguardia finished off after Dani Mallo could only push out a shot from Angel Sánchez. With five minutes to go to the break Felipe Sanchón equalised after Juanlu set him up, but just three minutes later Oriol Riera got on the end of a Fernando Sales cross to restore the lead. Ten minutes in to the second half Riera passed in for Juli to make it three, and a few minutes later Kitoko turned the ball in to his own net after Babin headed on Abraham's corner to complete the scoring.

Sabadell lost ground on the teams above them after a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Numancia, and although they hold on to the last play-off spot, no less than six sides (including their opponents) are within a point of the Catalans in the table. Lluis Carreras's side did take the lead though, Moha running on to Lanza's through ball to beat Herrerín midway through the first half. Juanjo headed the equaliser however after Julio Alvarez and Del Pino combined to set him up, and Alvarez got the winner from the penalty spot with three minutes to go after Abraham Paz handled in the area.

Further down the table, Mirandés, Guadalajara and Hércules share bottom spot on thirteen points, just a point below Racing. Mirandés and Guadalajara met in the Anduva stadium on Sunday evening, neither side much favoured by a 0-0 draw. Both had goals disallowed, Barral for the away team in the first half, and Goitia for the locals right at the end, some five minutes after visiting keeper Toño was shown a straight red card. Hércules remain ot the foot of the table though after they drew 1-1 at Huesca, although they were grateful to even pick up a point after Portillo equalised in the last minute. Nuñez had given the Aragón based side the lead after connecting with Jorge's centre on the quarter hour mark, but in the end they had to settle for a share of the points which leaves them just one place above the drop zone. (02.12.12)