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Second Division - Day 30

Girona are back up to third in the table pending Sunday's games after a 1-3 win at Recreativo on Saturday evening. The Catalans had lost their last four matches away from home, but within fifteen minutes they were two up, Ricky Kitoko heading Toni Moral's wide free kick, and Moral himself running through to beat Cabrero for a second time. Acuña came close to a third before the break when he headed against the woodwork, and although Fernando Vega got one back after the restart with an impressive shot inside the near post, Jandro wrapped things up from the penalty spot after Pardo handled in the area to hand the Andalusians their fourth defeat in a row.

Villarreal continue their late push for promotion, and Marcelino's side are up to fifth place after a 0-1 victory at struggling Huesca. Borja had a strike ruled out for the locals for a dubious offside midway through the first half, and after the interval Moisés Gómez and Perbet both hit the post. With twelve minutes to go however substitute Jonathan Pereira latched on to a loose ball after Uche turned the ball across the area to fire home the winner, and although Bruno was sent off for a second bookable offence a couple of minutes later, the visitors held on for their third win in a row.

Las Palmas stay two points behind Villarreal in sixth spot after a 2-0 win over Real Madrid Castilla. Locally born Jesé caused a few problems for the Canary Islanders early on, hitting the post in the fourth minute and then bringing a good save out of Raúl Lizoain. However with just under half an hour on the clock Vitolo set up Thievy to open the scoring, and Thievy, Hernán and Chrisantus all came close to extending the lead after the restart. Cheryshev hit the post again for the youngsters, but with two minutes to go a clever back-heel pass by Vitolo allowed Nauzet to run through and chip Mejías for his sides second.

Barcelona B are down to seventh though after they lost 5-2 at Sporting Gijón. Rafinha headed the opener for the visitors from Patric's cross with less than a minute on the clock. But with five minutes to go to the break Santi Jara latched on to a headed pass to fire home the equaliser, and before the half time whistle Bilic put the Asturians ahead, picking up Lora's centre and beating Masip with a shot on the turn. Trejo set up Sangoy for the fourth midway through the second half, and then scored a fourth himself with a shot in off the crossbar. And David Rodríguez made it five with a low header in off the post from Jara's cross before Espinosa completed the scoring for Eusebio's team. (16.03.13)

Almería are in danger of losing their second place in the table after they were beaten 4-1 by Córdoba on Sunday lunchtime, their second defeat in a row. The home team had been dropping away from the play-off spots recently after a run of five games without a victory, but they took the lead in the twentieth minute when Xisco turned the ball in to the net after Pedro's free kick came back off the post. Pellerano headed the equaliser from Corona's cross just five minutes later, but López Garai restored the lead with a shot from outside of the area which went in off the crossbar, and the visitors were left with ten men when Soriano picked up a second booking just before the break. A couple of minutes after the restart Rennella ran through to force a shot past Esteban for the third, and ten minutes later López Garai headed in a corner to complete the scoring.

The other two games at mid-day on Sunday involved sides in the lower half of the table, with Racing Santander and Xerez sinking further down in to the drop zone after cancelling each other out in a 1-1 draw. Rueda gave the visitors the lead with a shot in to the far top corner of the net midway through the first half, but Gai Fassulin equalised with a quarter of an hour to go, following up after Chema could only push out a Marti Crespi free kick. The visitors held on though despite having Galán sent off for a second bookable offence near the end. The result means that Murcia stay three points clear of the bottom four despite a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Lugo. Pablo Alvarez got the only goal for the Galicians in the twentieth minute, beating Javi Jiménez after the defence failed to clear, and the closest Onésimo's side came to saving a point was when Oscar Sánchez hit the bar shortly before the break.

Later in the evening leaders Elche were beaten 3-1 by Numancia, and although they remain ten points clear at the top of the table, this was a worrying second defeat in a row for Fran Escribá's side. The East coast side had only won once in twelve previous visits to the Pajaritos stadium, and they were lucky not to go behind when a shot from Pedro Martín hit the crossbar and both posts before bouncing clear. Two minutes after the break however Juanma headed in a corner to give the locals the lead, and although Coro equalised five minutes later following a good run by Fidel, Martín restored the lead soon afterwards with a shot on the turn past the second divisions's best keeper Manu Herrera. And with just over an hour gone Jaio turned in a Julio Alvarez free kick with a little help from a defender to give the Soria based side a sixth game in a row without defeat.

Alcorcón are up to second in the table, a 0-2 win at Mirandés taking them two points above Almería. Kike López gave the visitors the lead in the 26th minute after Fernando Sales played on a cross from Sergi Enrich, and Enrich got the second himself five minutes later after keeper Goitia pushed out a header from Sales. The locals threw on all their fire power after the interval, but in the end Oriol Riera and Juli both had chances to increase the scoreline. The defeat leaves Mirandés just one place above the relegation spots.

Ponferradina stay in eighth position, some three points away from the play-off spots, after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Guadalajara. The first three goals came in the opening six minutes, Mayordomo beating Razak to put the home side in front with only a minute gone, but a cross-come-shot from Vicente and a shot from Cristian which Santamaría couldn't stop turned the scoreline around. With twenty minutes to go though Yuri picked up an assist from Acorán to battle through and save a point for the locals.

Sabadell drop two points behind Ponferradina after they were beaten 3-1 by struggling Hércules. The Catalans took the lead on the quarter hour mark when Lanzarote got on the end of a Collantes cross to beat Falcón, but ten minutes before the break Braulio ran on to Peña's through ball to equalise. With a quarter of an hour to go Braulio got his second of the evening from Eldin's cross, and a few minutes later Portillo scored a third to tie up three vital points which take the Alicante based side to within five points of safety. (17.03.13)