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Second Division - Day 12

Lugo stay in second spot pending Sunday's games after a 0-0 draw at Mallorca on Saturday evening. The islanders were looking to close up on a direct promotion rival after recovering from their bad start to the season, but only a couple of efforts by Alfaro and Gerard Moreno either side of half time caused any problems for a well organized defence. Only two points separate eight teams though between second and ninth spot, Las Palmas moving up to third after a 1-0 victory over Alcorcón. The visitors were left with ten men when Camille picked up a second booking just before the break, and Vicente Gómez got the only goal after good work by Masoud early in the second half. The Canary Islanders could have won by a bigger margin though had Dani Giménez not saved an Apoño penalty after Martínez fouled Adrúbal in the area later on.

Eibar and Numancia both moved up to the play-off spots after respective wins on Saturday. Eibar beat Zaragoza 3-2, a third win in a row taking the Basque side three points clear of their rivals in the table. Curiously the locals scored all five goals, Eizmendi giving them the lead midway through the first half after Leo Franco saved from Morales, and Arruabarrena heading in the second from Yuri's centre shortly before half time. Raúl Navas scored twice in his own net after the restart, the first from Víctor's free kick and the second under pressure from Cidoncha, but Arruabarrena won it with his second of the night after the visiting keeper could only push out another shot from Morales. Numancia stay a point behind Eibar after they beat Barcelona B 1-0, the Soria based side unable to convert several chances before Antonio Tomás fired a long shot past Masip some ten minutes in to the second half.

Barça B are only a point above the relegation spots, but their local rivals Girona moved three points clear of the danger zone after a 2-2 draw with struggling Hércules. Before the match there was an emotional tribute to young B team keeper Nil Marin, who was killed in a car crash on his way to training a week ago, but after the kick off there was no room for sentiments, Sardinero turning in a cross from the left to put the visitors in front in only the third minute. Timor made it all square with a well struck free kick shortly before half time though, and although Eldin restored the lead for the Alicante based side with a shot through a crowded goalmouth early in the second half, Jandro saved a point for the locals after Sanchón set him up with twenty minutes to go. The result means that Hércules (who ended with ten men after Quique De Lucas was shown a last minute red card) remain in next to bottom spot, and if rumours are true, coach Quique Hernández will be out of a job before next weekend. (02.11.13)

As in recent years, the second division looks like being another tightly fought contest, with only three points separating the third from the twelfth placed team at the end of the weekend. Córdoba and Sporting Gijón are in the middle of all that after playing out a 2-2 draw in this week's Sunday mid-day game, the result keeping the Andalusians in the play-off spots and leaving their opponents still two points behind them in the table. Carlos Caballero put the locals ahead from the penalty spot somewhat against the run of play after Scepovic fouled Samuel in the area with twenty minutes gone. However local keeper Saizar had to save from Scepovic and Carmona, and Isma López hit the bar before Carmona finally equalized after Scepovic headed on a centre with a quarter of an hour to go. Pedro restored the lead though just three minutes later though with a header from a López Silva cross, and it was not until the last minute that Lekic saved a well earned point for the Asturians.

Recreativo are the only club to distance themselves from the pack so far, although their lead was cut back to five points after they lost 3-1 at Ponferradina in the last match of the day. Cabrero had to save from Castañeda and Cócoles cleared an effort from Yuri off the line before Javi Lara fired the home side in to a first half lead with a well-struck free kick. Some ten minutes after the restart Fofo headed in the second following a corner, and with just over an hour gone Aguilar got his head to Yuri's wayward overhead kick to deflect it in to the net for the third. Joselu did get one back later on with a shot over Santamaría after Linares set him up, but it came too late to prevent a first defeat in nine games, and the Andalusians ended with ten men when a frustrated Alvaro Antón picked up two bookings in quick succession.

Deportivo are now in third spot, ahead of Las Palmas on goal difference, after they beat Real Madrid Castilla 2-0 earlier in the evening. Veteran defender Marchena was making his first start of the season, and with a quarter of an hour on the clock he opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead kick following a corner. The youngsters were left with ten men when Cabrera was shown a red card for a hard tackle on Juan Domínguez just a minute after the restart, and Luis wrapped things up for the Galicians in the ninetieth minute. Murcia drop a point below Depor after they lost 2-1 to Sabadell, who move out of the bottom four as a result of their first victory in four games. The Catalans went in front in the twelfth minute when Acciari deflected a shot from Gato in to his own net, and Gato came close to a second when he hit the post soon afterwards. Mauro Dos Santos made it all square with a header from Saúl's free kick on the half hour mark, but ten minutes in to the second half Gato got the winner from the penalty spot after Oscar Sánchez handled in the area.

Mirandés moved back to the top half of the table after they beat Jaén 1-2, a first win in four games for the visitors and a first defeat for their hosts in the same period. Mújika opened the scoring for the Burgos regional team following a twelfth minute corner, but either side of half time Honduran international striker Jona hit the post and Jozabed brought a good save out of Dani Jiménez. With twenty minutes to go though Pablo Infante intercepted a bad pass by Nano to beat René for a second time, and although Jona scored for the fifth game in a row a couple of minutes later, Mirandés held on for a much needed win. The defeat leaves the Andalusians just a point above the drop zone, level with Alavés who drew 2-2 against Tenerife. The Vitoria based side went two up by the break, Viguera starting things off with a shot which took a deflection off Bruno, and Beobide latching on to a loose ball in the area to score the second. Ayoze got one back though following a corner soon after the restart, and with the game in injury time Luismi Loro converted a last minute penalty after Jarosik brought him down in the area. The draw keeps the Canary Islanders in second to bottom spot, two points below their hosts in the table. (03.11.13)