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Second Division - Day 16

Leaders Deportivo saw their run of four wins in a row come to an end after they were held to a 0-0 draw by regional neighbours Lugo on Saturday evening. The visitors themselves started the weekend in fifth spot, just four points behind their hosts, and it was typical derby true to the recent styles of both teams, the locals looking for the advantage on the counter-attack, and the visitors having more of the possession. Luis Fernández and Fernando Seaone hit the post at either end in the first half, but in the end both coaches settled for a draw. Las Palmas failed to take advantage of the result though, a 0-1 defeat against an improving Zaragoza leaving them a point behind Lugo and down a place to fourth spot. The Canary Islanders had the better of the game but they failed to convert their chances, and Roger won it for the visitors with a header from Rico's cross some twenty minutes in to the second half.

Last week's fourth placed side Eibar were also beaten, the Basques losing 0-1 to a Mallorca team who move to within two points of their hosts in the table. Alfaro got the only goal of the game on the hour mark with a header from Ximo Navarro's cross, although the islanders could have won by a bigger margin in the end. And Córdoba missed out as well on a chance to move up in to the top six, a 1-2 defeat against Barcelona B leaving them a point behind Mallorca in the table. Dani Nieto gave the visitors the lead with half an hour on the clock after Edu Bedía laid back a cross from Planas, but Mendi equalised late on in the second half after barging over keeper Ortolà as he caught the ball inside the area. It was a bad mistake by referee Lesma López (who also sent off coach Eusebio for his protests), but he compensated for it by awarding a soft penalty to the away side in the last minute after Nieto fell rather to easily under a challenge by Pedro, Espinosa converting the resulting spot kick to keep his team out of the bottom four. (30.11.13)

Recreativo are back at top of the second division after they beat Numancia 2-3 in the last match on Sunday evening. Without a win in four games, and against an opponent unbeaten in their last eight, the Andalusians were no longer favourites, and they went behind to a sixth minute Julio Alvarez penalty after Sergi Enrich was fouled in the area. And although Montoro equalized a few minutes later, lobbing keeper Raúl after he tried to head the ball clear outside of the area, Natalio restored the lead for the locals with an impressive shot from the edge of the area on the half hour mark. Five minutes in to the second half however Joselu made it all square again after Linares set him up on a quick counter-attack, and with twenty minutes to go Morcillo fired home the winner following a short free kick. The win takes Recre ahead of Deportivo once again on goal difference.

The two leaders have opened up a four point gap over the rest, with Lugo and Las Palmas in third and fourth spots, and Sporting Gijón up to fifth despite a 2-2 draw against Alcorcón earlier in the evening. Lekic headed the Asturians in to the lead from Alex Barrera's cross with just under a quarter of an hour gone, but Javito scored twice in the next ten minutes to turn the scoreline around, the first a shot through a sea of legs, and the second after an Angel Sánchez cross hit Canella and came back off the post. Lekic saved a point though for the locals with his second of the evening after Scpovic headed on Carmona's cross midway through the second half. Sporting are now three points clear of Murcia, who have dropped down to tenth after losing 1-2 to Hércules in this week's mid-day kick-off, their seventh game in a row without a victory. The visitors raced in two a two goal lead with only twelve minutes gone, Japan's Sugi setting up Portillo and then Eldin to beat Fernando. Kike García got one back early in the second half after Malonga's shot deflected to him off Pamarot, but the Alicante based side held on for a win which takes them to within a point of safety.

Sabadell stay level with Hércules after they beat Mirandés 3-1, a good start for new coach Miguel Olmo, who was promoted to take over the side after his boss Javi Salamero was fired midweek. The Catalans went two up in the first quarter of an hour, Anibal getting the opener after Cristian and Collantes combined to set him up, and Collantes himself adding the second after picking up a long pass by Juanjo Ciércoles. Visiting manager Gonzalo Arconada made two changes in the first half, and for a time it worked, Iván Agustín getting one back soon after the restart. But Mirandés keeper Dani Jiménez had to make several saves after that, and Anibal made it three after getting on the end of a Collantes lob to score from close up. The wins for Hércules and Sabadell leave Alavés down in next to bottom spot after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Ponferradina. The Vitoria based side went ahead twice, Toti opening the scoring with a little help from Castañeda on the half hour mark. Both teams were left with ten men with over half the match to go when Nano and then Acorán were sent off, and the visitors made it all square some fifteen minutes in to the second half when Javi Lara turned in Carpio's cross. A minute later Yuri put the locals back in front, but with the game in injury time Jarosik got on the end of Guzmán's corner to level it once again, leaving local coach Natxo González facing a bleak future.

Bottom club Real Madrid Castilla are currently well adrift of the rest, but they kept their hopes of survival alive with a 0-1 victory at Jaén. The Andalusians had the better chances early on, Jona and Machado going close and Pacheco having to make some important saves. However with twenty minutes to go Borja García got what was to prove the only goal after good work by Jaime Romero, giving his side their first points of the season away from home, and securing a first victory for new coach Manolo Díaz. Jaén's second defeat in a row leaves them just two points above the relegation zone, level on points with Girona and Tenerife, who cancelled each other out in a 2-2 draw. The Canary Islanders went in front in the seventh minute when Aridane beat Isaac Becerra from close up after Chechu's shot was blocked. Gerard Bordas scored twice in a ten minute period at the start of the second half following crosses from Iván López to turn the scoreline in favour of the Catalans, but with ten minutes to go Bruno picked up a loose ball in the area after Oscar Rico's shot hit a defender to beat the keeper for a second time and extend his team's unbeaten run to seven games. (01.12.13)