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Second Division - Day 25

Four games on Saturday evening, with Lugo climbing back in to the play-off spots following a 1-0 victory over Zaragoza. The locals had the better of the first half, Rennella testing Leo Franco early on, and Sergio Rodríguez and Rennella going close shortly before the break. With the rain falling heavily, Víctor Marco got on the end of Manu’s free kick to head the only goal on the hour mark, and the Galicians held on for a win which takes them a point above the Maños in the table. Las Palmas stay outside of the top six though after they could only draw 0-0 against Numancia, and the home fans called for the head of coach Sergio Lobera after the final whistle. The visitors had Pedraza sent off for a second booking soon after the restart, but Nauzet followed him down the tunnel for a hard tackle on David González, and the Canary Islanders ended with nine men when Masoud also picked up a second yellow card near the end. Numancia stay a point behind their hosts after their 13th draw this season.

Further down the table, Alavés climbed out of the relegation spots thanks to a 0-4 victory at Sabadell. With less than a minute on the clock Borja Viguera volleyed home the opener from a Ion Vélez cross, and the ex Real Sociedad striker made it two on a quick breakaway just twelve minutes later. With half an hour on the clock Martí Crespi was sent off for cutting out another Viguera attack with his hand, and with twenty minutes to go Vélez got the third, drilling an angled shot past Nauzet after Viguera stepped over a Guzmán cross. The Catalans were left with nine men when Moha was also shown a red card for insulting the referee, and Viguera ran on to complete his hat-trick near the end. Alavés are now three points clear of Girona, who stay in next to bottom spot after a 1-1 draw against Jaén. The Catalans had drawn the last five games before that, and had not won in eleven, but they took the lead through Gerard Bordas after Eloi and then Ortuño headed on a Becerra clearance with five minutes to go to the interval. The local keeper had to save from Jona and Jozabed after the break though, and a quarter of an hour in to the second half Jozabed headed the equalizer from an Oscar Rico cross. (08.02.14)

Recreativo are back to winning ways! The Andalusians were the early leaders this season, but seven games without a win saw them drop down the table. However last weekend they finally won, and this Sunday lunchtime they beat Hércules 1-2 to move back up to fourth spot, just two points behind the top two. Things swung in their favour with only a quarter of an hour on the clock when Escassi was sent off for bringing down Alvaro Antón as he advanced on goal. The locals held on until the break, but just five minutes after the restart Morcillo headed in Antón’s centre to open the scoring, and three minutes after that Montoro made it two, squeezing a shot past Falcón after Arana crossed in from the right. Eldin got one back ten minutes later after a shaky defence allowed Ferreiro’s cross to reach him, but they could do no more after that, and Quique Hernández’s side drop back in to the relegation spots after five matches without a victory.

Eibar are the eighth team to top the table in this most equal of seasons after they won 0-2 at Córdoba later in the evening. Jota Peleteiro put the Basque side ahead with a low shot after Mainz set him up some five minutes before the break, but after the interval the rain intensified, and constructive play became virtually impossible. Morales wrapped things up though with ten minutes to go, and the defeat signalled the end for local coach Pablo Villa, who was fired soon after the final whistle. Eibar (who have never been top before at this stage of the season) move above Deportivo on goal difference after the Galicians were beaten 1-0 by Murcia. The visitors had the better chances early on against a side which had not won in six games, but with the first half coming to a close Dorca headed in Saúl’s corner for what was to prove the only goal of the game. .

Sporting Gijón also missed out on a chance to return to first place after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Ponferradina. The Asturians had only picked up one point from their last two home games, and they found themselves behind in the sixth minute when Acorán turned the ball in to an empty net after Cuéllar could only push out Yuri’s shot. Yuri got himself sent off for a second bookable offence though some ten minutes in to the second half, and it was one way traffic before Scepovic finally found the net following a long free kick with seven minutes to go. Sporting drop to third, just a point behind the top two, and Mallorca failed as well to close up on the leaders after they drew 1-1 at Alcorcón. With new coach Pepe Bordalás on the bench the locals took the lead in the eighth minute when Juli connected with an Angel Sánchez assist to beat Rubén Miño. Alfaro equalized from the penalty spot though after Angel brought him down early on in the second half, and although local substitute Chema was sent off for a foul on Thomas, the Madrid based side held on in the rain for a vital point.

Alcorcón drop in to the bottom four, albeit only six points behind their opponents, who are now eighth. With teams so close together a couple of good or bad results can make all the difference though, and Barcelona B (who only two weeks ago were just a point above the drop zone) are up to the top half of the table after a 2-0 win over Tenerife. Denis Suárez opened the scoring for Eusebio’s side with a well struck free kick midway through the first half, and Dani Nieto ran on to make it two with a quarter of an hour to go. Barça B’s opponents next week will be old rivals Real Madrid Castilla, who are back at the bottom of the table after they lost 2-1 at Mirandés. Raúl de Tomás headed the youngsters in to the lead from a Lucas cross just three minutes in to the second half, but Díaz de Cerio latched on to a rebound to level it soon afterwards, and a late Pablo Infante free kick gave the locals three points which takes them out of the bottom four. (09.02.14)