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Second Division - Day 7

Once again the second division is being closely fought, with only two points separating seven teams pending Sunday’s games. Las Palmas stay in top spot overnight at least though after they drew 1-1 against fourth placed Sporting Gijón on Saturday evening. The Asturians are the only team not to lose this season, and they took the lead when Jony’s shot took a deflection off Javi Castellano to wrong foot Raúl Lizoain with four minutes to go to the break. Juan Muñiz got himself sent off though for a second bookable offence early on in the second half, and Araujo saved a point for the locals when he bundled a Guzmán cross past Cuéllar with twelve minutes to go. Girona are now level with the Canary Islanders after they beat third placed Ponferradina 3-0 earlier in the evening. Richy gave the Catalans the lead with a low shot past Moldovan following a corner in the twentieth minute, but things seemed to be going against them when Pere Pons was sent off after picking up a rigorous second booking some seven minutes after the restart. However Aday connected with Sandaza’s cross to make it two less than a minute after coming on as substitute, and Aday returned the favour for Sandaza to complete the scoring with five minutes to go.

Lugo are just behind Ponferradina on goal difference after they won 0-1 against Barcelona B in the opening game of the weekend. The Galicians had not won away from home in eight months, and they were lucky not to go behind after Dongou had two goals disallowed for offside before the interval. Iriome got on the end of a Luis Fernández cross to turn a shot past Ortolà though some twenty minutes in to the second half, and Grimaldo almost saved a point for Eusebio’s team when he fired a free kick against the crossbar later on. The win takes Lugo above their hosts in the table, and Alavés are now a point behind the youngsters after they drew 0-0 with Llagostera. Neither keeper was particularly troubled throughout, and the visitors settled for a point after Ruymán was sent off for two-footed tackle on Juli with a couple of minutes to go.

Elsewhere Racing Santander beat Osasuna 0-2 to move out of the relegation zone and within a point of the Pamplona based side in the rankings. Central defender Juanpe got both goals, the first with a shot from outside of the area after a Miguélez free kick came back out to him some ten minutes before the break. The locals had several chances, the best a long shot from Cadamuro against the crossbar, but midway through the second half Juanpe wrapped up a second win in a row, heading the ball back over Riesgo after the keeper could only punch out another long free kick. (04.10.14)

The second division couldn’t be tighter this year, with only two points separating the top nine teams at the end of week seven! Valladolid moved up level with joint leaders Las Palmas and Girona on fourteen points after they drew 0-0 with Betis in this Sunday’s mid-day kick-off, the result keeping the Andalusians a point behind their hosts in the table. Neither goalkeeper had much to do in a tactical match, although Javi Varas had to save an early header from Rubén Castro, and Adán had to keep out a shot from an active Oscar González later on in the first half. Later in the evening Recreativo beat Alcorcón 2-1 to join the group on twelve points. The Huelva based side went two up by the break, Montoro beating Javi Jiménez following a short free kick, and Víctor Díaz getting the second after an effort by Jesús Vázquez was blocked following a corner. After the restart Sotres had to keep out Oscar Plano before he was finally beaten when Mayor connected with a Bobley Anderson cross, but Menosse could have increased the lead when he headed a corner against the woodwork near the end.

Zaragoza are also within two points of the leaders after they won 2-0 against struggling Mallorca, their third victory in a row. Only a string of saves by Cabrero from Borja, Galarreta and Eldin prevented the Maños from going ahead before the break, and with twenty minutes to go Jaime Romero ran on to Eldin’s through ball to open the scoring. Whalley had to keep out Scepovic and Joao Víctor later on, but with the game coming to an end Eldin lobbed Cabrero to wrap things up. The defeat left Mallorca firmly anchored to the bottom of the table with only two points to date, and managing director Dudu Aouate resigned after the final whistle in another twist to the ongoing boardroom battles. Leganés though are slowly consolidating themselves in the second division, and they moved up to mid-table after a 2-0 win over Tenerife. The Canary Islanders had not picked up a point away from home this season, and they found themselves behind when Alvaro García converted a twentieth minute penalty after Aitor Sanz fouled Sergio Prendes in the area. Local keeper Queco Pina did have a couple of saves to make after that, but Borja Lázaro put the result beyond doubt after picking up a Velasco assist with ten minutes to go.

Tenerife find themselves in the bottom four once again, albeit level on seven points with four other teams, Racing, Sabadell, Numancia and Mirandés. Mirandés themselves occupy the last of the relegation spots, although they were just a goal short of escaping the drop zone after beating regional rivals Numancia 2-0. Caneda headed in Emilio’s corner to open the scoring in the seventh minute, and although Sergi Enrich and Gerrit went close a few times, Urko Vera score the second with another header from Alex García’s centre some twelve minutes from the end. Sabadell meanwhile are out of the drop zone after thrashing Albacete 6-1, the defeat leaving the Manchegans in next to bottom place. Veteran striker Tamudo ran on to Cristian’s through ball to lob Alberto in the ninth minute, and Gato made it two on the half hour mark after Collantes set him up. The visitors were left with ten men when Fran García was shown a second yellow card on the stroke of half time, and Tamudo and Gato added two more early on in the second half. With ten minutes to go Chumbi got one back from the penalty spot after a foul by Carlos Hernández, but Cristian García and Sotan Tanabe completed the “set” late on to take the Catalans two points above their opponents in the table. (05.09.14)