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Second Division - Day 11

Las Palmas are back up to second once more pending the Sunday game between top two Valladolid and Girona after a 2-1 victory over bottom club Albacete on Saturday evening. Hernán gave the Canary Islanders the lead in the eighth minute with a shot which looped off the boot of Mario Ortíz over Dorronsoro, and Roque made it two early on in the second half after running on to Culio’s pass to round the keeper and score. Jorge Díaz got one back though with twenty minutes to go, cutting in to beat Castro after picking up a throw in wide on the left, and there were some nervous moments for the home fans before the final whistle. Sporting Gijón meanwhile stay in third spot after they drew 0-0 at Barcelona B earlier in the day, the result keeping up their unbeaten record for another week. Despite the result it was a lively match, Ortolá having to save from Luis Hernández and Guerrero in the opening minutes, and Cuéllar keeping out Dongou. Adama had a second half penalty claim accepted at first by the referee and then overturned by the linesman, and both he and Muñiz hit the crossbar as the match went down to the wire.

Most of the other games on Saturday involved teams in the middle of the table, with just one point between six sides halfway through the weekend. Mallorca are now eleventh after a 2-1 victory over Lugo in the first match of the day, a fourth win a row signalling their return to the land of the living after their disastrous start to the season. All the goals came in the first quarter of an hour after the break, Scepovic opening the scoring with a shot on the turn .and then adding a second following a quick throw-in, and Luis Fernández poking one back for the visitors after Kasim could only head back a centre in to the area. Karpin’s side are now level in the table with their opponents and with Alavés, who drew 1-1 against Alcorcón to remain a point ahead of the Madrid based team in the rankings. The visitors were left with ten men when Djene picked up a second booking on the half hour mark, and Barreiro picked up a long by Medina to give the locals the lead a quarter of an hour in to the second half. David Rodríguez headed the equalizer though a few minutes later, and numbers were evened up when Sangalli was also sent off near the end. Alavés could have won it though had Falcón not saved a last minute Despotovic penalty after Charlie Dean fouled Barreiro in the area.

Sabadell join Alcorcón on 13 points after they came back to beat Mirandés 3-2. Both teams started the match level in the table, and although Hervás gave the Catalans a ninth minute lead, strikes by Urko Vera and Igor Martínez turned the scoreline around by the break. Collantes beat Sergio Pérez though for a second time to make it all square again soon after the interval, and Kiko Olivas got the winner following a corner a few minutes later to help his team forget the last two league defeats and their disastrous performance against Sevilla in the cup last Wednesday. The defeat leaves Mirandés back in the bottom four, just a point ahead of Llagostera, who lost 0-2 to Racing Santander. The Girona based side have only scored five goals all season, and even a return to the coaching pairing who took them up last season was not able to turn things around. David Concha put the Cantabrians ahead with just over half an hour gone after picking up an assist from Saúl, and Koné wrapped things up following a quick counter-attack near the end to take his side out of the relegation spots, now three points above their hosts in the table. (01.11.14)

A thrilling match to start us off on Sunday, Osasuna coming back from two goals down to beat Betis 3-2 in the mid-day kick-off. Last season this was a first division fixture, remembered in part as several local fans were injured when a railing collapsed, and there was a pre-match presentation to visiting midfielder N’Diaye, who saved a young supporter on the day. This time though it was the home defence who gave way in the first half, Rubén Castro heading in an Alex Martínez with a quarter of an hour gone, and then setting up Rennella for a second a few minutes later, and only some first class saves by Santamaría prevented the scoreline from getting any bigger. However with Sisi on the park the locals reacted after the break, Nekounam quickly getting one back after Nino headed on a De las Cuevas corner, and Miguel Flaño heading in a wide De las Cuevas free kick to level the scores on the hour mark. And with three minutes to go Onwu headed in the winner after Adán could only punch a Torres corner up in the air to take his side safely up to mid-table, now only three points behind their opponents in the rankings.

Later in the evening the top two met, Valladolid beating erstwhile leaders Girona to move above the Catalans to the top of the table. The local fans had not seen a single goal in the last two home games, and with only eleven minutes gone they were frustrated again when Becerra saved Oscar Díaz’s penalty kick after Bergdich was brought down by the keeper in the area. Ten minutes later Mojica did however find the net, beating Becerra from a wide angle after a good run into the area, but the Catalans could have equalized had Javi Varas not made saves from Cifuentes, Sandaza and Sanchón either side of half time. Rubi turned to Jeffren though, and the substitute hit the post before picking up Oscar’s assist to make it two with seven minutes to go. Four minutes later Juncà got one back, again with a shot from wide on the left, but Jeffren could have increased the lead right at the end had his strike not been ruled out for a dubious offside decision.

Meanwhile Ponferradina hold on to sixth spot despite being held to a 1-1 draw at Leganés. Both goals came from the penalty spot in the first twelve minutes Pablo Infante putting the visitors ahead after he was brought down by Rubén Peña, and Alvaro making it all square after Carpio fouled Aguirre a few minutes later. The heavy rain made play difficult though, and in the end both teams settled for a point. Recreativo missed out on a chance to make it back in to the play-off spots however after they were beaten 0-3 by Numancia. The Soria based team had dropped into the relegation zone after only picking up two points from their last five games, but with only two minutes gone ex Recre striker Sergi Enrich headed in a Julio Alvarez free kick to open the scoring. Natalio hit the bar before Enrich lobbed keeper Dani Sotres to make it two shortly before the break, and with ten minutes to go Juanma headed in a corner to complete the scoring. Enrich blotted his copybook somewhat after that though, getting himself sent off for kicking Montoro in an off-the-ball incident. (02.11.14)

The second division fixture between Zaragoza and Tenerife was postponed to Monday evening due to an employees’ strike on Sunday, the visitors running out 2-3 winners to clock up their first points away from home all season. Results earlier in the weekend had left the Canary Islanders back down in the bottom four, but with a quarter of an hour gone they took the lead, Ifrán beating Whalley from a tight angle. Rubén González headed in Eldin’s centre to make it all square a few minutes later, but soon after the restart Vitolo restored the lead from the penalty spot after Borja pulled back Hugo Alvarez in the area. Ifrán converted a second penalty ten minutes later after Rubén brought down Cristo, and although Borja got another one back from Cabrera’s centre with twenty minutes to go, the Maños were unable to prevent a first home defeat of the season. (03.11.14)