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Second Division - Day 16

Las Palmas are back at the top of the second division after a last minute 1-0 win over Leganés on Saturday evening. The visitors closed up shop right from the start, looking to defend and score on the breakaway. Araujo and Nauzet did try their luck a couple of times, but with the game coming to an end Asdrúbal picked up Araujo’s through ball and cut in past his marker to fire home the winner. The Canary Islanders still have a game in hand after their match at Sabadell was postponed last weekend, and they return to Catalunya next Wednesday hoping to extend their lead at the top even further. Later in the evening Ponferradina came from behind to beat Alavés 2-1, a result which takes them back in to the play-off spots pending Sunday’s games. Manolo Díaz’s side had drawn their last three home games, and they went behind in the twentieth minute when Toti squeezed a shot past Moldovan following a long throw-in. However with a quarter of an hour to go Pablo Infante battled through to set up Yuri for the equalizer, and just three minutes later Infante forced a penalty off Galán which Yuri converted for his second of the evening.

Numancia are now just two points off the top six after they beat bottom club Llagostera 3-2 in the first match on Saturday, extending their unbeaten run to seven games. All the goals came in the last quarter of the match, Alcalá heading the visitors in front from a Ríos corner, even though they were already down to ten men after Diego Rivas picked up a second booking. The locals had already rattled the woodwork twice though, and they levelled the scores when Masó turned the ball in to his own net under pressure from Vicente after Julio Alvarez’s shot was deflected to him. With five minutes to Gafoor headed in an Alvarez corner to make it 2-1, and in injury time Braian Rodríguez netted a third after Moragón failed to hold on to an Alvarez free kick. Alcalá scored again for the Catalans in the dying seconds following a short free kick, but the final whistle went almost immediately after that. Mirandés meanwhile continue their escape act, and they are now up to the top half of the table after a 1-0 victory against Osasuna. Carlos Terrazas’ side had not let a goal in for four games, and only a string of saves by visiting keeper Santamaría prevented them from taking the lead in the first half. However twenty minutes after the restart Urko Vera controlled a cross from Alex García before volleying a shot in to the net to make it three straight wins in a row. Osasuna however are now only just a point above the relegation spots having only picked up two points from their last five matches. (06.12.14)

Girona drop out of the direct promotion spots after they were beaten 0-1 by regional rivals Barcelona B in the Sunday mid-day match. The visitors had dropped down into the lower reaches of the table after six games without a win, and only a string of first half saves by Ortolà, in particular from Lejeune and Mata, kept them in the game. Sandaza also had a penalty appeal turned down, and Mata wasted another chance soon after the restart, but with just over an hour gone Halilovic picked up the ball in midfield and ran on to beat Becerra. Sporting Gijón go above Girona to second after they came from behind to beat Lugo 2-1 later in the evening. Aganzo headed the visitors into an early lead from a De Coz cross, but Jony equalized on the half hour mark with a direct free kick which bounced past everyone into the net. Pablo Pérez headed the Asturians in front from a Juan Muñiz corner with a quarter of an hour to go, but soon afterwards Alex Menéndez was sent off for a second bookable offence, and Iriome got the ball in the net in injury time only for the strike to be ruled out for a previous foul. A sixteenth game in a row though without defeat for Abelardo’s side, and they have now passed the previous record set by Murcia some 24 years ago.

Valladolid are back to fourth in the table, just a point behind Girona, after a 1-0 victory over Recreativo. Rubi’s team had only picked up two points from their last four games, and they made little headway until the end of the first half. However with Juanan off the pitch injured, Mojica scored from close up after André Leao turned Chica centre across goal. After the break Mojica, Oscar and Bergdich could all have added to the lead, but Javi Varas had to make a couple of late saves to ensure the three points. Alcorcón moved into the play-off spots pending Monday’s games after a 3-2 win over Sabadell, a sixth game without defeat for the Madrid based side. David Rodríguez got on the end of Nagore’s high pass to open the scoring in the seventh minute, and although Collantes ran on to long clearance to equalize, strikes by Guichón and Rodríguez gave the locals a two goal cushion at the interval. Collantes got another one back with a shot through a crowded goalmouth with an hour on the clock, but they couldn’t prevent a defeat which leaves them down in 20 th spot. Tenerife climb out of the relegation zone though after they beat Racing Santander 1-0, the result leaving Osasuna down in the bottom four, with the Cantabrians only just above them on goal difference. Vitolo got the only goal from the penalty spot after Suso was fouled in the area early on in the second half. Dávila, Suso and Guarrotxena all failed to take chances after that though, and only a last minute save by Carlos Abad from Miguélez (who had hit the bar in the first half) prevented the visitors from saving a point. (07.12.14)

With midweek cup ties running on into Friday, two second division matches were scheduled for Monday evening. First up were Betis and Mallorca, the Andalusians running out 1-0 winners to move back up to fifth spot in the table. Neither side caused any problems for the keepers though until eight minutes in to the second half, when Rennella put the home side ahead after Cabrero could only push out a shot by Rubén Castro. Kadir and N’Diaye failed to take chances after that though, and in the end Adán saved the day with a top class save from Javi Ros with a couple of minutes to go. Zaragoza could also have returned to the play-off spots with a victory at struggling Albacete later in the evening, but in the end they remain two points off the top six after they were held to a 2-2 draw. Eldin opened the scoring for the Maños in the seventh minute with a shot over keeper Alberto after connecting with Borja’s centre, but Jorge Díaz picked up Cidoncha’s back-heel pass to level the scores before the break, and Cidoncha himself scored a second after Whalley could only push out Keko’s cross soon after the restart. Substitute Jaime Romero latched on to a loose ball to make it all square once again on the hour mark, but he was sent off a few minutes later for a second bookable offence, and Popovic’s side had to hold on after that to at least save a point. 808.12.14)