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Second Division - Day 24

Valladolid are up to second pending Sunday’s games after a convincing 1-4 win at Racing Santander. The locals had the better of the opening minutes however, but they were unable to take any of their chances, and they found themselves behind on the half hour mark when Timor’s free kick took a deflection off the defensive wall to wrong-foot Mario. Marc Valiente got the second shortly after the restart after Timor headed on a corner, and Jonathan Pereira made it three after Mojica set him up soon afterwards. Mariano thought he should have had a penalty before that, but with an hour on the clock Oscar scored the fourth from Pereira’s assist, referee Medié Jiménez waving away appeals for offside. David Concha did get one back for the Cantabrians later on after latching on to Koné’s through ball, and Quique González got the ball in the net again only for the strike to be ruled out for a possible hand ball, all of which meant that the referee was resoundingly booed off the pitch after he blew the final whistle.

Zaragoza are back up into the play-off spots after they beat Barcelona B 4-0 in the Romareda stadium. Borja Bastón gave the Maños the lead with just under half an hour gone after Eldin and Pedro combined to set him up, and just two minutes after that the striker beat Suárez for a second time after Pedro played on a Fernández throw-in. Sandro fired a penalty wide at the other end a few minutes later after Bono brought down Dongou in the area, but shortly before half time Pedro made it three with a low shot after Eldin laid the ball back. Patric fired a free kick just over the bar after the interval, and Bono had to save from Sandro later on, but with the game coming to an end Ruíz de Galaretta put Javi Alamo through to complete the scoring.

Alcorcón and Mirandés distanced themselves from the top six after cancelling each other out in a 2-2 draw. The visitors went two up, Fran Carnicer opening the scoring early on after picking up a poor clearance by Héctor Verdés, and Urko Vera getting the second after another defensive mistake midway through the second half. At that point things looked bad for local coach Bordalás, his side not having won since the beginning of December, but they came back with strikes by Oscar Plano and Mayor in the last twenty minutes to at least save a point.

Further down the table Llagostera climbed out of the bottom four after a 1-0 victory over fellow strugglers Recreativo, who end the weekend in next to bottom spot having only picked up two points from their last eleven games. The Catalans dominated for most of the match, Pitu seeing his free kick deflected on to the crossbar before the break, and with ten minutes to go another Pitu free kick came back off the bar again, and Aimar was on hand to turn it into the net.

The other match on Saturday between Alavés and Osasuna was postponed following a cold snap in the North of Spain and a local snowfall which left sheets of ice on the pitch. Osasuna now have two games in hand after their fixture last weekend against Zaragoza was also called off. (07.02.15)

Leaders Las Palmas were beaten 2-1 by Lugo in this Sunday’s mid-day game, and after only picking up two points from their last three away games they are gradually being caught by the chasing pack. Nauzet gave the Canary Islanders the lead with a well struck free kick shortly before the break, but just four minutes after the restart Iriome equalized, knocking in the rebound after Casto had saved a Carlos Pita penalty following a foul on Iriome himself. With an hour on the clock Iriome scored his second of the day after Lolo Plá played on a cross, and although Jonathan Viera hit the post later on, the Galicians held on for their first win in nine games. Later in the evening Girona and Sporting Gijón both won to move level on points with Las Palmas, the Catalans occupying the second automatic promotion spot behind Paco Herrera’s side after a 0-1 victory at Tenerife. Lejeune headed the only goal for the visitors in the eighth minute from a Felipe Sanchón corner, and only some good saves by Dani Hernández prevented Sanchón, Sandaza and Mata from increasing the lead. Not a good start for Tenerife’s new coach Raúl Agné, who took over from Alvaro Cervero midweek, and his team stay down in the relegation zone after six matches without a win.

Sporting Gijón meanwhile kept up their push for a return to the top flight with a 2-1 victory over Albacete. The Asturians had the better of the first half, Pablo Pérez hitting the post and the referee turning down three good penalty appeals, but just two minutes after the interval Samu gave the visitors the lead following Pitu’s quickly taken free kick. Substitute Carlos Castro equalized though after connecting with Jony’s assist just two minutes after coming on, and with three minutes to go Jony got the winner after Sergio Alvarez and Carmona combined to set him up. Betis also had a chance to draw level with the top three, but they remain two points adrift after they were held to a 1-1 draw by seventh placed Ponferradina. Jorge Molina opened the scoring for the locals with just over half an hour gone after Alan failed to clear a Piccini cross, and only a string of saves by young keeper Kepa prevented them from increasing the lead. Pepe Mel pulled his men back to defend however after the interval, and with the game in injury time Bruno was sent off for giving away a penalty on Alan, and although Adán saved Yuri’s spot kick, the striker reacted quickly to score from the rebound.

Leganés moved up to ninth spot after a 0-2 win at Mallorca, a result which cost the job of local coach Valery Karpin, who was fired shortly after the match ended. The visitors went two up in the first half hour, Diego Aguirre volleying home the first, and Chuli picking up a long ball to score the second. Marco Asensio did rattle the crossbar at the other end, but even with three new signings on the park the locals were unable to prevent a third defeat in a row, and they end the weekend just three points above the drop zone. Numancia stay just behind Leganés in the table after they beat bottom club Sabadell 3-0, their first victory after a run of six draws and one defeat. Recent snowfalls meant the game was in doubt until a few hours before kick-off, but the locals took an early lead, Sergi Enrich heading a Julio Alvarez free kick past De Navas. Vicente headed against the bar before scoring the second with a deflected shot early on in the second half, and Julio Alvarez completed the scoring from the penalty spot a few minutes later after Kiko Olivas was sent off for bringing down Vicente in the area.(08.02.15)

Alavés beat local rivals Osasuna 3-0 on Wednesday evening to leap seven places up the table to eighth place. The match was postponed from five weeks ago due to a snow-bound pitch, and with the locals having won their last three home games, a season best 12,000 crowd turned up at the Mendizorroza stadium. The Vitoria based side went ahead early on, Manu Barreiro connecting with Toti’s assist to beat Santamaría. .Goitia had to save from Merino and Javi Flaño later in the first half, but Sergio Llamas and Barreiro wrapped things up with two more goals in the first fifteen minutes after the restart. The defeat leaves the visitors just two points above the drop zone having only picked up one point in their last seven games. (18.03.15)