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Second Division - Day 27

Valladolid moved to the top of the table pending Sunday’s games after beating promotion rivals Sporting Gijón 3-0 on Saturday evening. The Asturians had not lost away from home all season, but they found themselves behind on the quarter hour mark, somewhat against the run of play, when Hernán Pérez controlled a long pass by Andre Leao with his back to goal and poked a shot on the turn in off the crossbar. Some ten minutes later Pérez floated a cross in for Oscar to head home the second, and although Javi Varas had work to do after the break, Omar Ramos set up Timor for the third with ten minutes to go. The result takes Rubi’s side above their opponents and Las Palmas on goal difference in a three-way tie at the top.

All the other teams fighting for the promotion spots play tomorrow, but in the meantime Mallorca are up to tenth after a 2-4 victory at struggling Barcelona B. The islanders went ahead midway through the first half when Grimaldo deflected a Joselu header in to his own net following a corner, and Xisco added a second just three minutes later after Joselu laid the ball back. Patric got one back from the penalty spot shortly before the break after Arana tripped Adama in the area, and Grimaldo got on the end of Adama’s cross to make it all square with twenty minutes to go. Joselu restored the lead though with a second penalty after Juste brought him down, and after Babunski was sent off for a hard tackle on an opponent, Marco Asensio wrapped things up with an impressive free kick in the fourth minute of injury time.

Lugo are level on points with Mallorca though after they won 0-2 at Osasuna. Both goals came early on, Iriome connecting with Toni’s cross to open the scoring in the third minute, and David García turning Iriome’s cross into his own net some ten minutes later. Lugo’s Pavón was shown a straight red card early on in the second half, but the locals also had Vujadinovic and Merino sent off a few minutes later. It was a fourth defeat in a row for the Pamplona based side, and it cost the job of coach Jan Urban, who was fired soon after the final whistle.

Further down the table Sabadell moved off the bottom of the table pending Recreativo’s game on Sunday after beating Alavés 2-1. Anibal returned to the Nova Creu Alta to head the Catalans into the lead from Cristian’s cross on the half hour mark. And although Toti headed the equalizer from Medina’s centre a quarter of an hour into the second half, Collantes got the winner for Juan Carlos Mandiá’s side late on with a long free kick which went through the hands of Manu Fernández. (28.02.15)

Las Palmas end the weekend at the top of the table once again despite being held to a 1-1 draw by neighbours Tenerife in this Sunday’s mid-day kick-off. There were few chances in a tense first half, the best coming from Hernán for the locals and Suso for the visitors. Just two minutes after the restart Maxi Pérez intercepted a bad back pass from half time substitute Momo to open the scoring for the visitors, but three minutes later Momo made up for his mistake, floating in a free kick for Hernán to head the equalizer in off the post. After that the locals pushed forward to look for the winner, Vitolo lucky to be let off a penalty appeal for hands, but Tenerife held on for a point which keeps them two above the drop zone.

Later in the evening Girona beat Numancia 2-1 to move back up to third, a point below the leaders in the table. Alex Granell put the Catalans ahead on the half hour mark from the penalty spot after Juanma brought down Mata in the area, but Cicinho made it all square following a corner shortly before the break. Sandaza converted a hotly disputed second penalty though with ten minutes to go after he fell under a challenge from Julio Alvarez, provoking a red card for coach Anquela for his protests, and the visitors ended with nine men after Gaffoor and then Ripa picked up second yellow cards after that. Only two points separate the top five though, Betis dropping to fifth after a 0-0 draw at Mirandés. Pepe Mel’s side were lucky to come away with a point though, Jordi heading Emilio’s free kick against his own upright on the stroke of half time, and after Bruno was sent off for a second bookable offence, Urko Vera heading a last minute chance over the top.

Eight points now seperate Betis from sixth placed Zaragoza however after the Maños were held to a 2-2 draw by Llagostera. Popovic’s side took the lead twice, the opener coming on the half hour mark after Jordi López gave away a penalty on Eldin which Borja converted. Juanjo headed the equalizer from a corner though with three minutes to go to the break, and the visitors wasted a chance to take the lead two minutes later when Alcolea saved a Perea penalty which Cabrera gave away. Borja restored the lead two minutes into the second half after connecting with a long ball into the area, but Pitu made it all square again with an effort which Cabrera turned into his own net. Despite the draw Zaragoza move three points clear of their closest rivals Ponferradina, who were beaten 2-1 by Albacete. Both of the local goals came from the penalty spot, Rubén Cruz netting the first with just over half an hour gone after Alan Baró tripped up Keko, and the second midway through the second half after Cruz himself was brought down by Gaztañaga. Jonathan headed one back from Tete’s cross soon after the first goal, but they couldn’t prevent the Manchegans from clocking up a much needed victory which takes them out of the relegation zone.

Leganés missed out on a chance to go above Ponferradina after they lost 1-2 at home to city rivals Alcorcón, who themselves are now three points behind their hosts in the table. The visitors had gone ten games without a victory, but David Rodríguez gave them the lead after Guichón set him up some ten minutes before the break, and the striker should have added a second when Serantes saved his penalty kick after Diamanka brought down Martínez early on in the second half. Diamanka was sent off soon afterwards for a foul on Guichón, and Rodríguez made up for his miss with his side’s second minutes later. Velasco got one back following a corner with twenty minutes left on the clock, but although Fran Cruz was also red carded a quarter of an hour later, the visitors held on to end their neighbours’ run of four wins in a row. Further down the table Recreativo beat fellow strugglers Racing Santander 1-0 to move above their opponents in the table, although both stay in the bottom four for another week. Local boy Caye Quintana got the only goal following a corner with five minutes to go to give his team a first victory in fourteen games, and visiting keeper Mario Fernández was sent off after picking up a second booking in the goal incident. (01.03.15)