If you are not a member yet, you can sign up here

Second Division - Day 29

The battle for the two direct promotion spots is red hot at the moment, with Sporting Gijón and Valladolid both winning on Saturday evening to replace Las Palmas and Betis, who meet on Sunday lunchtime. Sporting won 0-1 at Leganés to move up to top spot, the Asturians taking the lead with just under a quarter of an hour gone when Velasco turned a Juan Muñiz free kick into his own net. Guerrero and Pablo Pérez wasted chances to increase the lead before the break, but visiting keeper Alberto had to be at his best to save from Bertrán, Velasco and Peña after the restart. Valladolid stay a point behind Abelardo’s side after they clocked up a comfortable 4-0 victory over Numancia, who had to play almost all the game with ten men after Ripa was sent off for bringing down Oscar in only the third minute. In the next ten minutes Hernán Pérez set up Timor for the opener and then scored the second himself, and with just over half an hour gone Timor got his second of the evening after André Leao set him up. That just about wrapped things up, and Oscar completed the scoring from the penalty spot after Regalón brought down Omar Ramos with twelve minutes left on the clock.

As things stand at the moment, it seems that only one play-off spot is open, and Zaragoza move above Ponferradina to that sixth place after a 0-0 draw against Lugo. The Maños had not won in five games though, and once again they lacked fire power, Borja Bastón the only one causing any problems for the visiting defence. Local keeper Alcolea had to save from Pablo Caballero and Toni after the break, and in the end the home team were grateful to even pick up a point. Mallorca’s late push for a top six spot took a set-back as well after Miguel Soler’s side lost 2-0 at Alavés. Visiting keeper Cabrero had to make several saves before Juanma beat him with just under half an hour gone, and Lanzarote picked up a Llamas assist to round the keeper and score the second some ten minutes in to the second half.

Further down the table, Sabadell stay in bottom spot after they drew 1-1 against local rivals Llagostera. Heavy rain at the start made play difficult, but the visitors went close a couple of times before Juanjo headed a Jordi López centre past Nauzet midway through the first half. Kiko Olivas saved a point for Juan Carlos Mandiá’s team though with a header from Cristian’s cross in the third minute of injury time. Recreativo stay two points above Sabadell after they drew 1-1 at home to Tenerife, their third game in a row without defeat. Ifrán picked up a long pass by Maxi Pérez to give the Canary Islanders the lead in the fourth minute, but Caye Quintana levelled it some eight minutes later after Jesús Vázquez put him through. The local players staged a demonstration at the start of the game, remaining stationary for 30 seconds in protest at a serious backlog in their wages. Meanwhile Osasuna are only three points above the drop zone pending Sunday’s games after they too were held to a 1-1 draw by Alcorcón, and with match-fixing allegations hanging over them their future looks grim. Roberto Torres gave them the lead from the penalty spot in the 25 th minute after Escassi fouled Merino, their first goal in six matches. However José García missed a late chance to extend the lead, and Guichón made it all square with five minutes to go after Mayor’s header came back off the post. (14.03.15)

Las Palmas are off the top of the table for the first time in 17 weeks after they were beaten 0-3 by Betis on Sunday lunchtime, the result taking Pepe Mel’s side to the summit in their place! Araujo and Aythami both hit the woodwork and visiting keeper Adán had saves to make in the first half, but some twenty minutes after the interval Jorge Molina connected with a Portillo assist to give the visitors the lead. Eight minutes later Portillo and Varela combined to set up Molina for his second of the game, and soon afterwards Dani Ceballos ran on to a Portillo through ball to score the third. With the top clubs tightly packed at the top, the Canary Islanders drop to fourth, and Girona could have moved above them as well had they been able to beat Albacete later in the evening. However despite going two up the Catalans could only draw 2-2 in the end, and they had to settle for fifth spot. Lejeune opened the scoring for Pablo Machin’s team on the stroke of half time after a defender blocked a shot by Sandaza, and Richy made it two with twenty minutes or so to go with a long shot past Dorronsoro. Portu had hit the crossbar early on though and Becerra had had to make several saves, and in the last quarter of an hour a shot by Keko and a Pulido header from a corner saved a much needed point for the Manchegans.

Ponferradina remain a point behind Zaragoza in seventh place however after they lost 2-1 at Mirandés. Pablo Infante hit the post for the visitors early on in his return to his old hunting ground, but two minutes after the restart Urko Vera got on ther end of an Emilio Sánchez cross to put the home team ahead. Andy levelled it for the visitors with a shot from the edge of the area on the hour mark, but with the game coming to an end Vera headed a Carnicer cross past Kepa to give his side their first win in two months. Mirandés are now up to eleventh, but Racing Santander and Barcelona B stay down in the relegation zone after they drew 1-1 in the Sardinero stadium. The visitors took the lead some twenty minutes in to the second half when Sandro got on the end of a Grimaldo cross to fire in a shot on the far post which Mario was unable to keep out. But with three minutes to go Edgar Ié gave away a penalty on Mariano, and although Ortolá saved Borja Granero’s spot kick, the midfielder header the rebound back into the net to save a point for the Cantabrians. (15.03.15)