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Second Division - Day 31

Betis moved three points clear at the top of the second division pending Sunday’s games after beating their struggling neighbours Recreativo 0-1 on Saturday evening. A large contingent of travelling fans swelled the crowd to a season best 14,000, and the locals should have taken the lead when Caye Quintana and then Antonio Domínguez both failed to beat Adán shortly before the break. Some six minutes after the restart though Xavi Torres got on the end of a Varela cross to head past Rubén Gálvez, and a few minutes later Rennella cleared a shot from Quintana off the line with the keeper beaten. Las Palmas stay three points behind Pepe Mel’s team though after they beat seventh placed Ponferradina 4-2 later in the evening, their first win in six games. Striker Sergio Araujo had not scored in ten games, but with just under half an hour gone he intercepted a bad Alan Baró back pass to open the scoring, and some fifteen minutes later he set up Nauzet for the second. Berrocal got one back from Acorán’s cross just two minutes after that, but Araujo restored the two goal cushion soon after the interval from Ortuño’s assist. With twenty minutes to go Yuri scored a second for the visitors after David García brought down Castañeda in the area, Casto saving his spot kick but the striker knocking in the rebound. However Ortuño made it four for the Canary Islanders after a long run by Guzmán, and Vicente Gómez could have scored a fifth had his header not come back off the crossbar late on.

The win takes Las Palmas to third, now two points above Valladolid, who lost 0-1 at home to Albacete. The only goal came with less than a minute on the clock, Samu’s shot hitting both posts and falling kindly for Portu to beat Javi Varas. Paredes had a second goal ruled out later on in the first half, with Marc Valiente and Leao replying at the other end shortly before half time. The visitors were the better side throughout however, and even when Paredes was sent off with ten minutes to go, Dorronsoro had little work to do. No doubt the revelation side in the last few weeks though has been Llagostera, who beat Lugo 3-2 on Saturday to move up to eighth place in the table. The Catalans had taken seventeen points from their last seven games, and they went in front early on when Ruyman headed in Pitu’s corner. Querol made it two some ten minutes later after Dani Mallo pushed out a cross from Ríos, and although Pelayo volleyed one back shortly before half time, Sergio León scored a third for the locals following another Ríos assist just three minutes after the break. Ferreiro hit the post for the visitors with twelve minutes to go, and Luis Fernández reduced the gap again following a corner some two minutes later, but Lluis Carrillo’s team held on to move two points above the Galicians in the table.

Leganés and Numancia drop a point below Llagostera after they cancelled each other out in a 0-0 draw. Natalio and Julio Alvarez went close for the visitors in the opening two or three minutes, but after that chances were few and far between. Local keeper Serantes did well to save a Juanma header from an Alvarez free kick before the break, and Eraso fired the locals’ best opportunity wide of the mark in the second half, but in the end a draw was a fair result. Alavés are just a point behind them both though after they beat Racing Santander 2-1. Manu Barreiro gave the Vitoria based side the lead in the twentieth minute after Toti put him through, and only a good save by Mario prevented the striker from scoring a second. However Mariano levelled the scores on the half hour mark after connecting with Iñaki’s cross, and Goitia had to make several stops as the Cantabrians came back. Jarosik got the winner for the locals though midway through the second half after a Sergio Llamas header came back off the upright, the veteran defender’s shot hitting the same post and going in off Mario to give his team a fifth home win in a row. Racing end the day still down in the bottom four, some two points away from safety. (28.03.15)

Sporting Gijón stay in second place in the table, although they drop two points behind leaders Betis after a 0-0 draw at Osasuna on Sunday lunchtime. The Pamplona based side had not won in eight matches but they had by far the better chances, Alberto having to make a string of saves, the first from a wide Roberto Torres free kick early on. After the restart the visiting keeper thwarted Cedrick, Vujuadinovic and Lotiés, Sisi and David García rattled the woodwork, and Merino and García saw efforts go just wide of the mark. However the Asturians could well have taken an undeserved three points had Riesgo not kept out Castro near the end. Osasuna stay just above the bottom four, although they have widened the gap now to three points.

Later in the evening Girona beat Mirandés 0-1 to take the Catalans up to within a point of Sporting in fourth place. Alex Granell brought a good save out of Imanol in the tenth minute, and five minutes later Richy squeezed a long free kick past the keeper. And after that Pablo Machín’s team closed ranks to ensure their first win in four games. The top five have opened up a seven point gap over sixth placed Zaragoza, who hold on to the last play-off spot once again despite a 1-1 draw at home to Alcorcón. Willian José opened the scoring for the home side after Cabrera played across Pedro’s centre on the quarter hour mark, and only a good save by Javi Jiménez prevented the striker from scoring a second just minutes later. However Fausto made it all square with a shot from outside of the area midway through the second half, and there were some boos from the local fans at the end following another disappointing performance. Alcorcón themselves stay six points below their hosts in twelfth place, one of seven teams in with a chance of catching the Maños if they don’t improve.

Further down the table, Barcelona B remain in next to bottom spot after a 2-2 draw against Tenerife, their eight match in a row without a win. With only three minutes gone Dongou got on the end of Adama’s cross to put the youngsters ahead, and although Ifrán picked up Suso’s through ball to equalize soon afterwards, Patric restored the lead from the penalty spot after Carlos Ruíz tripped Grimaldo in the area. However with just over half an hour on the clock Dongou was sent off for a hard tackle on Vitolo, and Maxi Pérez headed against the post before connecting with Suso’s centre on the hour mark to save a point for the Canary Islanders. Jordi Vinyals’ team are level with Racing and Recreativo, and still a point above bottom club Sabadell, who drew 1-1 with Mallorca in the last game of the weekend. The Catalans started well, Aníbal bringing a good save out of Cabrero before connecting with a Collantes cross to net the opener with a quarter of an hour gone. Collantes hit the post later in the first half, but Agus headed a corner against the crossbar after the break, and with the game in the third minute of injury time Pau Cendrós scrambled home the equalizer. (29.03.15)