Second Division - Day 4

Osasuna moved to the top of the table pending Sunday’s games after beating Leganés 2-1 on Saturday evening. Both sides had chances early on, Nino bringing a good save out of Serrantes and Nauzet turning a shot from Miramón onto the post, but with five minutes to go to the break Roberto Torres gave the Pamplona based side the lead with an impressive free kick from outside of the area. Borja Lázaro got on the end of a Víctor Díaz cross to head the equalizer on the hour mark, but a few minutes later Kodro headed in a Berenguer centre to give his team a third win in four games.

Last week’s second placed side Nàstic suffered their first defeat of the season though, Elche beating them 1-0 to move level with the Catalans in the table. Sergio León got on the end of an Alex Moreno cross to head what was to prove the only goal shortly before half time. León brought a good save out of Reina after the restart, and Cifu hit the bar near the end, although De la Espada could have equalized had Javi Jiménez not kept him out later on. Alavés missed out on a chance to join Osasuna at the top after they lost 2-3 to Mirandés. Carlos Terrazas’ side had won three of their last four visits to the Mendizorroza stadium, and Alex García put them two up in the first half hour, the first a cross from the left which bounced past everyone, and the second after Sangalli’s shot came back off the post. Kiko Femenía rounded Kijera to get one back after the break, but Sangalli restored the two goal cushion after a shot from Sallinas came back off the upright. Toquero scored again for the locals with an angled shot, and then saw another effort deflected onto the crossbar, but Alex García came close to a hat-trick when he lobbed a shot against the bar in the dying minutes.

Valladolid and Córdoba join Alavés on six points after both won their respective matches by a single goal. Valladolid beat Bilbao Athletic 1-0, Juan Villar getting the winner just three minutes before the break. The visitors had the better of play before that though, Santamaría, Guarrotxena and Seguín going close, and there were some whistles from the home crowd before Alfaro played on a long clearance from on-loan Athletic keeper Kepa to set up Villar for the goal. Córdoba meanwhile won 0-1 at Zaragoza, the result taking them a point above the Maños in the table. The Andalusians had lost their last three games, including a mid-week cup defeat against Lugo, but they took the lead in the seventeenth minute with an angled shot by Pedro Ríos which took a slight deflection off Cabrera. Both keepers were in action after that, Razak saving from Pedro and Angel, and Bono keeping out Florín and De Tomás, and half time substitute Ortuño wasted a couple of chances to save a point for the home side after the interval. (12.09.15)

Up to this weekend, the second division was beating records for number of goals scored, but this Sunday things returned to normal, with only four goals in the six matches. Alcorcón join Osasuna at the top of the table, the two teams tied on nine points and with identical goal difference after the Madrid based side beat Ponferradina 1-0. The visitors had knocked their opponents out of the cup in the Santa Domingo stadium just four days ago, but this time the locals came out on top, Máyor setting up David Rodríguez for the only goal with a quarter of an hour to go, even though local defender Chema had been sent off minutes earlier. Numancia and Lugo are just behind the two leaders on eight points, Numancia dropping down from top spot after drawing 0-0 at Mallorca. The islanders only saved a point though thanks to a great performance by keeper Wellenreuther, who made top class saves from Julio Alvarez, Pablo Valcarce and Juanma. Lugo meanwhile won 1-0 against Almería, Carlos Hernández heading the winner from a Sergio Marcos corner with just under an hour gone. Cristian Herrera hit the woodwork for the Andalusians, but they couldn’t prevent a defeat which leaves them two points behind their hosts in the table.

Oviedo are up to fifth spot after they won 0-2 at Tenerife in the last game of the evening, Linares heading the opener for the Asturians from a long Susaeta free kick in only the eighth minute. Borja Valle headed the second after a short corner was played into the area soon after the restart, and the locals ended with ten men after Aitor Sanz picked up a second booking with ten minutes to go. Tenerife end the weekend in bottom spot with only one point from their first four matches, and Llagostera are just above them on three points after they were beaten 1-0 by Albacete. The two teams met in the cup midweek, the Catalans running out 2-1 winners at home, but this time César Sampedro’s team took the three points thanks to a Jona penalty after Portu was brought down by Escassi near the end of the first half. Llagostera keeper René played the last few minutes with a broken shoulder as his side had already made the three substitutions. Huesca and Bilbao Athletic occupy the other two relegation spots, the former after drawing 0-0 at Girona in the Sunday mid-day kick-off. That was thanks mainly to Leo Franco though, the veteran keeper making saves from Mata, Felipe Sanchón and Javi Alamo to ensure a third draw in a row, even though the visitors had Bamcock sent off near the end. (13.09.15)