Second division, week 28

The top three teams all won this weekend to open up a six point gap on the chasing pack. Leaders Sporting Gijon came from behind to beat Las Palmas 1-2 on Sunday lunchtime, their first win in four games. All goals came in the second half, with Ismael and Miguel cancelling out Momo's earlier strike. Numancia regained second spot after losing it for 24 hours to Levante, a goal from Moreno with less than a minute on the clock enough to give them a 0-1 win at Terrassa. Cádiz are probably out of the promotion chase though after they lost 1-0 at Elche, leaving them down in ninth place.

The relegation battle gets tighter every week, and a 0-1 win by Málaga B at Córdoba took them to within a point of safety. Almería made it seventeen games now without a win, but their 0-0 draw at Salamanca at least keeps them level with Málaga B. Only three points though separate Tenerife, who are now in next to bottom spot, from fourteenth placed Xerez, who drew 1-1 at home to Eibar. (14.03.04)

Levante moved back to second spot after a 1-0 win over Tenerife, a result which saved the head of manager Manolo Preciado. The only goal came from Jofre in the opening minutes of the game. Fourth placed Getafe were beaten 2-0 by a Recreativo Huelva side who have yet to lose in 2004, and who are now within two points of their opponents. Alavés moved level with Getafe after a 1-2 victory against bottom club Algeciras, who are now a long way adrift of the teams above them.

Nobody had much heart to play football though, and nowhere more so than at Vallecas, one of the districts most affected by the terrorist attack on Thursday, where Rayo Vallecano played neighbours Leganés. There were emotive scenes before the game, and it was no surprise that it finished 0-0. Both sides are just outside the relegation spots, as are Poli Ejido, who lost 0-1 to Ciudad Murcia thanks to a late goal from Lerinc. (13.03.04)