Second division, week 38

The top three all won this weekend, opening up a three point gap on the rest of the pack. Leaders Levante beat struggling Las Palmas 2-0 in a match which kicked off at midday, Reggi and Congo getting the goals in either half. They remain two points ahead of Alavés and Numancia, who recorded a comfortable 3-0 victory over Málaga B, courtesy of strikes by Pineda, Rosu and Kome.

Sporting Gijón and Getafe lost ground on the leaders as both were held to away draws. Sporting played out an extraordinary 2-2 draw at Eibar, where they fell behind to two controversial penalties and ended up scrambling a last second equaliser which appeared to have been scored by their goalkeeper Roberto as he came up for a corner. By then the Asturians were playing with eight men after having had three players sent off. Getafe's match against neighbours Leganés was much more boring and ended without goals.

The other four games on Sunday also ended all square, meaning that the bottom spots looked very similar at the end of the day to what they did at the start. Rayo Vallecano are in big trouble though, and they only managed to save a point against bottom club Algeciras when Peragón made it 2-2 in the last minute. Poli Ejido and Córdoba did themselves no favours sharing the points at 1-1, the same result as the match between Ciudad Murcia and Almería. And Terrassa inched away from the relegation zone after coming back from two down to tie 2-2 with Recreativo

In the second division B, Lleida, Lorca, Racing Ferrol and Ourense head their respective groups at the end of the first day of the promotion play-offs. (23.05.04)

Alavés moved to the top of the second division pending Sunday's games after beating Elche 0-2. Rubén Navarro got the opening goal early on and then set up De Lucas for the second after the break. It was a bad start for Elche's caretaker manager Lico, who took over from Ruggeri during the week.

Tenerife made it eight games without defeat after drawing 2-2 against Cádiz, although they should have done better after racing in to a two goal lead within the first twenty five minutes. And Xerez moved up to a safe eighth place in the table with a 3-0 victory over Salamanca.

The promotion play-offs began today, with a depleted Real Madrid B being beaten 1-2 by Ourense and Racing Ferrol winning 0-1 away at Sevilla B. (22.05.04)