Second division, day 19

Cádiz extended their lead at the top of the table to four points after a 4-0 win over Pontevedra on Sunday evening, Navarrete, Pavoni, Jonathan and Manolo Pérez getting the goals. Alavés stay in second spot despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Nàstic after playing all the second half with ten men, Diego Torres equalising for the Catalans late on after Nené had put the locals in front in the first half.

Valladolid and Celta are just a point outside of the promotion spots though after they both won again, the Valladolid players dedicating all their goals to German Hornos (in hospital recovering from a car crash) after beating Poli Ejido 0-3, and Canobbio getting a late goal for Celta to give them a 2-1 victory over Xerez.

Recreativo kept their hopes of promotion alive with a 3-0 win over Lleida, who ended the game with nine men. Sporting Gijón celebrated the start of their centenary year with a 1-0 victory over Almería, Ismael getting the only goal late in the first half. And Real Murcia kept up their revival with a similar result against Eibar, thanks to a last minute strike from Julio Alvarez after the visitors had missed an early penalty and then had a man sent off. (09.01.04)

Four games kicked off on Saturday, with Elche ensuring they stay in the top three for another few days after beating bottom club Córdoba 0-2. An extraordinary match at Salamanca, where the hosts threw away a two goal lead and ended losing 4-5 to Tenerife, for whom Hidalgo scored a hat-trick. There were goals as well in the other two games, Málaga B beating Ciudad Murcia 3-1 and Racing Ferrol running out 3-0 victors over Terrassa. (08.01.05)