Second division, day 27

Leaders Recreativo fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Lorca on Sunday lunchtime, throwing the promotion race even wider open. A strike from Maldonado and a Sava penalty in the first half cancelled out an early goal from Gastón Casas, and the Murcia based side move in to the top three, just two points behind their opponents. Levante and Nàstic are both level with Lorca though after drawing 1-1 later in the evening, and just three points now separate the top five sides. Meanwhile Valladolid got themselves back in the promotion race with a 1-0 win over Castilla, their first home win in over four months.

Ciudad Murcia lost ground though after a 0-1 defeat against Numancia, a first half Tevenet penalty taking Andoni Goikoetxea's side safely up to midtable. Poli Ejido are also moving away from the danger zone after a 2-0 win over Albacete, who are starting to run out of steam again after a good run at the beginning of the new year. Elsewhere the bottom two Eibar and Málaga B did themselves no favours with a 1-1 draw, an injury time goal from Boselli dragging the Basque side down with the Andalusians. (05.03.06)

Sporting Gijón's losing run finally came to an end when they beat Almería 1-0 on Saturday evening. Pablo Alvarez got the goal late in the first half which gave the Asturians their first victory in eleven games. Tenerife's disappointing season continued though after they were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation candidates Castellón. A Cristian Alvarez penalty seemed to have given the Canary Islanders a win before an injury time penalty at the other end saved a point for the visitors.

Elsewhere Racing Ferrol and Real Murcia also shared the points in a 2-2 draw, Cuadrado levelling the scores twice for Kresic's side after Juan Carlos and then Pezzarossi had put the Galicians in front. And a 0-0 draw as well between Lleida and Elche, a result which doesn't help either side in their respective objectives. Second placed Xerez were unable to play their match at Hércules after most of the squad suffered an attack of gastric enteritis, possible due to food poisoning during their stay at a hotel in Alicante. (04.03.06)