With six games still to go in the second division, the three promotion spots are still wide open, and poor results for the top teams in recent weeks has allowed others to join the race. Joint leaders Levante appeared to be on the way to victory when they went two up against Córdoba with only twenty minutes on the clock, both goals coming from Rivera following free kicks. But Berruet pulled one back from a corner five minutes later, and Villa levelled the scores at 2-2 only a minute after the restart following a good team move. Local substitute Reggi had had a goal disallowed for offside late in the first half and Félix headed against the post following a corner soon after Córdoba's equaliser, but otherwise the visitors came closest to scoring, with Mora saving from Villa and George and Pulpo González both going close.

Alavés meanwhile were held to a 0-0 draw at Terrassa, and they could be out of the top three again if Sporting can win in their table topping clash at Numancia on Sunday lunchtime. Both sides got off to a wary start, neither wanting to take any risks, and the only real shots at goal came from the home side, Rodríguez and Gallego both shooting wide. The game opened up more after the interval as time wore on, but although there were chances at both ends neither team were able to take advantage. Local striker Maikel should have won it though in the last minute after a mistake by Gaspercic, but he shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

Getafe took advantage to close to within a point of the promotion spots after coming from behind to beat neighbours Rayo Vallecano 1-2. Rayo were desperate for a win after only picking up two points from their last five matches, although it was never going to be easy as Txetxu Rojo was missing six of his key players through injury. They came out with determination though, Luis Cembranos testing Sergio Sánchez early on and then producing a great run only for Geni to shoot way over the top with only the keeper to beat. And a minute before half time they got the goal they were looking for, Cembranos setting up Roberto Fresnedoso for him to shoot into the top corner of the net. The locals were left with ten men though on the hour mark after Iriney was shown a straight red card, and four minutes later Craioveanu took advantage to shoot low past Saja and level the scores. Then with four minutes to go and a draw looking the more likely result, Pachón headed the winner to send Rayo further into the relegation zone.

Rayo's defeat means they have now been caught by Las Palmas, who at least picked up a point in a 1-1 draw against Salamanca. The game was billed as the battle between the two top goalscorers in the league, Rubén and Raúl Sánchez, and over 20,000 turned up to watch despite the low positions of both in the league. The game got off to a slow start, and the first shot did not come until midway through the first half when Stelea saved from Rubén. The local striker got his name on the scoresheet a few minutes later though when he headed De la Guardia's cross past the keeper, but the lead only lasted two minutes before Tuni finished off after Escoda had headed on a free kick. Rubén hit the bar soon afterwards and Raúl Sánchez rattled the woodwork twice before the break, but the game settled down again after the restart and after home side defender Mattheus was sent off both sides decided that a point was enough.

The other Canary Island side Tenerife are pulling away from the danger spots though, and they beat Ciudad Murcia 2-3 for their first away win of the season. Hidalgo and Keko both hit the post for the visitors in the opening minutes, but Güiza gave the home side the lead when he headed home Aguilar's centre midway through the first half. Hidalgo equalised from La Paglia's free kick soon afterwards, but Güiza restored the lead on the stroke of half time when he chipped keeper Robert Enke. Keko equalised again though in the first minute of the second half and then got the winner from the penalty spot after he himself was brought down by Falcón on the hour mark. (08.05.04)

The Sunday lunchtime promotion battle between Numancia and Sporting Gijón ended 1-1, leaving the top five sides only separated by three points. Both teams could have scored early on, Miguel hitting the bar for the visitors and Rosu going close for the Soria based side. The locals were left with ten men when Octavio was sent off in the twentieth minute, but the Asturians couldn't take advantage and lost a man themselves when Juan picked up a second yellow card in the second half. Juan Carlos Moreno opened the scoring for the hosts a few minutes later for the hosts after a mistake by the defence, but Ismael grabbed a late equaliser after good work by Rubén to keep his side in the race for a place in the top three.

At the other end of the table Leganés and Almería could only draw 0-0, a result which leaves both struggling down near the relegation spots. The visitors dominated the first half and could have taken the lead as early as the first minute when Raúl had to save from Francisco. But Valerio did well to keep out a Txiki free kick at the other end, and Borja could have won it for the Madrid based side when he shot straight at the keeper from point blank range in the last minute. The result keeps Almería two points clear of their opponents, who climb out of the bottom four on goal difference pending the evening's matches.

Recreativo Huelva failed to join the leading group when they were beaten 1-0 by Xerez on Sunday evening. Either side could have scored in the early moments, Iker Begoña putting a free kick just wide for the visitors and Moreno going close from Del Pino's cross at the other end. The locals took the lead though midway through the first half when Mena ran through to beat Toño with a low shot. Recre did their best after the break, Unanua saving well from Uche and Oscar Arpón hitting the crossbar. But they could not get back in the game, and ended the weekend seven points adrift of the promotion spots.

Cádiz moved up to seventh place, just a point behind Recreativo, after beating Eibar 0-1. With little at stake it was a dull game, with the only real chance for the home side in the first half coming from Corredoira when he charged down a clearance from Iglesias and the rebound almost went in the net. Local keeper Basauri saved efforts from Dani Navarrete and Iban Espadas either side of half time, and with a quarter of an hour to go the referee awarded the visitors a hotly disputed penalty when Jonathan Sesma's shot hit Karmona on the arm, substitute Manolo Pérez converting the kick for the winning goal.

Málaga B moved away from the relegation spots after coming back from two goals down to win 2-3 at Elche. Things looked grim for the Andalucians when Luis Gil scored with only five minutes gone and Moisés added a second following a free kick half an hour later, and it could have been worse if Goitia had not saved from Nino before the half time interval. But Juanma got one back on the hour mark with a shot in off the post, and Geijo made it all square soon afterwards as the defence hesitated. Dani Mallo did well to stop Rodríguez as the visitors surged forward, but he could do nothing three minutes from the end when Juanma ran through to hit the winner. Elche slide back down the table to eleventh, and manager Oscar Ruggeri could be on his way fairly soon.

The other match on Sunday evening ended without goals, Poli Ejido drawing 0-0 at home to bottom club Algeciras. The Almería based side had not won in five games before this one, and the draw takes them down to within one point of the bottom four. Neither keeper was really troubled throughout the game, and the only scoring chances came in a frantic finish, with Sabino and Agostinho going close for the locals and Sequeiros and Tevenet doing likewise for the visitors. (09.05.04)