With a round of midweek matches coming up before the Christmas break, no less than seven games were brought forward to Saturday evening.

Cádiz extended their lead at the top of the table to four points with a 4-1 in over Tenerife, a club record seventh victory in a row. Jonathan Sesma started things off with two goals in the first ten minutes, the first following a long ball out of defence from Abraham Paz and the second from Pavoni's square pass. Only some first class saves by Keleman kept out Manolo Pérez, Oli and Paz before half time, but Paz headed home a Manolo Pérez free kick soon after the restart, and the visitors were left with ten men when half time substitute Hidalgo was sent off for a two-footed tackle just three minutes or so after coming on. The locals took advantage to score a fourth, Kirian turning Pavoni's header into his own net following a corner, but Keko did at least get a late consolation goal for the Canary Islanders near the end.

Second placed Eibar kept up their good away record with a 0-0 draw at Sporting Gijón. It was another solid defensive performance by the Basque side, who didn't allow their opponents near to goal throughout the first forty-five minutes. Half time substitute David Bauzá could have put the locals ahead though with a long shot against the upright just minutes after coming on, but otherwise both keepers were only really tested near the end as the two sides came out looking for a win.

Gimnàstic Tarragona beat local rivals Lleida 2-1, a fourth win in a row and a record seventh match without defeat which takes them up to fifth pending Sunday's games. Veteran striker Pinilla was the local hero, hitting the post with a free kick early on and opening the scoring with a header from Iván Ania's free kick later in the half. The visitors thought they had had a lucky escape on the stroke of half time when a defender hit an attempted clearance against his own bar in a goalmouth scramble, but the referee ruled that Marín had handled when the ball bounced up and hit him, and Pinilla scored from the resulting penalty. Lezaun headed one back though in the second half, and only some key saves from local keeper Juanjo Valencia kept his side ahead. Nàstic ended the game with ten men when Txema was sent off for a reckless tackle.

Xerez lost out on the chance to move up into the top three after they lost 1-0 to neighbours Recreativo. The visitors were the better side in the first half, and could have been ahead had Toño not stopped a Del Pino header at point blank range. Rosu brought a good save out of Julio Iglesias at the other end before the break, but it was not until five minutes from the end that substitute Uche picked up a long pass to beat the keeper for a second last-gasp home win in a row.

Defeats for three of the four clubs in the relegation zone, and a five point gap has opened up between them and the rest of the pack. Córdoba failed once again to raise their heads above the water, losing 2-0 to a Poli Ejido side who had not won in nine games. The locals dominated the game early on, with Sabino heading against the woodwork from a corner, and shortly before half time the ex Osasuna striker opened the scoring with another header from close up which crept in off the post. Pedro Vega added a second from Corona's pass in the second half, leaving the visitors firmly anchored at the bottom of the table with only six points all season.

Real Murcia lost 0-1 to Terrassa, cutting short their brief recovery under caretaker manager Mario Husillos. The hosts should have been in front by the half time whistle, Carrera, Richi, Valera and Munteanu all wasting chances in front of Morales. But the Catalans took the three points thanks to a second half strike from Molist, who got ahead of Juanmi to connect with Besora's free kick and flick the ball into the net. Morales had to save again from a Julio Alvarez free kick later on to ensure the win, although Quique Martín could also have increased the lead near the end.

Meanwhile Murcia's city neighbours Ciudad Murcia were hammered 4-0 by Racing Ferrol, a result which cost the job of manager Miguel Alvarez, who was fired the following day. Flavio Barros started things off in only the second minute when the defence failed to clear Jorge Piña's cross, and Jaio headed the second past Miki midway through the first half from a long free kick. Bermejo made it three before the break, again from Piña's square pass, and Curro Vacas finished things off with long shot after the break for his side's first win in six games. (18.12.04)

Celta and Valladolid both closed back up on the promotion spots with victories on Sunday lunchtime. Celta beat their Galician neighbours Pontevedra 2-0, their ninth game in a row without defeat to take them up to sixth in the table. It was not an easy win though, and the visitors came closer to scoring in the first half, Pinto saving from Javi Rodríguez and Contreras clearing off the line from Charles with the keeper beaten. The Vigo based side took the lead though when Vryzas latched on to Jandro's pass to turn the ball past Moso just a couple of minutes after the restart, and although Navarro crashed a shot against the crossbar soon afterwards, Juan Sánchez wrapped things up on the breakaway with a charge out of his own half in the last minute. The result leaves the visitors still in the relegation zone, and means that all four of the bottom clubs lost.

Valladolid won 0-2 away at Málaga B, who ended the day only one place above the relegation spots. The visitors were on top from the start, and Aduriz and Oscar both missed chances before Aduriz headed home Oscar's free kick three minutes before the interval. The home side had only troubled Bizzarri once in the first half, the Argentine keeper saving well from Usero, but he was in action early in the second half to stop another effort from Ador. Sergio Kresic's side went further ahead though when Sousa broke away for German Hornos to back-heel the ball into the net, and the young Uruguayan striker could have added a third later on had Goitia not been on his toes.

Alavés moved up to second in the table after a 2-1 win over Almería on Sunday evening. The Vitoria based side were two up within the first twenty minutes, Bodipo (who had already hit the crossbar) opening the scoring with a chip over the head of Valerio, and Nené getting a second from the penalty spot after De Lucas was pulled down in the area. But the visitors came back after the break, with Nanni and Rios going close, and soon after local defender Carreras was sent off for a second bookable offence, Galca struck home a long shot to set up an exciting last couple of minutes.

Fourth placed Elche lost ground on the leaders though after they fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Salamanca, who moved away from the danger zone as a result. Yosu Uribe's side could have taken the lead early on with a long free kick which hit both posts before bouncing away, but Afek should have put the locals ahead a few minutes later. Both goals though came late on, Lupido getting the first from the penalty spot after keeper Unanua fouled Zé Tó, and Gorka Brit got the second on a rapid breakaway three minutes from the end. By then though Uribe had been sent off for protesting. (19.12.04)