Leaders Xerez moved further ahead at the top of the table after a 0-1 win at Eibar. The Andalusians took the lead against the run of play when Iván Rosado took advantage of a mistake by Iker Garai to score midway through the first half, and only a good save from Etxeberría stopped Geijo from making it two soon afterwards. But otherwise the Basque side had most of the play, with Arriaga and Jaime both hitting the bar before the interval and Iñigo and Solabarrieta going close after the restart. The visitors' defence held fast though, and Geijo almost got a second goal when he headed a corner against the bar.

Levante are back up to sixth after a 3-2 victory over local rivals Castellón, a match in which Mané and Pepe Moré were in charge of their respective sides for the first time. The two clubs had fired their coaches Oltra and Martín Delgado for different reasons, the former as they were dropping away from the promotion spots and the latter as they were bottom of the table. The home side dominated from the start and Riga ran through to fire them into the lead midway through the first half, but Epitié equalised after Zafra's free kick came back off the post. Manchev headed the hosts back in front from Carmelo's cross immediately after the restart, but once again their opponents pegged them back when Torrecilla beat Cavallero in another isolated attack. Alexis finally won it for Levante though when he headed Sandro's corner past Raúl Jiménez, and Congo could have increased the lead when he hit the bar late on.

Tenerife lost ground on the leaders though after a 2-1 defeat at Lleida, who moved to the brink of escaping the relegation zone as a result. The Catalans had not won in seven games, and they fell behind when Cristo Marrero beat Rangel close to half time. But a desperate Miguel Rubio brought on Bilic in the second half, and after hitting the bar the Croatian striker got the equaliser. Nakor headed home Lanzarote's corner later on to save the head of the coach for the time being. Now it's Tenerife boss "Tiger" Barios who is under pressure.

Albacete's recovery also took a blow after losing 1-4 at home to Gimnastic Tarragona. The visitors went ahead in the tenth minute when Llera headed a long free kick past Sanzol, and Ismael Irurzun added the second after getting ahead of the defence on the hour mark. Substitute Serrano came on to make it three, and after the locals were left with ten men when Mingo was injured with all three changes made, David Cuéllar fired home the fourth. Young striker Gato got a late consolation for César Ferrando's side, but by then most people had gone home. . (05.11.05)

Recreativo consolidated second spot after beating promotion rivals Real Murcia by 0-2 on Sunday lunchtime. The locals had the better of the first half with Iván Alonso hitting the crossbar and Pedro León going close with a free kick, and only an effort from Rosu caused any work for Juanmi at the other end. But within a quarter of an hour of the restart the Andalusians were two up, Ramón opening the scoring on the follow up after Iker Begoña's shot came back off the post, and Xavi Jiménez chipping the keeper a few minutes later. Rosu and Gastón Casas could have added to the lead later on, but their side had done enough to take the three points and stay within one of leaders Xerez.

Murcia stay in the promotion spots though after their closest rivals Valladolid and Hércules cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw later in the evening. The home side had the better of the first half but couldn't convert their chances, Sousa, Aduríz and Oscar Sánchez all failing to beat Moso. However Marcos Alonso brought on Llorente early in the second half, and within three minutes he had set up Víctor to open the scoring. Capdevila could have increased the lead when he shot just wide, but with a quarter of an hour to go Moisés levelled the scores from the penalty spot after an unnecessary foul by Oscar Sánchez. And the visitors almost stole away three points when Dani Navarette rounded Bizzarri but then missed the target.

Elche took advantage to draw level on points with both of their rivals, their 2-0 win over Málaga B taking them into fifth place, between Hércules and Valladolid on goal difference. The East coast side took the lead in the opening minute when Nino connected with a Frankowski pass to beat Javi Muñoz from close up, and Peragón somehow failed to make it two just minutes later. Yosu Uribe's side sat back after that though, and the visitors could have equalised either side of half time, Ador in particular shooting wide just before the break. But Raúl Martín made it two against the run of play after Nino set him up a quarter of an hour from the end, and although Málaga B hit the bar near the end they could not beat Unanua.

Málaga B stay in the bottom four, level on points with Lleida and with Poli Ejido, who lost 0-1 against their neighbours Almería. Pepe Mel's side had not won in three games, but they started well with Toedtli, Sunday and Vucko all going close. But the visitors gradually took over command, Luna sending an effort wide from Crusat's cross before the break and Francisco hitting the post after the restart. It seemed though that the game was heading for a draw until Crusat nipped in between a hesitant Oscar and Kike to score the winner and give his side their third victory in a row.

Real Madrid Castilla kept their heads above water with a 0-0 draw at Racing Ferrol, even though several of their best players were on first team duty. One of those was top scorer Roberto Soldado, and he was sorely missed as the youngsters dominated the first half but failed to score, Barral and Adrián Martín both unable to beat Bouchard when free in front of the keeper. Granon missed an easy chance against Cobeño before the interval as well, but after the restart there were only a couple of efforts of note, Baha hitting the post for the locals and Felipe replying with a free kick which also rattled the woodwork.

Points were shared as well in the other two games, with Sporting Gijón coming back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Ciudad Murcia. The Asturians got off to a good start but found themselves behind in virtually the first attack by their visitors, Piti getting on the end of Goitom's pass to beat Roberto. And the local keeper was at fault for a second goal which came on the stroke of half time, his clearance only finding Luque who fired the ball back over his head from some 30 metres out. The locals pulled one back though midway through the second half when Córdoba turned Pablo Alvarez's cross past his own keeper, and in the fourth minute of injury time Pablo Alvarez touched the ball past José Juan to save a point for his side.

The match between Lorca and Numancia finished 1-1, a result which kept the Murcia based side in the top half of the table but took the visitors to within two points of the drop zone. There was only one chance in a dull first half, De Carlos shooting just wide for the home side, but Numancia went ahead with their one and only chance in the match, Juan Carlos Moreno beating Jauregui from close up after the defence failed to clear a long throw. Jorge Sánchez equalised on the hour mark, but Alvaro Nuñez held fast after that, in particular stopping a late effort from Iñaki Bea which would have avoided a third draw in a row for the hosts. (06.11.05)