Only three matches in the second division on Saturday night, with third placed Valladolid being held to a 1-1 draw by Tenerife. Ex Valencia coach Antonio López was on the Canary Islanders' bench for the first time after taking over from Barrios last week, and he saw his side take the lead on the quarter hour mark when Maikel got above the defence to head past Bizzarri. Víctor had gone close at the other end before that, but the home side were unable to make any further impression in the visiting defence until Llorente got on the end of a cross from Alberto Marcos to equalise on the stroke of half time. Marcos Alonso's side pushed forward after the restart, but despite having most of the play they had to settle for a point in the end.

Promotion candidates Elche and Almería cancelled each other out in a 0-0 draw, a result which left the visitors still a point away from the top three and their hosts two points behind them in eighth position. Despite the result it was a lively match, with chances for both sides throughout the match. Nino and Frankowski wasted the best opportunity for the locals before the break, and Frankowski failed to beat Valerio after he broke free in front of goal in the second half. Carlos García could have won it for Paco Flores's side though later on.

Sporting Gijón closed up to within a point of Elche after beating Lleida 0-1, cutting short the Catalan side's brief recovery of two wins in a row. Pablo Alvarez got what was to be the only goal of the match from the penalty spot in the sixth minute after Txema had fouled Juan, and Biagini and Alvarez came close to adding a second as visitors dominated the first half. Rubén and substitute Jacobo tested Roberto either side of half time, and Txema also brought a good save out of the Sporting keeper later on, but to no avail. (19.11.05)

Xerez opened up a five point gap at the top of the table after beating Levante 2-3 on Sunday lunchtime. The Andalusians took the lead in only the third minute when Geijo set up Castaño, but after Mané reorganised his forces the home side equalised when Riga picked up a pass from Camacho to beat Julio Iglesias. Riga missed a chance soon afterwards to score a second, but with the first half coming to a close Geijo restored the lead for the Andalusians after Cavallero couldn't hold on to David's cross. Congo levelled the scores once again in the second half after Reggi headed on Sandro's long ball, the Colombian striker's first goal for almost a year. But Geijo got on the end of Ismael's long ball to put the visitors back in front, and when Levante's Ian Harte got himself sent off for a second bookable offence ten minutes from the end it was all over.

Second placed Recreativo lost ground on Xerez after drawing 0-0 at Gimnastic Tarragona, although they were happy to come away with a point in the end after having a man sent off in the second half. The Andalusians started well, with Alvaro having to save from Calle early on, but Bolo felt he should have had a penalty at the other end a few minutes later, and Diego Reyes and David Cuéllar both went close before the break. Visiting defender Ramón picked up two yellow cards in three minutes though for fouls on Bolo midway through the second half, and Cuéllar almost avoided Nàstic's first draw of the season when he fired a long shot against the crossbar ten minutes from the end.

Recre's closest rivals fared no better though, Real Murcia being held to a 1-1 draw by Real Madrid Castilla. With a lot at stake it was a bad tempered game, referee Gallo Moreno showing twelve yellow cards in all. The locals took the lead with just over a quarter of an hour gone when Iván Alonso got on the end of a pass from Samuel to beat Cobeño, but Barral equalised just before the break after picking up a back-heel pass from Soldado. Castilla should have won it though when they were awarded a late penalty for a foul by Acciari on De la Red, but Juanmi guessed correctly and saved Soldado's spot kick.

Another of Recre's rivals Hércules were hammered 4-0 by Lorca, curiously the only home win of the weekend in the second division. The Murcia based side took the lead ten minutes before the break when Sava headed Iñaki Bea's pass into the top corner of the net, and Alexandre added a second before the half time whistle after Gorka De Carlos set him up. Jauregui had to save from Moisés and Cámara as the visitors tried to fight back after the restart, but even though Alves was sent off for a second bookable offence the hosts added two more late on, Sava finishing off after a De Carlos effort came down off the bar, and Perona making it four in the last minute.

The bottom four clubs at the start of the day played each other in a dramatic weekend for the relegation places, Numancia climbing back out of the drop zone above Lleida with a 0-1 win over Poli Ejido. The strong wind favoured the visitors in the first half, and Kike had to save from Juan Carlos Moreno and Del Pino before a Moreno free kick took a deflection off Calado to open the scoring. José María Salmerón was in charge of Poli for the first time after Pepe Mel was fired during the week, and Keko came close to levelling the scores for his team either side of half time. A red card for Juanma after the break left them with ten men though, and although Pedro Vega, Toedtli and Moreno all tried their luck, visiting keeper Juan Pablo made sure that Numancia took away the three points.

The defeat left Ejido at the bottom of the table after Castellón took a point from Racing Ferrol in a 1-1 draw. Local defender Jorge Rodríguez went close with a free kick and then cleared an effort from Segovia off the line at the other end in an otherwise dull first half. The visitors took the lead with twenty minutes to go thanks to an Ordoñez penalty after Bouchard was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Héctor, but Héctor himself was sent off with a straight red a few minutes later. With the game coming to an end the Galicians saved the draw when Marcos turned a corner past his own keeper, but they ended with nine men after Granon also picked up a second booking.

Eibar are only one place above the bottom four after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Ciudad Murcia. The Basque side could have taken the lead through Azkoitia and Bergara early on, and Arriaga had a penalty appeal turned down. But Luque also went close for the visitors, and they took control in the second half after Asensio was sent off shortly before the interval. Espadas put Exteberría to the test a couple of times and a shot from Luque came back off the post, but in the end both sides had to settle for a point.

Málaga B move away from the danger area though after an injury time goal gave them a 0-1 victory over Albacete. The home side hit the woodwork twice in the first half, firstly a shot from Diego Castro against the bar and secondly an effort which Rubén Martín almost fumbled in to his own net. Mario Bermejo could have put César Ferrando's side in front with efforts either side of half time, but with the match seemingly heading for a draw Saúl ran on to Castro's pass and, with the local defence motionless claiming offside, the ex Sporting Gijón midfielder fired the ball in to the net. (20.11.05)