Leaders Xerez threw down the challenge to second placed Recreativo Huelva with a 0-3 win at Gimnastic Tarragona on a rainy Saturday evening. The locals hadn't won at their Nou Estadi in four games, but they almost went ahead in only the second minute when Ekpoki hit the post. However a quarter of an hour later Mendoza caught Alvaro off his line with a long free kick to open the scoring, and shortly before the break Pedro Ríos won the ball off a hesitant Jaio to make it two. Nàstic tried to get back after the break, Julio Iglesias making a first class save from Jaio and Ekpoki going close again with a spectacular bicycle kick. But Geijo got a third goal for Lucas Alcaraz's side soon afterwards on a rapid breakaway, taking them six points clear of their closest rivals pending Sunday's matches.

The third place in the table is still up for grabs this weekend, with four teams tying on points after today's games. Sporting Gijón edged Valladolid out of the promotion spots for 24 hours at least after drawing 0-0 at Racing Ferrol, their ninth game in a row without defeat. Almost a third of the 6,000 plus crowd were from Asturias, and they almost saw their side take the lead when David Karanka's first minute header was well saved by Bouchard. But despite having most of the play, the visitors hardly troubled the French keeper before the break, and Baha and Moisés put Roberto to the test either side of half time. In the end though the points were shared, leaving the hosts without a home win in over three months.

Elche are just behind fifth placed Levante after being held to a 2-2 draw by Tenerife. It was a good result for the Canary Islanders' new coach David Amaral, who returned to the club for a second spell midweek after Antonio López resigned. The home side went ahead early on, Raúl Martín's clever back-heel catching Keleman off guard, and Peragón should have made it two before the break when he failed to beat the keeper. Toñito took advantage of a slip by Trotta to level the scores ten minutes after the restart, and although Nino picked up a pass from Pere Martí to restore the lead three minutes later, Jesús Vázquez made it all square again following a corner soon afterwards. (07.01.06)

City rivals Real Murcia and Ciudad Murcia played out a 0-0 draw on Sunday lunchtime, a result which left them in a three way tie with their other neighbours Lorca at the end of the weekend. The visitors got the ball in the net in the first minute from a Luque free kick, only to see the strike ruled out for the positional offside of Kome. There were virtually no chances though for either side until just before the break, when local keeper Juanmi saved from Luque, and the home side didn't trouble Jaime until near the end, when Nacho Garro brought a good save out of the keeper and Diego Alonso hit the outside of the post soon afterwards. Real Murcia's management decided they had had enough though after a string of poor results, and they sacked coach Casuco after the game.

Málaga B manager Juan Carlos Añon also lost his job after his side dropped to the foot of the table following a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Castellón. The two clubs started the day in the bottom two positions, but the visitors got off to a good start when Jonan García got in between an indecisive Javi Muñoz and Rubén to open the scoring in the twelfth minute. And when new signing Aurelio headed home Castell's corner just three minutes later the game was already virtually over. Segovia hit the bar for the locals later in the first half, but it was not until the last minute of the match that they got one back, Xavi Moré heading in to his own net trying to clear.

A last minute penalty from Gastón Casas earned a 1-1 draw for second placed Recreativo Huelva against Numancia later in the evening, although the result left the Andalusians five points behind Xerez at the end of the weekend. Andoni Goikoetxea's side put up a defensive barrier right from the start, and only a long shot from Benítez caused any problems for Juan Pablo in the first half. The visitors were left with ten men just before the break when Otxoa picked up a second booking, and Marcelino made two attacking changes at half time and then brought on Uche on the hour mark. The Nigerian forward limped off with an injury though just three minutes later, and with numbers now even Tevenet gave the Soria based side the lead from a Juan Carlos Moreno free kick. It looked as if Recre were going to lose their unbeaten home record when Juanpa handled in the area, and Casas stepped up to save a point.

Almería took advantage of poor results by the sides immediately above them to jump up to third thanks to a 0-1 win at Real Madrid Castilla. Paco Flores's side got off to a flying start, Cobeño having to save from Ortíz and then stopping a Michel penalty after Crusat had been fouled in the area. The keeper could do nothing though in the seventeenth minute when Crusat took advantage of slack defending to open the scoring. Javi García and Jotha tried their luck for the locals before the break, Barral had a penalty appeal turned down and Negredo, Jurado and Adrián Martín all had second half strikes saved by visiting keeper Valerio, but Almería held on for three important points. Both sides ended the game with ten men after Rubén and Domingo were sent off for second bookable offences.

Last week's third placed team Valladolid came back from behind to draw 1-1 at Poli Ejido, not enough to keep them from dropping out of the promotion spots after four games without a win. Visiting keeper Bizzarri had to be at his best to turn an effort from Pedro Vega for a corner in the fourth minute, but just two minutes later Vega beat him after Víctor Salas headed across. Llorente shot wide at the other end soon afterwards, as did Keko for the locals later in the first half. Marcos Alonso's side equalised against the run of play though midway through the second half, and only a couple of key saves from Kike prevented them from getting the winner after that.

Levante were held to a 0-0 draw at home by struggling Eibar, and they ended the weekend level with Valladolid in fifth spot. Curiously both sides had their assistant coaches on the bench, with Mané serving out a one match ban and Roberto Olabe still waiting for his papers to come through after taking over from Carlos Terrazas. The instructions from the visitors were clear though, and they sat back and allowed their opponents to come at them. The hosts were unable to break through, Ettien missing an early chance and Coutois failing to take advantage a couple of times after the restart. And the Basque side almost snatched a win (despite having Fagoaga sent off) when Asensio intercepted an injury time back pass from Alexis but failed to beat Aizpurúa.

Albacete put an end to their bad run with a 2-0 victory over Hércules, both goals coming in injury time in the first and second halves. The Manchegans had only won one of their last eight games, and their keeper Rubén Martín kept the scores level with a save early on from a Cámara free kick. Gato shot into the side netting though a few minutes later, and with the first half coming to an end Mario Bermejo beat Sergio Sánchez with a shot on the turn. Visiting coach Mandía threw on all his fire power after the break, but in the second minute of injury time David Sánchez sent Aranda away for him to set up Parri for a second goal.

A last minute goal saved a point for Lleida in a 2-2 draw against Lorca, taking the Catalan side out of the relegation spots thanks to a better goal average than Castellón and Numancia. The visitors went ahead in the tenth minute with a Xavi Moro penalty after Pelegrí fouled Sava in the area, but Bilic scrambled an equaliser on the half hour mark. Alves restored the lead though midway through the second half with a well struck free kick, and Rangel had to be at his best to stop Ramos putting Lorca further ahead near the end. But with the game in injury time Sergio Rodríguez beat Jauregui with a shot from outside of the area to make it four games without defeat for Miguel Rubio's side. (08.01.06)