Five games on Saturday evening, most of which involving teams down in the bottom half of the table. The most extraordinary result though was the 6-1 victory by Las Palmas against Alavés, with Marcos Márquez getting three for the Canary Islanders. The striker had already scored two in the first quarter of an hour, the first after a mistake by Brandán and the second from a Trashorras pass, and although Gaspar headed against the bar at the other end, Mateo put through his own net five minutes after the restart. Jandro got himself sent off for the visitors, and Nauzet, Márquez and David González completed the rout in the last half hour.

Las Palmas move out of the bottom four, as do Elche, who beat bottom club Vecindario 2-1. Miguel beat the offside trap to open the scoring in the twelfth minute, and Xisco ran on to a long ball from Javi Morales to equalise before the break. Miguel won it though with his second of the night a quarter of an hour from the end, picking up a pass from Gastón Casas to lob the advancing Keleman.

Ponferradina also beat Tenerife 1-0 to record their first victory in nine games, although the game was tinged by tragedy as the father Tenerife's Manuel Castiñeiras died of a heart attack whilst watching the match. Frankowski hit the post for the Canary Islanders early on, but Fran got what was to be the only goal of the game, chipping a shot over Bernardo five minutes before half time.

Real Murcia moved back up to fourth pending Sunday's games after a last minute 1-1 draw at neighbours Lorca. Iván Anía latched on to Isaac's cross to put the hosts ahead in only the fifth minute, and it looked as if they were heading for a valuable three points before Antoñito and Iñaki Bea challenged for a corner, and the ball ended up in the back of the net. Lorca just stay out of the relegation spots thanks to a better goal difference than Tenerife.

A six goal thriller at Málaga, where Real Madrid Castilla came back three times to draw 3-3 with the Andalusians. Salva got all three for the home side in the first half, the first with less than a minute on the clock after rounding Codina, the second after the keeper blocked a previous shot, and the third with a header from a corner. But each time the visitors came back, Negredo picking up a pass from De la Red to cancel out the first, Granero firing home a direct free kick to level the second, and Borja Valero turning in Negredo's cross to equalise for the third time with the game already well in to the second half. (02.12.06)

Leaders Xerez were brought down to earth after losing 1-4 to neighbours Cádiz on Sunday lunchtime. Yordi put the hosts ahead early on after Armando pushed out a Camuñas cross, and Camuñas hit the bar a few minutes later. But an Abraham Paz header and a strike from Jonathan Sesma turned the scoreline around either side of half time. Five minutes later David Prieto gave away a penalty and was sent off in case of mistaken identity (the foul was committed by Yordi), Lobos converting the spot kick, and Vella wrapped things up later on.

Xerez's defeat means that Valladolid move to the top, even though they were pegged back to a 2-2 draw by Almería later on Sunday evening. Llorente put the locals ahead with a low shot in the twentieth minute, and Capdevila made it two with a long effort which Valerio let through with an hour gone. But Pedro López headed in to his own goal a few minutes later, and Michel got on the end of a cross from substitute Mario Bermejo to save a point for the visitors near the end.

Salamanca stay in third place despite being held to a 0-0 draw at home by Numancia. Zé Tó, Garai and Gomes all wasted chances for the locals, but in the end they did well to hold on after having two players sent off in the last twenty minutes, Raúl Gañan for a second bookable offence and then Mario with a straight red card.

Once again the second division is closely fought, with only four points separating sixth from nineteenth spot. Albacete moved away from the danger zone thanks to a 0-1 victory at fourth placed Sporting Gijón, and their three points takes them way up to ninth. Parri got the only goal of the game midway through the second half, heading a David Sánchez free kick past Roberto, and both sides ended with ten men after Barral and Cañas were both shown a second yellow card for fighting.

Castellón move out of the bottom four thanks to a 0-2 victory at Poli Ejido. Natalio got the first goal with just under half an hour on the clock, heading in a cross from Xavi Moré. And Tavares made it two just three minutes after the restart, running on to fire a shot over Kike. Ejido drop down the table to seventh as a result.

Ciudad Murcia put an end to their run of five games without a win after coming from a goal down to beat Hércules 2-1. The visitors took the lead when Moisés headed home a Farinós cross in the first half, but they were left a man short when Kike Mateo was sent off for elbowing Gibanel shortly before half time. And the home side took advantage to turn the game around in the second half, Saizar levelling the scores soon after the restart and Goitom turning in a Xavi Jiménez pass with his heel ten minutes from the end. (03.12.06)