With a midweek round of games coming up before the Christmas break, no less than eight second division matches were brought forward to Saturday. Leaders Valladolid opened up a five point gap pending Sunday's matches after beating Castellón 1-0, extending their unbeaten run to eleven games. Missing their top scorer Llorente, Medilibar's side were unable to convert any of the chances they made until shortly before half time, when Víctor went past two defenders before beating Oliva. Alberto had to save from Zamora after the restart, but otherwise the locals controlled the match, and Losada and Asier both had chances to increase the lead later on.

Almería moved up into the top three with a last minute 0-1 win over Ponferradina. The visitors appeared to be up against it when Gorka Larrea was sent off for a foul on Rubén Vega five minutes before half time. But they held on, and won it with an injury time Michel penalty after Alessandria brought down an opponent in the area. It was the striker's sixth goal in seven games, and the win extends Unai Emery's side's unbeaten run to six matches.

Real Murcia are level on points with Almería after drawing 1-1 at Elche, although they have actually now gone seven games without a win. After a dull first half, Lucas Alcaraz's side took the lead when Abel headed home Antoñito's cross. But substitute Oscar Díaz levelled the scores with a shot into the roof of the net from outside of the area, and Peragón could have won it for the hosts when he hit the post near the end. It was not to be though, and Elche stay down in the bottom four for another few days at least.

Poli Ejido are up to seventh after thrashing Alavés 5-2, Moreno getting four goals for the locals. The locals had not scored in their last three games, and they fell behind when Ogbeche beat Kike in the twentieth minute. Paco Esteban equalised two minutes later though after Víctor Salas and Ortíz combined to set him up, and Moreno opened his account (his first of the season) with a free kick which Pablo Casar deflected in to his own net. The forward got his second of the night after Porató could only push out Arano's kick, and although Mateo got one back after the restart, Moreno completed his hat-trick with a shot into the top corner of the net two minutes from the end. There was still time though for Moreno to win himself an injury time penalty and convert it himself, handing the visitors another big defeat after their 6-1 thrashing at Las Palmas in their last outing.

Real Madrid Castilla are level with Poli Ejido on points thanks to a 3-2 victory over bottom club Vecindario. Adrián González, son of local coach Michel, started things off with his first goal of the season in the eight minute. And Negredo added two more before the break, the first after Lampón failed to clear a corner, and the second after Adrián set him up. But Xisco got one back for the Canary Islanders with a low shot a quarter of an hour from the end, and Ciani cut in to score a second in the last minute of normal time.

Some relief at last for cash strapped Málaga, a 1-0 win over Tenerife taking them back up into the top half of the table. Salva was probably playing his last match in the Rosaleda stadium before being transferred to a first division club, but it was Pablo Couñago who got what was to prove the only goal of the game eight minutes before half time following José Marí's corner. Salva had a penalty appeal turned down in the second half and Ayoze had a goal disallowed at the other end, but otherwise there was little to entertain the crowd.

Ciudad Murcia came back from a goal to beat Albacete 2-1, a result which took the pressure off coach José Luis Oltra. The East coast side were still unbeaten at home, but had only won once in the last seven games before this one. And they fell behind midway through the first half when Ferrón scored on the follow up after Jaime could only block a previous shot. The local keeper had to produce a string of saves to avoid his side going further behind, but Goitom eventually equalised after Saizar set him up, and Saizar himself won it for the hosts with an individualist effort near the end.

And in the last match of the evening, Las Palmas and Numancia shared the points in a 1-1 draw. Trashorras gave the Canary Islanders the lead before the break, and Márquez and Nauzet both hit the woodwork after the restart. But Del Pino chipped the advancing Pindado to equalise soon afterwards, and the game degenerated after that, with De la Guardia and Aythami being sent off for the locals with straight reds, and Felipe Guréndez getting his marching orders for a second bookable offence in between. (16.12.06)

Valladolid found themselves four points clear at the top after their two closest rivals both lost on Sunday. Third placed Salamanca were beaten 0-1 by Sporting Gijón in their lunchtime kick off, their fourth match in a row without a win. The Asturians have one of the best away records in the league, and Congo in particular caused some problems for the local defence in the first half. Roberto brought a good save out of his namesake at the other end, but with ten minutes to go substitutes Omar and Pedro combined for the latter to score the winner, taking Manolo Preciado's side above their opponents to fourth.

Xerez lost 0-2 at home to Hércules later in the evening, but the Andalusians stay in second placed despite having only picked up two points from their last five matches. Juanlu gave the visitors an early lead with a low shot, and Sergio Aragoneses had to be at his best to keep out a Geijo header at the other end soon afterwards. Pepe Murcia threw everything forward after the restart, but Moisés made it two after Moreno failed to clear a high ball, taking the Alicante based side back up into the top half of the table.

Elsewhere Cádiz beat struggling Lorca 1-2 to stay level with Hércules on points, a result which cost the job of local coach José Aurelio Gay. Fleurquín got the opening goal five minutes before half time following Miguel's free kick, but the midfielder gave away a penalty on Iván Anía a few minutes in to the second half which Ramos converted. Abraham Paz headed home Miguel's cross soon afterwards though to restore the lead and assure the Andalusians their second away win in a row. (17.12.06)