Seven games in the second division on Saturday, although the only issue at stake at this stage of the competition is who will go down. Lorca will be one of the four sides though after a disappointing 0-4 defeat against Castellón left them thirteen points away from safety with three games to go. Aurelio headed the visitors into the lead in only the eleventh minute, and Natalio got two more before the break, the first with a low shot past Orlando and the second after Antonio López set him up. And Antonio López wrapped things up with a well struck free kick after the restart to virtually ensure his side stays up.

Ponferradina are also on the verge of going down after they lost 1-3 at home to Cádiz, and only an extraordinary combination of events will save them. Baha could have put the locals ahead a couple of times in the first half, but a few minutes in to the second half Enrique hit the bar before winning a penalty off Fuentes which Lobos converted. Pavoni made it two with an overhead kick, and with ten minutes to go Jonathan Sesma tucked away a second penalty after Alessandria was sent off for bringing down Acuña. Baha got a late consolation, but Bornes, Fuentes and Ramírez were all sent off at the end of the game, leaving the locals with seven men.

With Vecindario already relegated that only leaves one spot left, and Alavés opened up a five point gap between themselves and Castilla (who play on Sunday) after beating a demotivated Xerez 0-2. Arthuro turned in Jandro's cross to open the scoring on the half hour mark, but the visitors were left with ten men when Toni Moral picked up a second booking on the stroke of half time, and the locals could have equalised when Camuñas shot wide, and then when the referee turned down a couple of penalty appeals. Miguel Pérez made sure of the three points though with a second goal from a De Lucas cross with a quarter of an hour remaining.

Las Palmas also moved a step closer to safety after beating Sporting Gijón 3-1, a result which takes the Canary Islanders level with their opponents on fifty points. David García headed in a Trashorras corner to open the scoring on the quarter hour mark, and second division top scorer Marcos Márquez got the second a few minutes later, also a header from Darino's free kick. The Asturians got back in the game after the restart when Javi Fuego struck home a penalty after Ione had fouled Congo, although Andreu was lucky he was shown a second yellow card just after being substituted for a rude gesture as he took his place on the bench. Márquez wrapped things up though with his second of the night and his twentieth of the season in the last minute.

Poli Ejido put more daylight between themselves and the drop zone as well after a 1-0 victory over Albacete. Pedro Vega and Cristian went close for the locals early on, but Ferrón could have put the visitors ahead before half time if he had not come up against Bello Amigo. Paco Esteban got what was to be the winner twenty minutes after the interval when he got on the end of Toedtli's cross to beat Javi Martínez, and Bello Amigo kept out Peña and Zahinos near the end to ensure the three points.

Already promoted Valladolid's lack of recent form continued after they lost 0-1 to Hércules, and they have now gone five games without a win. Mendilibar made several changes to his line up, but they went behind midway through the first half when Sendoa got behind the defence to beat the second division's best keeper Alberto. Sergio Aragoneses hardly had any work to do in the opposite goal throughout the first half, and only a shot just wide by Borja after the restart came anywhere near to levelling the scores.

On-sale Ciudad Murcia put in another advert to potential buyers with a 1-0 victory over Numancia, a result which takes them up above Xerez to fourth in the table. Gibanel got the only goal of the game in the tenth minute after Rafita set him up, but although Goitom, Ayoze and Ortega went close, they couldn't add to their scoreline. Already safe, Andoni Goikoetxea's side hardly had a shot at goal all night. (26.05.07)

Real Madrid Castilla are clear favourites to join Vecindario, Lorca and Ponferradina in the second division B after they lost 2-3 to Tenerife on Sunday lunchtime. Agus headed through his own net on the half hour mark under pressure from Raúl Sánchez, but Mata levelled the scores before the break after Adrián González set him up. However Juvenal restored the lead a quarter of an hour in to the second half with an impressive shot from outside of the area, and Ayoze took advantage of slack defending to add a third soon afterwards. De la Red scored a last minute consolation for his side, but it was too late and coach Michel must be wondering if his nightmares about the Canary Islanders will ever stop.

Castilla are now five points behind Alavés and six off three teams, including Málaga, who lost 1-2 at home to Real Murcia on Sunday evening. Despite putting out a side full of reserve players, Lucas Alcaraz's team went ahead ten minutes before the break when Richi headed Gallardo's cross past Goitia. And Noel-Williams made it two on the hour mark after the defence failed to clear a cross from Jofre. Couñago headed one back from Gascón's centre a few minutes later, but when Chengue Morales had a goal disallowed for offside the referee had to hold up play for a few minutes to appeal for the disillusioned fans to stop throwing objects on to the pitch. The win coupled with Valladolid's defeat keeps the visitors in the race for the second division title.

Murcia remain two points behind Almería though after the Andalusians beat Elche 1-2 in the last match on Sunday night. Francisco headed the visitors into an early lead from a De Palmas cross, and Domnigo made it two soon after the restart with a shot on the counter-attack which Caballero couldn't stop going in to the net. Miguel got one back later on with a shot from outside of the area, but David Vidal's side couldn't prevent a defeat which leaves them a point or two short of safety.

Elsewhere Vecindario won 2-3 at Salamanca, their first away win of the season, although it was still not enough to take them off the bottom of the table. Aitor Goñi put the Canary Islanders ahead with just over half an hour gone after picking up a pass from Mirosavljevic, but Quique Martín equalised from the penalty spot after he himself was fouled shortly before the break, and Math Gomes gave the locals the lead after Vela and Arpón combined to set him up after the restart. Two goals in four minutes though from Xisco and Mario Prieto turned the scoreline around again though later on. (27.05.07)