Sporting Gijón moved back into the top three after a 1-2 victory at Albacete on Saturday evening. De Lucas turned the ball in on the far post to put the Asturians ahead twenty minutes in to the first half, and they had several more chances before Noguerol turned Sastres cross into his own net with ten minutes to go. Alustiza got a last minute consolation for the home side from Ferrón's cross, but it was too late to stop them from dropping further down into the bottom four. The result cost the job of local coach Quique Hernández, who was fired soon after the end of the match.

Sporting move ahead of Real Sociedad on goal average after the Basque side drew 0-0 at Elche. It took a good performance by Caballero though to save a point which keeps David Vidal's side two points behind their opponents in the table. The local keeper made important saves from Castillo, Xabi Prieto, Díaz de Cerio, Martí and Víctor López throughout the match, although the home side also had their chances in particular a couple of efforts from Noel-Williams and a free kick against the bar from Cobo early on.

Sevilla Atlético could have joined Sporting and Real on 42 points had they beaten Pepe Murcia's Castellón in the last game of the evening, but in the end they too drew 0-0. Only a shot from Tabares and an Alfaro free kick troubled either keeper in the first half. And the best chance didn't come until injury time, when Javi Varas kept out a Dealbert free kick. Both sides ended with ten men after Baigirri and then Oscar were shown straight red cards.

Celta drop four points off the promotion spots after a 1-0 defeat at Las Palmas. Trashorras got the only goal in the eighth minute after Darino set him up, and Quicy, Fernando Sales and Nuñez all tried their luck as the Galicians fought back, and Canobbio hit the bar with a late free kick. With the game in injury time Sergio Suárez gave away a penalty on Vitolo, and although Canobbio beat Santamaría with his kick, the referee ordered a retake which the debutant keeper saved to take his side out of the bottom four.

Elsewhere Cádiz came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Córdoba. Cristian Alvarez and Pineda gave the locals the lead, the first with a fourth minute free kick and the second with an angled shot five minutes before the break. But Natalio got one back close to half time after picking up a pass from Kosowski and rounding Julio Iglesias to score, and De la Cuesta equalised from Parri's free kick a quarter of an hour before the final whistle. (23.02.08)

Numancia extended their lead at the top of the second division after beating Hércules 2-1 on Sunday lunchtime. All the goals came in a ten minute period midway through the second half, with Toché heading the Soria based side into the lead from Juanra's cross ten minutes after the restart. Diego Jaume equalised five minutes later with another header from a corner, but Julio Alvarez fired home the winner from outside of the area midway through the second half, and the visitors ended with ten men when Ion Vélez was sent off for a second bookable offence shortly before the final whistle.

Numancia are now five point clear of Málaga, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Eibar later in the evening. The Andalusians had several chances before Baha gave them the lead after picking up a pass from Jesús Gámez and firing a shot past Cuéllar on the hour mark. Goitia saved a Goiria penalty three minutes later after Hidalgo handled in the area, but Altuna saved a point for the locals, beating the keeper after Yagüe's header came back off the post six minutes from the end.

Málaga have not won away now since the first week of January, also the last time that Salamanca picked up three points. The finally did record a 1-0 victory over Tenerife this weekend though, taking them to within a point of the Canary Islanders in the middle of the table. Both sides could have scored before the locals got what was to prove the only goal of the game, Quique Martín converting a penalty midway through the first half after Culebras fouled David Rodríguez.

Racing Ferrol moved out of the relegation spots after a 0-2 win over struggling Xerez, their fourth win in five games. Alvaro and Pereira got the goals in a two in a minute around the half hour mark, the first after running on to Chema Mato's lifted pass to beat Porato and the second with an acrobatic shot in off the post on a quick counter-attack. The Andalusians stay in next to bottom spot after a fourth defeat in a row, and one or two of their players were attacked by home supporters as they left the ground.

Gimnàstic drop back into the bottom four after they drew 1-1 at bottom club Poli Ejido. Calle gave the visitors the lead on the half hour mark with a shot over the keeper, just a minute or so after David Sánchez had hit the bar. But the Andalusians came close to equalising a couple of times after the restart, and youngster Kike saved a point for them in injury time after a first effort was blocked.

Alavés stay a point clear of the drop zone after drawing 2-2 against Granada 74. Caretaker manager Julio Bañuelos was in charge of the Vitoria based side for the first time after Josu Uribe was fired, but he saw his team go behind in the fourth minute when Elvis beat Ardouin after Luque's effort came back off the post. Toni Moral hit the bar with a free kick before the break, and Aganzo equalised from the penalty spot at the second attempt after Fagoaga was sent off for a foul on Sergio Rodríguez four minutes after the restart. Luque restored the lead with a second penalty after Pablo Casar fouled Torrecilla, but Raúl Sánchez made it all square again a couple of minutes later when he headed in Toni Moral's free kick. After that though referee Martínez Franco sent off Alavés players Gabri (for a second booking) and Toni Moral (straight red), and in the end both sides settled for a point. (24.02.08)