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Second Division - Day 5

Real Madrid Castilla and Sabadell opened the weekend round of games on Friday evening, the Catalans coming back from two goals down to win 2-3 in the end. Juanfran got on the end of Borja's long cross to open the scoring on the quarter hour mark, and Jesé made it two later in the first half with a shot which hit a defender and looped over the head of keeper Nauzet in to the net. Just four minutes after the restart however Moha got one back, and in the next ten minutes Anibal headed the equaliser and then beat Mejías for a third time to make it five for the season for the ex-Guadalajara striker. (14.09.12)

Elche are off to the best possible start this season, and they made it five wins out of five after a last minute 2-1 victory over Sporting Gijón on Saturday evening. Local coach Fran Escribá lined up without an orthodox centre forward, but they took the lead in the seventh minute when Xumetra played the ball on for Corominas to beat Juan Pablo. Xumetra almost caught out the visiting keeper with a shot from the half-way line before the interval, but the Asturians rallied after the restart, and Nacho Cases equalised after Manu Herrera could only push Trejo's shot on to the post. With the game coming to an end however Pedro Orfila brought down Mantecón in the area, and Edu Albacar converted the resulting penalty to leave Sporting down in next to last spot.

With Villarreal playing on Sunday, Almería took advantage to move up to second thanks to a 4-0 win over bottom club Guadalajara. Trejillo had to clear an early effort from Alex Cruz off the line with the keeper beaten, but after that the locals took control. Soriano opened the scoring in the eighteenth minute after Aarón Ñiguez set him up, and a quarter of an hour later Aleix Vidal got the second, again after an Aarón assist. Christian got on the end of Verza's free kick on the hour mark to score the third, and Aarón himself rounded things off with the fourth goal near the end.

Two of last season's play-off sides, Alcorcón and Córdoba, met on Saturday, with the Madrid based side running out 2-1 winners to move up to fourth in the table. Kike López got on the end of a Fernando Sales cross to head the opener in the seventh minute, and Juli added the second after the defence failed to clear a long Manu Fernández free kick early in the second half. López Silva put Dubarbier though to get one back though, and the Andalusians almost saved a point when Kiko Olivas headed against the bar near the end.

Barcelona B are up to fifth after they beat Ponferradina 2-1, a third win in a row for Eusebio's side. The visitors were on a roll though after knocking Villarreal out of the cup midweek, and Yuri gave them an early lead after a good team move. Luis Alberto equalised however with a low free kick shortly before the break, and the ex Sevilla forward set up Lobato for the winner after the restart.

Barcelona B are not eligible for promotion however, and the two remaining play-off spots are currently occupied by Sabadell and by Huesca, who beat Lugo 2-4 in a high scoring match. Manu hit the bar for the locals before Borja put the visitors ahead following a corner late in the first half, but Oscar Díaz equalised after Fran Sol's shot came back off the post. Two goals in a three minute period though by Lázaro and Nuñez restored the lead, and although Oscar Diaz got his second of the day, Jokín made it four soon afterwards. Huesca had David López sent off with five minutes to go, but they held on to hand Quique Setien's side their first defeat of the season.

Murcia drop to eighth after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Mirandés, although they will be grateful for the point after going two down before the break. Alain put the visitors in front in the fifth minute after Mujika set him up, and Muneta got the second on the stroke of half time following Alain's assist. And although Cristian García got one back though in the third minute of the second half after good work by Matilla and Nico Martínez, it was not until two minutes from the end that Matilla levelled the scores with a shot from outside of the area.

Relief for Racing Santander at last, the Cantabrians following up their midweek cup victory with a 3-0 win over Recreativo. The long suffering local fans booed off their team after a dull first half in which Fabri had approached with a defensive line up. But a mistake by visiting keeper Alejandro let in Jairo for the opening goal with an hour on the clock, and two minutes later Kaludjerovic made it two from the penalty spot after Zamora had handled in the area. Finally with the game in injury time Gai Assulin scored the third on a rapid breakaway, giving Racing their first league win in the Sardinero stadium since the first week of January.

Xerez also clocked up a much needed victory, the Andalusians beating Numancia 2-0 to end a run of four defeats in a row. Rueda put Esteban Vigo's side ahead with a shot from the edge of the area just before the break, and Alvaro Rey scored the second after picking up a pass from Iñigo Vélez midway through the second half. Julio Alvarez and Regalón both hit the bar for the visitors late on, but even with their opponents down to ten men after Vega was sent off, they couldn't prevent a first defeat of the season. (15.09.12)

Villarreal are back up to second spot after a 1-0 victory over regional neighbours Hércules on Sunday evening. Both teams had been knocked out of the cup midweek, and they got off to a nervous start, with the two keepers mere spectators in the first half hour. Hernán Pérez started to cause some problems for the visiting defence however, and with seven minutes to go to the break Cavenaghi picked up Mario's cross and fired a shot wide of Falcón. After the restart Falcón did well to keep out Cani and Marcos Senna, but Sardinero came close to equalising a couple of times, the first with a shot against the upright and the second with an effort which Juan Carlos saved. The defeat leaves Hércules down in the relegation spots, and coach Juan Carlos Mandiá needs a rapid turnaround if he is to continue in his job.

A high scoring weekend though in the second division, the 39 goals scored the biggest tally in almost two seasons. Five of those came in the Montivilistadium on Sunday lunchtime, with hosts Girona thrashing Las Palmas 5-0 to move up to fourth in the table. Garmendia headed against the bar before Tébar volleyed home the first, and Felipe Sanchón and Jofre helped themselves to two more either side of half time. Sanchón got on the end of Juanlu's cross to make it four some twenty minutes in to the second half, and Ion Vélez completed the rout, beating Barbosa from close to goal with six minutes to go. (16.09.12)