La Vida en Segunda (Life in the Spanish Second Division): Round 22

 

Martin Devlin (twitter: @PucelaEscosia) is back with a wrap up of the Spanish Second division.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Liga Adelante

Week 22 Round-up

Saturday 28th January 2012

 

 

Valladolid 1 Nauzet 79 (P)

A Nauzet Aleman penalty was all this game could muster at El Collao, but it was enough to see Valladolid past a spirited Alcoyano side. Miroslav Djukic’s Pucela briefly took top spot on Saturday, but were replaced again the next day by Deportivo who won their Sunday encounter with Cartagena. However, Valladolid will certainly be pleased with their consistency in recent weeks which will keep the heat on the Galicians at the summit.

 

Alcorcon 3 Sergio Mora 15; Agus 66; Quini 69 (P)

Las Palmas 1 Javier Portillo 75

Going into this game at the Santo Domingo, Alcorcon were level on points with visitors Las Palmas, trailing only on goal difference. However, thanks to a comfortable win, they leapfrogged their island opponents into ninth place. Sergio Mora netted in the first half and was joined on the score sheet in the second by Agus, before Quini put the result beyond doubt from the penalty spot a few minutes later. Javier Portillo replied for Las Palmas, but it was nothing more than a consolation.

 

Hercules 0

Villarreal B 2 Jaume Costa 81; Lucas Porcas 90

In a weekend of strong performances by lower placed teams, the pick of them all had to be Villarreal B’s shock of Hercules. On the road, the Yellow Submarine defied the odds and grabbed two late goals to see them past Juan Carlos Mandia’s side. Jaume Costa set the table for the upset when he netted with nine minutes remaining, and Lucas Porcas added the decorations when he beat the Hercules keeper to stun the home side.

 

Guadalajara 1 J. Collado 66

Numancia 0

Numancia slipped two places to eleventh after falling 1-0 to Guadalajara at the Pedro Escartin. Carlos Terrazas’ side have held their own since being promoted and the hosts consolidated their position courtesy of three points thanks to a solitary strike from Collado. This was a much welcome win, and clean sheet, following heavy shutouts to Almeria and Valladolid in previous matches.

 

Girona 0

Celta 1 Andres Tunez 45

A nervous performance by Celta saw them edge past Girona with a solitary goal from Andres Tunez on the stroke of halftime. It will be seen as maximum points claimed for the Celtinas, but fans will expect a more convincing display if they are to remain in the bracket of title contenders.

 

Barcelona B 4 Marti Bataller Riverola 1; Rodri 15, 68; Feminia 25

Huesca 2 David Bauza 48; Tariq 62 (Clavero S/O 89)

Game of the weekend in the Segunda came in Barcelona as Eusebio Sacristan’s men entertained Huesca at the Mini Estadi. Entertainment certainly was the name of the game as the hosts came out the blocks quickly and were leading inside a minute, thanks to Riverola. The visitors were left reeling from this and found themselves two down within quarter of an hour as Rodri struck the first of his two goals for the Blaugrana. Feminia added a third ten minutes later to give the home side a seemingly unasailable lead at the break. However, Huesca staged a mini-comeback and pulled goals back through Bauza and Tariq to make things interesting. When it looked like the visitors were going to complete their revival, Rodri struck the killer blow by finding the net for the second time that afternoon to break Huesca’s hearts. Manager Quique Hernandez’s misery was compounded when Clavero received his marching orders with very little time remaining.

 

Murcia 0 (Cristian Garcia S/O 69)

Recreativo 3 Pablo Sanchez 33; Bonaque 36; Aitor 88

Recre travelled to the Nueva Condomina to take on Murcia, lagging seven points behind Los Pimenteros, but left having bagged a surprise 3-0 win. Pablo Sanchez got the Andalusians on the board just after the half hour mark, and Bonaque had doubled the lead before Murcia had the chance to regroup. The hosts saw Cristian Garcia dismissed in the second half and a miserable afternoon was completed for Murcia when Recre’s Aitor fired in their third.

 

Sabadell 2 Manuel Lanzarote 13 (P); Florian 83

Xerez 0

Lluis Carreras’ Sabadell saw off nearest challengers Xerez with a goal in each half at the Nova Creu Alta. The hosts, who conceded a late goal to draw Las Palmas last week, were comfortable throughout this game and took the lead thanks to a penalty from Manuel Lanzarote inside the opening fifteen minutes. Although the Xerez goal was not breached again until seven minutes from time by Florian, the Saballuts looked in command for large swathes of the game and Xerez’s inability to convert chances sealed the points for the Catalan side.

 

 

 

 

Elche 0 (Eduardo Gallego Albacar S/O 67; Sergio Pellegrin S/O 80)

Elche dropped further off the promotion pace as they fell 2-0 away to Cordoba, which saw them finish the game with nine men. Albacar and Pellegrin received their marching orders, while Gaspar of Cordoba found himself the recipient of a straight red card. Goals in either half for the hosts from Javi Hervas and Borja Garcia meant they finished the weekend in sixth while Elche slipped one place below them.

 

Deportivo 2 Riki 23; Xisco 70 (Diaz Ayoze S/O 17 SR)

Cartagena 1 Juan Jose Collantes 61; (Abraham Paz Cruz S/O 37)

Having been replaced by Valladolid overnight at the top of the Segunda, the pressure was on Depor to be at their Sunday best to reclaim their spot. What they got was a 2-1 win in a tricky game against Cartagena at home. Maximum points and mission accomplished as they retook first place, but a lively visiting side made them work for their win. Their cause was not helped when Diaz Avoze was shown a straight red card in 17 minutes, but very soon Riki cut the tension inside the Riazor when he netted for home side shortly after. Parity in numbers was soon restored as Cartagena’s Abraham Paz Cruz walked following his second booking. After the break, Collantes scored for the Albinegros to make it uncomfortable for the Depor faithful, but they could soon breathe easily when Xisco restored their advantage to ensure that the Galicians ended week 22 atop the pile again.

 

Gimnastic 1 Berry Powell 50 (P)

Almeria 2 Jose Antonio Verza 40; Aleix 89

Almeria survived a scare to grind out a win at bottom side Gimnastic. Jose Antonio Verza had broken the deadlock five minutes before the break, but this was cancelled out with a Berry Powell penalty for Nastic not long after the restart. The game looked to be heading for draw and a well deserved point for Jorge D’Alessandro’s side, but Aleix popped up to snatch a late winner and break the Catalans’ hearts.