Joan Verdu gave the Barcelona-based side the lead after 14 minutes, but the Catalans were made to work hard for their victory and only made the points safe with two late penalties.

Juan Calatayud was at fault for the first with 11 minutes left as he brought down Dani Osvaldo with the Hercules keeper sent-off for the indiscretion.

Osvaldo picked himself up to net the spot-kick and nine minutes later, Espanyol had another after Alvaro Vazquez was fouled.

This time, the task was left to Luis Garcia, who beat substitute keeper Unai Alba.

Atletico Madrid were indebted to their formidable strike duo of Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan as they hit back from a half-time deficit to win 4-2 at Real Sociedad.

The visitors trailed to Joseba Llorente's 12th-minute effort but bounced back with Forlan levelling with 19 minutes to go before two late Aguero efforts turned the match on its head.

Diego Rivas pulled one back but Atletico made sure of the points in injury-time when Simao Sabrosa netted from the penalty spot after Jose Reyes had been felled.

Pierre Webo struck a last-minute winner to help Real Mallorca consign former coach Gregorio Manzano and his Sevilla side to a 2-1 defeat at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Sevilla looked to have salvaged a point when Luis Fabiano netted in the 88th minute to cancel out Michael Pereira`s first-half opener for Mallorca, but the visitors went down the other end and snatched the points thanks to Cameroon striker Webo.

Sporting Gijon's miserable away form continued after they lost to Shojaei Massoud's second-half strike at Osasuna.

The visitors have now taken just two points from a possible 18 on their travels this season, form which is undermining their hopes of winning the relegation battle they are likely to face this winter.

Mid-table Osasuna are formidable at their Reyno de Navarra home and the points remained in Pamplona when Massoud converted Fernando Soriano's pass eight minutes into the second half.

Deportivo La Coruna continued their climb up the Primera Division standings with a 3-0 victory over a Malaga side who slumped to their first defeat under new coach Manuel Pellegrini.

Adrian Lopez, from the penalty spot, and Diego Colotto gave Depor a 2-0 lead inside the opening half-hour before Pablo Alvarez completed the scoring late on as the Galician side, who propped up the table not too long ago, climbed up to 12th spot.

Levante beat Racing Santander 3-1 thanks to two goals from Felipe Caicedo.

The Ecuador forward, on loan from Manchester City, scored after 23 and 26 minutes to put the promoted side in the ascendancy at the Ciudad de Valencia stadium.

The second goal, which came with Racing striker Ivan Bolado lying injured on the turf, prompted a mass brawl which culminated in visiting full-back Domingo Cisma being sent-off.

Christian Stuani made it 3-0 before Mehdi Lacen pulled one back for the 10 men.