Almeria have edged out Getafe 1-0 this evening to pick up just their third victory in 15 La Liga outings and climb out of the bottom three in the process.
It was the home side who started the better, and they perhaps had a case for a penalty when Edgar Mendez was felled by Alvaro Arroyo inside the box, although the referee was quick to wave away appeals.
The Rojiblancos continued to push for an early opener through Angel Trujillo's headed attempt from a corner, which came cannoning back off the crossbar.
Getafe were soon able to muster some chances of their own, though, the first of which fell the way of Alvaro Vazquez, who saw his low attempt kept out by Julian after he latched on to Pablo Sarabia's flick-on.
Right on the stroke of half time the game eventually had its first goal courtesy of Mendez's effort into the bottom corner of the net to give the Andalusian outfit a lead to hold on to.
The 23-year-old winger could have bagged a second shortly after the restart, but his header failed to get the better of Jordi Codina, and there was to be further disappointment for Almeria when Michel Macedo had his effort ruled out for offside.
Sergio Escudero was issued a second yellow card on the hour mark to leave the Azulones with a real mountain to climb, which they failed to overcome in the remaining time.
Almeria forward Tomer Hemed squandered two chances to put the game out of sight, and despite being issued with a red card of his own to even out the sides in the closing stages, it was to be Juan Ignacio Martinez's side who laid claim to the spoils.
The defeat leaves Getafe now sitting just one point and one place above their opponents.
Daniel Lewis
