Sporting Gijon picked up just their second point of the season away from home with Nacho Novo's second-half strike earning them a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw at Almeria.

The home side led through Miguel Angel Corona's 16th-minute goal but were pegged back when former Rangers striker Novo volleyed home with 17 minutes to go.

The leveller maintains Almeria's record of having not won at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos this term.

It looked bright for the hosts when they took the lead after 16 minutes but Sporting had already had a let-off by then.

Pablo Piatti found a yard of space inside the area and his left-footed effort appeared goalbound until visiting keeper Juan Pablo Colinas scrambled across his line to make a brilliant save, parrying it round the post for a corner which came to nothing.

Sporting could not keep Almeria out when the hosts came again five minutes later.

Piatti was the creator this time with a left-wing cross which Corona planted into the net.

It could have been worse for Sporting had Juan Pablo not saved well to deny Juanma Ortiz from 35 yards after 22 minutes.

Sporting offered little going forward in the opening half hour with their best chance falling to Alberto Botia but he headed over from close range.

The visitors came into it more as half-time approached.

Ivan Hernandez nodded narrowly wide from a Carmelo Gonzalez free-kick before a Gonzalez effort from close range was well blocked by Michel Machado.

Sporting also started the second half strongly with Diego Castro seeing a shot well saved by home keeper Diego Alves while Alves was also in the right place to keep out a David Barral effort.

Novo had been well marshalled by the Almeria defence but they left him for a second and he made them pay as he got on the end of Gonzalez's outswinging corner to volley superbly past Alves and into the top corner.

Sporting poured forward in search of a winner and they came within inches when Miguel Cuevas' 76th-minute shot came back off the post with Alves beaten.