Numancia's one-year stay in the Primera Division was ended as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Getafe, who boosted their own survival hopes.

Roberto Soldado scored a deserved winner just after the hour mark for the hosts, who created all the best chances in a largely uneventful game and could even afford for Cosmin Contra to miss a last-gasp penalty after Gorka Brit was sent off for deliberate handball.

Numancia, last year's Segunda Division champions, had given themselves hope of a great escape having spent the last three-and-a-half months in the bottom three by taking seven points from the previous nine.

But this result, coupled with Osasuna's victory over champions Barcelona and Sporting Gijon's win at Valladolid, saw their brave challenge ended.

Getafe, too, knew a win was vital to their cause and they will go into the last weekend of the season in 15th place with a one-point cushion to the relegation zone after making it two wins from three.

Contra, pushed into midfield in the absence of Javi Casquero and Eugen Polanski, had the first shot of the match but Juan Pablo Colinas made a comfortable save.

Numancia forced a couple of early corners but failed to create any chances in a low-key opening to the game.

The only shots either team managed were from long range, Esteban Granero and David Cortes firing off-target for the hosts while Jose Javier Barkero's effort was caught by Getafe goalkeeper Oscar Ustari.

Former Romania international Contra, usually a full-back, was offering the biggest threat and he tried his luck twice in the closing moments of the half.

First he shot wide from 25 yards but he should have done better on the stroke of half-time when he could only head over the crossbar from close range.

Getafe coach Michel made a change in defence at half-time with David Belenguer replacing Mario Alvarez.

The hosts came even closer seven minutes after the break as Soldado's shot was superbly parried by Colinas, who then made a much more routine save from Manu del Moral's 20-yarder.

Suddenly all the action was in the Numancia penalty area and it was Soldado again with a great chance but this time he headed wide from Contra's free-kick, while Granero was also off-target with his near-post effort.

Getafe got the reward their dominance justified in the 61st minute, and the protagonists came as no surprise as Contra set up Soldado for a clinical finish.

Numancia knew defeat would mean curtains for their survival hopes but their threat remained minimal, although Gorka did see a header saved by Ustari.

Getafe nearly made it two in the closing minutes but Colinas produced another block to keep out Jaime Gavilan's right-foot effort.

They had an even better chance in the third minute of injury time when Gorka's deliberate handball earned him a red card and Getafe a penalty.

However, the impressive Contra blotted his copybook by placing his spot-kick past the right-hand post.